Chapter 15
Mid-Side (M/S)
An Elixir of Mastering Hope
Mid-Side (M/S) processing represents an incredibly powerful method of enhancing stereo audio by encoding the left and right channels of a stereo recording into middle and side information from the stereo image. This is done via a matrix that encodes the stereo signal into M/S, where it is processed, and then decoded back to stereo. Considering typical panning relationships within the stereo image (see Tables 1.2–1.4 from Chapter 1), M/S processing allows you to isolate and process all mix elements in the center of the image separately from the mix elements that are panned or at the sides of the image. This can be handy for adding air to a lead vocal without making the stereo cymbals edgy; ...
