Questions & Answers

Add "Export to Mono" as a default output in addition to "Main"

+36 votes
2,151 views
asked Sep 13, 2017 in Studio One Feature Requests by donaldbaarns (9,860 points)
edited Sep 14, 2017 by donaldbaarns

In "Song > Export Mixdown" it would be very handy to have a DEFAULT "Export to Mono" available, in addition to "Main", without having to create that option.

Usage case: Voice Over, narration (audio book producers), phone system messages, Podcasters and other voice related activities export many times per day. Having a default Mono output (single channel) would be a major win, AND having the export box remember that choice would also be a very helpful too. Many of these VO activities require single channel mono files.

Today we have to add a Mono output for our interface, and then select it via the Options > Output drop down each time we choose "Export Mixdown".

Even if we have added a "Mono Out" to our interface matrix, S1 will NOT remember it when the box opens, it always defaults to "Main" for Output, requiring us to switch on every export. (Again, it's normal to export a dozen times or more per day.)

Each time you close/reopen that Export dialog, it reverts to "Main" as the output format. Even if you process audio to a Mono output, the next time you open the box, it's back to Main. All other details are remembered... but not the "Output" selection.

If nothing else, just remembering the choice that is NOT "Main" would be helpful.

S1 is big in the Voice Over space and growing like crazy. This option would make life easier.

5 Answers

0 votes
answered May 22, 2018 by AlexTinsley (925,230 points)
 
Best answer

Thank you for the feature request. 

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+4 votes
answered Sep 13, 2017 by jimfoster1 (270 points)
This would be very handy, and avoid time-wasting gaffes when I'm in a hurry.
0 votes
answered Sep 27, 2017 by elijahlucian (1,250 points)
Hey. Fellow voice artist here.

I have a bunch if workarounds for you and I'll finish with my favorite.

First option, route your voice over to a mono bus , and treat that as your master channel. Then export "stems", choose the bus,  and "preserve mono something " (I'm not at my computer... this will allow you to export your voice over easily with all the same options as the main render. You can bounce between markers etc. I use this one all the time. But I prefer the following

When you're woeking on your project, try adding all your effects right to the track that the voice is in.. Then open up browse on the right and click files. Navigate to your desired output folder.

Now select all and drag all the files to the browser in the folder. As you're holding down over the folder there will be an option to copy the clips with no fx or you can press control and it will render with all your effects.

If your track is mono it bounces mono.

If you have been diligent about naming your clips, this can also save you a ton of time renaming clips too.

Only thing to be wary about here is delay or reverb (which I don't use in vo) but then the first option will be best for you. Good luck..
0 votes
answered Oct 2, 2017 by donaldbaarns (9,860 points)
Cool, but I have plenty of workarounds too.

I set up a Mono output, and that's my default. I'd still like a default Mono output so we don't have to jump through hoops, and exporting via the browser is fine, but still not as easy as having a default Mono Out similar to Main.

I also have plenty of VO projects that are multiple tracks (with music beds, often a couple choices for the client), so having it work easily from Export Mixdown is a huge win...

I agree you can do it, but I can mix down to stems when needed and creating buses simply adds unneeded complexity.

That said, thanks for sharing what you're doing. Always nice to have alternate options, and nice to hear what others are doing.
+1 vote
answered Nov 29, 2017 by TRevMFB (3,280 points)
This feature would probably be more useful if it had 3 bounce down features similar to other DAWs.

-Export as mono

-Export as stereo (separate L and R mono files)

-Export as stereo interleaved. (Blended L+R single stereo file)
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