I am struggling when using many of the MONO LADSPA FX available. Most Delay mono implementations don´t seem to work at all for me, and then most other FX are only available in stereo mode.
It may just be something I am doing wrong, but I have the feeling that using mono tracks makes things easier when working on the stereo mix, and keep the sound cleaner? Building on that, I feel most confortable using mono tracks for most instruments, but when trying to apply some FX on them, I end up hitting a dead end.
Any recommendations on which MONO FX are good working and fully functional?
I frequently use “Tape Delay simulation” by Steve Harris or (even though it’s stereo) the “L/C/R Delay” - just insert a “mono to stereo splitter” before it on your mono tracks and be sure to compensate for the additional 6dB afterwards!
The CAPS Versatile Plate Reverb is everywhere on my recordings. I’ve focused on using only a very few plugins, learning how each parameter affects the sound and tweaking until I’m happy with the results. Typically I’ll employ the mono version of the plate reverb in individual tracks, then I employ one of Steve Harris’s compressors on the Master output. It’s nice combination that favors what I usually record (voices, guitars, bass, drums).
If you use VST Plugins at all then that splitter is a necessity as well. Most VST’s are stereo and if you want to use them on a mono track you will invariably encounter the “weird plugin dialog”
As well you can create a stereo bus, insert the stereo FX in this bus, and then pre or post fader send your mono track to the bus.
Think it’s better, cause you can send several tracks (ie toms) to the very same fx, and easily compare with or without fx by muting the bus…