Mono to Stereo...

[(>o_o)>]

Let's say I want to convert a mono sample to a stereo sample, but make it sound like there is a slight differentiation between the left and right audio channels(like most stereo samples), how would I go about doing this? I have Goldwave.

[LPChip]

You can apply a stereo field vst to make it more wider sound. It will not create the nice stereo effect as if it was recorded stereo though. Its virtually impossible to do that.

[Squirrel Havoc]

What i used to do in goldwave in the old days, was insert 1ms of silence into the beginning of the left channel. That will offset the channels by 1ms, but even that little amount was almost too much. Good for making things come out of the rear speakers in pro-logic surround sound though

[Sam_Zen]

Using functions like 'surround' or 'wide stereo' normally can't make much difference from a mono-file.
The best way to convert things often is not by a one-step converter, but by a sequence of actions.

Using different timed starts of the same file is one way. One can easily do this in a tracker with two channels L + R having the same mono-sample. Using the available delay-codes to achieve this. Then you can select the two channels together to save in a stereo-wav-file.
Using different sound color with a filter is another way. A 'comb'-filter is quite useful here. Meaning :
Having an equalizer with 8 sliders. First one is set at -3dB, 2nd slider is +3dB, 3rd one is -3dB, etc, to create the left channel. To create the right channel, the slider-settings are reversed, so the lowest one is set at +3dB, etc.

[LPChip]

Using functions like 'surround' or 'wide stereo' normally can't make much difference from a mono-file.
The best way to convert things often is not by a one-step converter, but by a sequence of actions.

Using different timed starts of the same file is one way. One can easily do this in a tracker with two channels L + R having the same mono-sample. Using the available delay-codes to achieve this. Then you can select the two channels together to save in a stereo-wav-file.
Using different sound color with a filter is another way. A 'comb'-filter is quite useful here. Meaning :
Having an equalizer with 8 sliders. First one is set at -3dB, 2nd slider is +3dB, 3rd one is -3dB, etc, to create the left channel. To create the right channel, the slider-settings are reversed, so the lowest one is set at +3dB, etc.

Interesting technique!

Its stupid of me that I never though about this, cus I made a VSTi once which used the same principle to do stereo output

[(>o_o)>]

Using different timed starts of the same file is one way. One can easily do this in a tracker with two channels L + R having the same mono-sample. Using the available delay-codes to achieve this. Then you can select the two channels together to save in a stereo-wav-file.
Using different sound color with a filter is another way. A 'comb'-filter is quite useful here. Meaning :
Having an equalizer with 8 sliders. First one is set at -3dB, 2nd slider is +3dB, 3rd one is -3dB, etc, to create the left channel. To create the right channel, the slider-settings are reversed, so the lowest one is set at +3dB, etc.

Hmm...how would I go about doing this? Using a certain VST or a different audio editing program?

[Sam_Zen]

Both are options I suppose. I don't use VST's myself, but I'm sure there are plugins with precise equalizers as well as in wav-editors.

Some methods can be used.
0 - always secure the original. use a copy to edit.
1 - Convert a mono-file to a stereo one, so with the same data L + R. I don't know if some VST has a stereo-equalizer,
a wav-editor often has only one. So then select 1 channel, do the filtering, reverse the filtering and do the other channel.
2 - Load the mono-copy, do the comb-filtering, and save it as the left mono-file. Open the mono-copy again, reverse the comb and save it as the right mono-file.

Of course then you can merge these two files into a stereo one again. In case of using it for OMPT you can start the left file in one channel and at the same time the right file in another channel, and you've got your stereo.

Any difference, as slight as is, between the two channels, can create stereo. After that, there are several tools to enhance the effect. Also OMPT offers codes to achieve this.

[yrk]

Other options for widening are chorus and stereo reverbs...

Depending on the sound, a good stereo chorus setting with the right cut-offs may widen a sound without actually chorus-like in the classical sense...

Simply using a wide stereo reverb instead a mono reverb on a sound is sometimes enough and can sound less artificial than phase tricks (which is what stereo-widening basically is)...

[Waxhead]

Adobe Audition (CoolEdit) have a very nice mono to stereo feature. It seems that what it does is to gently phase the higher frequencys. At least it sounds great

[(>o_o)>]

Heh, while I appreciate the help, I think some of you may be presuming too much of my pre-existing knowledge of music and music software. I don't really even know what a "comb filter" is or how to use one. I assume I would need a different program for that? Basically all I have right now is OpenMPT and Goldwave, that's pretty much it, I don't really have any fancy editing tools or the knowledge and experience to use them. Bare with me here

I might try that CoolEdit Program, I used to have it somewhere on here, maybe I still have the install file...but before I get into doing all of this, I should ask, is it even worth converting to stereo for some samples? I see alot of artists keep their drum samples in mono, for saving space or whatever reason.

[Waxhead]

As a general "rule" most bass sounds are usualy in mono since the human ear have trouble hearing where lowfrequency sounds come from. Hifrequency sounds are often better suited for stereo.

[Harbinger]

I have a cheapy way of applying a quasi-stereo effect eithout having to come out of MPT, but you have to set up another channel. If you've already composed the other channels or patterns, this can be impractical because you'll need to account for the tempo change with the other tracks.

First of all, set up 2 channels/tracks: SampleLeft and SampleRight. Then you will need to increase the tempo to a very high amount, say about 200 or more.

Then punch in the notes in the Left channel according to your music. Copy the Left notes to the Right, but SHIFT THE NOTE TIMES DOWN ONE TICK. The object here is to create a delay between the Left and Right channels. You can also muddy the effect by turning on surround sound for one or both channels, or even trying Reverb On (S99 effect).

Again the tempo must be really fast to use this technique and, no, it's not real stereo, but it can give the same effect of space.

OTOH, if you're looking for FM stereo, that requires copying your mono sample into a stereo template, and adding panning modulation. But usually you don't want to use a completely 100% wet effect; you want to mix the mono sound with the stereo modulation so you don't lose the "weight" of the sound. Adding stereo delay to one side (left or right) helps, but it has to be large enough so that the sound doesn't "swim" (you'll know what that means when you hear it) -- but not so large that the delay sounds like an echo.
Myself, i use a VST called Stereo, that takes cares of all this for me. (Only problem is, i use it within my MacOS, so i hafta come out of my PC environment and then save the new stereo sample as a .wav in order to use it in MPT.)

Some people make their careers doing nothing but stereoscoping tracks in the music business, so don't be disheartened if it seems like rocket science.