Mono vs Stereo Explained - Video Editing Tutorial

Wireless microphones are great, but they give you the option of choosing to record in Mono or Stereo audio. I'll explain the difference between mono and stereo, how it relates to videography, and how to edit mono and stereo audio in post-production. I'll also explain the same concepts for safety track audio.

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[schoepsms]

Stereo is a spatial recording technique that captures directional cues of a sound. However, it has become common to call anything that is two tracks “stereo”.

When using two mics on different people it is considered 2 channels of discrete mono. For some, thinking of it as 2 independent mono tracks can be helpful for some when editing and managing synch.

[RonaldBrown]

I work alone, so I almost always record in mono. But I do see the benefits of recording in stereo. Great tutorial, and thanks for sharing.

[michaelmarcano]

Thank you! Everyone talks about video but rarely do I see creatives get into audio....the more the better! Do you ever EQ your audio? I'm sure we'd like to see that if you do!

[mikeroche]

I don't see the link for Stereo Audio mistake video.

[TimBrownTown]

Just starting to watch. Thanks so much for this one!

[VegasSlotsVP]

I don't see the link to the mistake of uploading stereo to YouTube... Could you help me? Also, I am a slot channel. I am hoping the DJI MIC 2 will help me improve the reduction of copyrighted songs that get recorded while I am recording. I am the only one using a mic - do I still record in stereo for a better chance at getting rid of the music or at least get it way down so it is not so prevalent? Thanks!

[jackstarr]

That was good! :)
Thank you.
A video showing how to do the same with GarageBand on Mac would be popular.

[DownsizingMakesCents]

I use a splitter so i can use a dead cat rode micro on right, and i have my DJI mic two on left, while using a go pro, you can get a special splitter cable from rode, this way i have a way to record the background audio and my personal audio while recording. I go the action 4 specificallly to be Able to directly record with my mic 2. Come on, resolve is more professional than PP, i dont think so, haha. Switching tracks in resolve looks complicated compared to PP, i have a custom set up for changing stereo to two mono tracks, easily Larry

[CC-gtro]

In theory I can use a spliter TRS stereo to two mono TS cable and connect my azden smx-30 mono/stereo wirelessly to dji or rode receiver for wildlife. So i will have both choice. I can connect my stereo mic directly handheld but on a gimbal, we cannot really balance a big micro. I can fix the micro to the gimbal handle but the cable to the camera is long and heavy and create a tension on the motor. With two transmitters i can connect to the receiver without any cable. The dji mic 2 is my choice as it has also the sony camera adapter to remove the cable from the receiver to the camera fully digital 24 bits instead of 16 bits 2 channels. I hope it will work.

[NR-rvrz]

Could you advise on the gain for my DJI Mic2 transmitter?
I have it set to +1 on my Sony ZV-1 and +9 on my DJI Mic 2 receiver. When I had low such as just +1 on my transmitter, the audio was very, very low. When I raised it to +9 on the transmitter, the audio is very raspy.
What should it be on the transmitter?

[Jonahalcalde]

Great video! I have the dji mic 2, and I was curious if this is possible while recording through the receiver plugged into an iPhone. it seems to always record both transmitters audio on the video file. Even when put into an editing software it always has 1 audio file. Any ideas?

[dev.himanshuarora]

I use iphone, hollyland lark m1 and davinci resolve, but it records mono sound. when I don't use mic, it records stereo. what to do? previously I was able to record stereo sound but I don't know how it changed. I can still record stereo using black magic camera.

[Ebenezum]

If I don’t use receiver, and just record on both mics separately, (by pressing record button on side of mic) I can have 2 audios and just synchronize in DaVinci Resolve … you need to use Stereo ONLY IF YOU record with receiver, without receiver you don’t really care but you have to do good sync in post processing

[GregoryGannon]

Great explainer, as always, but now I wanna hear knock knock jokes in mono vs stereo

[cemkar]

is this right? 2 people dialoque with wireless micrphone i choosed it mono but as recording it is stereo.

[growformegardening]

Thanks! We have learned SO much about our DJI Mic 2 and Pocket 3 from you. We have been using two Mic 2's in stereo for recording our videos and since I edit in iMovie I haven't been able to put them back in to mono. Do you think it is better to record in mono with the two mics or pull the trigger and upgrade my editing software?

[tasadem]

Can we do the same process with Premiere Pro too?

[TimBrownTown]

Okay, I get it and I think I can figure it out from here, but if I were to select all of the audio, duplicate it to track 2 as described, are the tracks linked to the video (by default) so that I can edit the video as needed and it will remove the audio and keep it synchronized for both tracks? Or, do I need to first clip the video and get it to where I want it and then duplicate the audio track as described?

[mattlawson]

Great video if happened to record in mono is there a way to separate the two receiver audio tracks or is it baked into one track in post?

[AprilClayton]

On the DJI Pocket 3 wireless mic 2, it only gives mono option. My videos only play sound in one AirPod. I went in Davinci and changed the audio track to stereo. It then played in both ears. Should mono be able to play in both ears?