If possible try to keep your tracks mono until the project can go no further without applying dynamic stereo effects. Obviously when you're working on your mix you can set the panning levels, but this is non-destructive (i.e. you can do this without altering the actual file), however dynamic stereo effects (such as a guitar crossing from left to right) may require the track to be rendered if you need to apply an effects using another piece of software.

Some VST effects will only work in mono, so you can create a lot of clever stereo effects early on, then find you want to apply an effect only to find it only works in mono (defaulting to the left channel usually), leaving you with the choice of applying the effect (and thus undoing all your panning edits) or leaving out the effect altogether.

Jump to:

• Software Summary
• Planning
• Working in Mono
• Bit Depths & Sample Rates
• Latency
• Mixing Software