Icon graduate James Geary aka Jetset introduces you to mid-side processing and demonstrates how to enhance sounds with this effective mixing technique using various plugins.
What is Mid-Side Processing?
Mid-Side processing is an effective mixing technique used to improve your mix and create a more compelling listening experience. This flexible processing approach separates the stereo signal into two channels that can be treated independently to create a much wider and fuller sound.
The mid channel is the center of a stereo image that contains all the information from both the left and right channels. For example, boosting the mid-channel will give you a more centered or mono sound.
The side channel represents the edges of the stereo image and contains all the information that differs between the left and right channels. For example, boosting the side channel will give you a more spacious or wider sound.
Mid-Side Processing Techniques
In this video, James takes you into Ableton Live to demonstrate several mid-side processing techniques he uses to enhance the clarity and quality of sounds. He also introduces various third-party plugins and explains how he employs them during the mixdown process.
In addition, James shows you how to create mid-side processing Rack in Ableton Live. He also teaches you how to process the two channels separately to increase a sounds perceived width and presence. Lastly, James applies some post-processing to achieve a fuller, bolder sound.