The mid-side technique is a very popular method within the music production universe. It helps correct the stereo sound image of a musical piece as well as its individual components. This technique adds wideness to particular sounds. You can fin it in most equalizers and as compressor devices.
Nowadays, a wide variety of plugins can take an L/R signal and encode it to a mid-side signal. When this happens, endless possibilities appear in the mastering process. In simple terms, the mid-signal is the sum of the right channel and the left channel added to mono. In contrast, the side signal is the difference between the left channel and the right channel.
Mid-Side Technique: the Master Bus
The master bus is the place where the equalizer, the exciter, or the compressor are located. This position is crucial: it is the one that enables mid-side processing. The reason is all the audio signals get joined together into a master bus. Frequently, player position instruments like guitars and synthesizers on the side channels, while the place kick drums, snare, and bass in the central area.
Stereo Widening
Stereo widening is a feature that increases the perceived width of a mix or of individual instruments. Music producers can apply this feature to any sound source, although many agree that pieces with low-frequency content should be mono. The easiest way to increase the stereo width is to apply stereo delay with several delay times upon it on both left and right channels.
You can manipulate the stereo widening music production feature with a knob. This knob controls the amount of stereo widening applied to the overall signal. If you don’t move the knob, the signal remains the same. Conversely, if you move it to the right, you can perceive the stereo widening effect. But be careful: moving the knob excessively could distort the entire mix.
