One Mono Track at Normal Level Okay?

[Peter Moretti]

I usually record with just a single mono boom mic to a Sound Devices 744T, which can record four channel poly wave files.

Normally, I record the mic's normal level to tracks 1 & 2, and the mic's normal level minus 9db to tracks 3 & 4. As a result tracks 1 and 2 are identical, and tracks 3 and 4 are identical.

I do this with the idea of supplying identical mono tracks for the left and right channels in the NLE. So track 1 would be for the left channel and the identical track 2 would be for the right channel. (And if the safety tracks recorded at 9db lower are used, track 3 would be for the left channel and the identical track 4 would be for the right channel.)

Is there any advantage of this method over just recording the normal level to one track? As it seems like a waste of tracks.

If I recorded the mic's normal level to let's say ONLY track 1, I would then have three tracks that I could record at different safety levels.

Any input (no pun intended) is much appreciated!

 

[Todd T]

I record one track normal level, second track at a lower db level for in case of clipping.

it is redundant to simulate stereo on the recorder, all NLEs handle mono tracks being put into a stereo or multitrack output.

It also makes applying audio settings and effects more complicated than needed (i.e. with a mono track you can easily pan the audio left or right with the mixer)

 

[Marc Wielage]

A lot depends on how predictable the situation is. If it's an interview, where everybody is calm and there's going to be no screaming or guns going off, then I wouldn't bother with a second track at a lower level; instead, I'd use multiple microphones as a backup in addition to the main mix (which is not possible with a 744 unless you use an external mixer).

If it's a scripted show, then one approach would be to go with multiple microphones, record them about -5dB lower than the main mix, and then ride all the levels on the main mix only. Let the post department decide which they'd like to use: the mono mix or the iso tracks.

The 744 was a good machine for its time, but Sound Devices very quickly realized they needed to make mixer/recorders​, so the later 788 / 688 machines added that functionality.

 

[Peter Moretti]

Hi Marc, it sounds like you agree with Todd that providing identical ISO tracks, as I described in my post above, serves no useful purpose. Is that correct?

As for adding additional mics to the 744, it does have two XLR inputs with phantom power and gain controls. You can't however, AFAICT, gang those together or gang them to the fader for the incoming mix.

Thanks for your help!

 

[David Peterson]

I agree that having identical ISO tracks is pointless.

 

[Marc Wielage]

Hi Marc, it sounds like you agree with Todd that providing identical ISO tracks, as I described in my post above, serves no useful purpose. Is that correct?

It depends! Talk to the people doing the post and ask them. In general, there's a Mix track on channel 1 which is essentially used for dailies and editing, and then the isos are there should a post sound editor/re-recording mixer want to use them for various reasons.

The issue with the 744 is that it's not a mixer, so you'd either have to put a mixing panel in front of it in order to provide this functionality, or use it as a 4-track mixer and fake it. I did an entire feature that way about 10 years ago, and it actually came out OK. I essentially did a quick mono mix for dailies myself, so you might say I did the first step last. I still had to ride levels, so that's a consideration with any project like this: it does not mix itself, so the knobs are constantly moving.

In a machine with a mix bus and iso tracks (633 / 688 / 788), then you can record the isos lower as protection (and without a limiter), and then record the main mix at a higher level and with a limiter. And you can do that with an external mixing panel, too.