Stereo miking techniques in MainStage

There are three common stereo miking variations used in recording: AB, XY, and MS. A stereo recording contains two channel signals.

AB and XY recordings both record left and right channel signals, but the middle signal is the result of combining both channels.

MS recordings record a middle signal, but the left and right channels are decoded from the side signal, which is the sum of both left and right channel signals.

AB miking

In an AB recording, two microphones—commonly omnidirectional, but any polarity can be used—are equally spaced from the center and pointed directly at the sound source. Spacing between microphones is extremely important for the overall stereo width and perceived positioning of instruments within the stereo field.

The AB technique is commonly used for recording one section of an orchestra, such as the string section, or perhaps a small group of vocalists. It is also useful for recording piano or acoustic guitar.

AB is not well suited to recording a full orchestra or group as it tends to smear the stereo imaging/positioning of off-center instruments. It is also unsuitable for mixing down to mono because phase cancelations can occur between channels.

XY miking

In an XY recording, two directional microphones are symmetrically angled from the center of the stereo field. The right-hand microphone is aimed at a point between the left side and the center of the sound source. The left-hand microphone is aimed at a point between the right side and the center of the sound source. This results in a 45° to 60° off-axis recording on each channel (or 90° to 120° between channels).

XY recordings tend to be balanced in both channels, with good positional information being encoded. XY recording is commonly used for drum recording and is also suitable for larger ensembles and many individual instruments.

Typically, XY recordings have a narrower sound field than AB recordings, so they can lack a sense of perceived width when played back. XY recordings can be mixed down to mono.

MS miking

To make a Middle and Side (MS) recording, two microphones are positioned as closely together as possible—usually placed on a stand or hung from the studio ceiling. One is a cardioid (or omnidirectional) microphone that directly faces the sound source you want to record—in a straight alignment. The other is a bidirectional microphone, with its axes pointing to the left and right of the sound source at 90° angles. The cardioid microphone records the middle signal to one side of a stereo recording. The bidirectional microphone records the side signal to the other side of a stereo recording. MS recordings made in this way can be decoded by the Direction Mixer.

When MS recordings are played back, the side signal is used twice:

As recorded
Panned hard left and phase reversed, panned hard right

MS is ideal for all situations where you need to retain absolute mono compatibility. The advantage of MS recordings over XY recordings is that the stereo middle is positioned on the main recording direction (on-axis) of the cardioid microphone. This means that slight fluctuations in frequency response that occur off the on-axis—as is the case with every microphone—are less troublesome, because the recording always retains mono compatibility.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: Apple Books | PDF

MainStage Instruments: Apple Books | PDF

MainStage Effects: Apple Books | PDF

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