AES Fall Convention 2023

Immersive audio has inspired a new way to think about the presentation of sound, but it has also provoked a re-think about how to approach stereo and – yes – mono! Explorations in ambisonics stir a return to first principals for coincident stereo recording, particularly M/S and Blumlein. Understanding their value in stereo capture remains ever important, for both stereo production and for tracking stereo elements within an immersive production. But they also represent an interesting approach to many mono, close microphone techniques. Fluency in the decoding/shuffling of the output of two coincident microphones has production value that goes beyond width, space, and localization. Get it right when tracking and you’ll be empowered to explore and fine tune timbre and to virtually move a microphone while mixing. In this way we will fine tune the quality of capture before reaching for EQ and other effects. From mono to stereo to immersive and back, broaden your microphone techniques to become a better recording and mix engineer.