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Switching between Mono & Stereo after you’ve already recorded, is something I didn’t realize you could do until recently. It’s a really effective way to manage and shape your mixes. Here’s how to do it.
Click the “O” icon next to the word “Input,” and you can switch between Mono and Stereo. If It says “1”, it’s in Mono, and if it says “1-2,” then it’s in Stereo.
How to Switch Between Mono & Stereo in GarageBand
If you need more help with the process, the YouTube video I shared above should help. Or follow along with the annotated images below.
1) Press ‘B’ to Open the Smart Controls
Just make sure you’ve selected the track at some point that way the changes made in the Smart Controls will be reflected on the desired instrument/sound.
2) Press the “O” Icon Next to “Input” to Change Mono/Stereo
When you switch between Mono & Stereo, it’ll change the way your audio is outputted in a subtle way. If you’re listening with headphones or good monitors, you’ll hear the difference immediately.
When the track is Mono, it’ll sound if the audio is coming from just one specific and centralized source or location, whereas it sounds much wider while in Stereo (both left and right speakers).
This is especially pronounced if you’ve panned one of your tracks by 50% to the left or 50% to the right, just as an example.
While in Stereo, the audio will bleed into the Left Headphone just a little bit even if it’s panned fairly hard to the right. In Mono, it’ll strictly come from the Left Headphone if panned that way.
You can also use the “Gain” plugin found in “Utility” to convert tracks or your entire project to Mono. I’ve explained this before in the article mentioned below, and in other YouTube videos as well.
What About Instrument and Drummer Tracks?
If you’re trying to convert Instrument and Drummer Tracks to Mono/Stereo, you’ll have to use the “Gain” plugin that I mentioned ago and the “Convert to Mono” preset.
I’ve tried it with Drummer Tracks before and it has worked just fine, however, it doesn’t seem to work in the same way if I try it with the “Classic Electric Piano,” for example.
If you have any questions or concerns, let me know in the comment section below. Even better if you have your own tips to share.