Mono to Stereo in Garageband.. really Confusing

ouimetnick · Feb 24, 2012

I have Garageband 11, and I have an old mono recording of John Denver. Audio plays in the left channel only.. It was recorded that way. Anyways I want to get the audio to be fed from both the left and right channels. The audio was from a video. I imported the video into Garageband, and deleted the video, and I'm left with the audio like I want to be.

Its technically not Stereo, but two channel Mono. How do I do this?

Also if I remember right, I used to be able to select part of the audio from the bottom part (double click on the track to bring this advance editor up) and I could select sections of the track and cut them out. Now when I try to select part of it, this FlexTime editing stuff comes up. How do I just select a part of the track to delete instead of using Split every time?

Thanks!
-Nick

Fishrrman · Feb 25, 2012

Garageband has a "left/right" control for its tracks, does it not?

Can just tinkering with that produce the desired results?

If not, try this:
- Create a second track in Garageband (empty for the moment)
- Duplicate the audio of the first track, then move it to the second track
- Now, use the "L/R" control in each track, manipulate it until one track "balances out" against the other, left-to-right-wise.
- Then, export the "mono mixed" track, either as mp3 or aiff.

If this doesn't work, you might try downloading the free "Audacity" app. It may have a tool that can do the conversion you need (which I think would be from "left" to "stereo").

ouimetnick · Feb 25, 2012

The recording was made with JUST the left channel. The balance control wouldn't change anything.

mchalebk · Feb 27, 2012

ouimetnick said:
I have Garageband 11, and I have an old mono recording of John Denver. Audio plays in the left channel only.. It was recorded that way. Anyways I want to get the audio to be fed from both the left and right channels. The audio was from a video. I imported the video into Garageband, and deleted the video, and I'm left with the audio like I want to be.

Its technically not Stereo, but two channel Mono. How do I do this?

I’m not sure how to do this in Garageband. If there’s a way to turn a stereo track into two mono tracks, I missed it. However, Audacity (which is freeware) can do this. You can split the stereo track into two mono tracks, then delete the empty one.

ouimetnick said:
Also if I remember right, I used to be able to select part of the audio from the bottom part (double click on the track to bring this advance editor up) and I could select sections of the track and cut them out. Now when I try to select part of it, this FlexTime editing stuff comes up. How do I just select a part of the track to delete instead of using Split every time?

I’m not at my Mac (which is home), so can’t remember the exact details, but you can still double-click on a track to split it. I think you have to click on the lower half of the waveform to avoid the FlexTime stuff.

ouimetnick · Mar 2, 2012

mchalebk said:
Im not sure how to do this in Garageband. If theres a way to turn a stereo track into two mono tracks, I missed it. However, Audacity (which is freeware) can do this. You can split the stereo track into two mono tracks, then delete the empty one.

Im not at my Mac (which is home), so cant remember the exact details, but you can still double-click on a track to split it. I think you have to click on the lower half of the waveform to avoid the FlexTime stuff.

I just want to convert mono into stereo. Not the other way.

ghellquist · Mar 2, 2012

Split first

Now,
Garageband was purposedly simplified in order to make it useable for normal people. My favourite programs all handle this without any problems at all, but they did rake me a lotof time to learn.

And making a stereo signal into mono using only left channel and panning that into middle is not quite the standard stuff.

My best guess is to use another program to divide the stereo file onto one left and right. Then import omly the left file and pan that on the middle.

There might be other ways, but alas, Garageband is not my forte.

Gunnar

mchalebk · Mar 2, 2012

ouimetnick said:
I just want to convert mono into stereo. Not the other way.

You misunderstand. You do not have a mono track, you have a stereo track where only one channel has useful information. The first thing you need to do is split the stereo track and get rid of the useless channel.

As to whether you want mono or stereo with two identical tracks is splitting hairs. The end result will be the same.

PlusMinus · Jun 4, 2014

I have your answer

I totally understand how you feel. I was dealing with the same issue. I did some searching and I found this http://www.ehow.com/how_12047417_convert-mp3-mono-stereo-garageband.html

It helped me and I hope it helps you.

krs303 · Sep 5, 2017

I did that this way: I recored guitar (in my case right channel). Copied track. Selected both with Shift. Now go to EDIT>Join Regions and choose Mono. That made one stereo track using one as left and one as right.

jonwaltermoceyhanton · Jun 22, 2018

krs303 said:
I did that this way: I recored guitar (in my case right channel). Copied track. Selected both with Shift. Now go to EDIT>Join Regions and choose Mono. That made one stereo track using one as left and one as right.

this worked great and did exactly what i wanted it to do!!
i took the two of the same mono .mp4 tracks in garageband
and was able to create a mono mix down using the "join regions" feature
now the audio plays back equally from both left and right channel
thank you for the suggestion!!

a2rael · Jul 3, 2018

jonwaltermoceyhanton said:
this worked great and did exactly what i wanted it to do!!
i took the two of the same mono .mp4 tracks in garageband
and was able to create a mono mix down using the "join regions" feature
now the audio plays back equally from both left and right channel
thank you for the suggestion!!

Yes!!! I needed this. Thank you!

aliensporebomb · Jul 4, 2018

You can get a faux stereo effect by moving the new track just a few milliseconds to the end on the timeline. Try it!

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Mono to Stereo in Garageband.. really Confusing

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