I can't believe that still in 2026 Ableton forces you to use dual mono channels

[papawise]

Hello guys,
today a bit upset about realizing that new Ableton 12.3, still today in 2026 forces you to use stereo channels or dual-mono without the chance to just see a single waveform like when you directly record audio with a mic or a monophonic synth for example.

So simple, so missing...

[[jur]]

without the chance to just see a single waveform like when you directly record audio with a mic or a monophonic synth for example.

Mono files show as mono single waveform.
Dual-mono ones show as... dual channel i.e "double" waveform, which makes sense since that's what the file is.

[papawise]

Hi Jur,
thanks for your soon reply.

I don't agree with you.
Showing 2 waveforms for a mono (forced dual-mono) file, makes no sense. It just clutter the space and the visual.

In example, if you are using a VST instrument plain mono and you want just one waveform since it is what it is, just a mono signal, you can't.
Any other professional DAW let you do this. It should be possible to change it if you wish, but not even resampling or using the Utility plugin in Mono and resampling let you do it, to be honest, incomprehensible.


P.S. the forum is having issues lately and it's being very hard to load pages properly.

[[jur]]

In example, if you are using a VST instrument plain mono and you want just one waveform since it is what it is, just a mono signal, you can't.

I don't agree with you.
Showing 2 waveforms for a mono (forced dual-mono) file, makes no sense. It just clutter the space and the visual.

These are two different things, but I reckon it can be confusing:

- In Live, a track's volume meter is always displaying 2 channels, and yes in this case it's displaying "dual mono" when the signal is actually mono.
Unlike other DAWs, this meter can't be switched to mono.

- A single channel (i.e mono) audio file will display a single channel/waveform in the Arrangement/Clip View
A dual-mono audio file, which as the name implies is a 2-channel file, will display 2 waveforms/channels in the Arrangement/Clip View.
It's indeed outputting in mono since both channels are identical, but the file itself contains these 2 identical channels and that's why Live displays 2 waveforms, to provide a true representation of the file.

[[jur]]

P.S. the forum is having issues lately and it's being very hard to load pages properly.

Yes, the situation today was horrendous, sorry.
But it's now back to normal!

[papawise]

well, I understand you argumentation, but I still think that should change.

Technically Ableton Live is doing it right as you said, yes, but because it's deciding for you how that original file may be and that's not logical.
Let me decide how that "original" file should be.

If I'm using a mono signal, I prefer a single waveform, today there is no way to select or change this when you are using a VST Plugin, that would be more efficient and it would clean the space phisically and visually too. Just a request from a long time user.

Cheers!
and thank you

[[jur]]

it's deciding for you how that original file may be and that's not logical.

No it doesn't, but maybe we're not exactly talking about the same thing.

If I'm using a mono signal, I prefer a single waveform, today there is no way to select or change this when you are using a VST Plugin, that would be more efficient and it would clean the space phisically and visually too. Just a request from a long time user.

If you're talking about eg bouncing a mono synth to audio, then yes Live will bounce it as a dual-mono file and I reckon this can be annoying (I myself find this annoying). If you really want it to be a single channel file, then you need to use Live's rendering/export window and check the "convert to mono" option.


Processing-wise, Live's "everything is considered as 2 channels" simplifies the workflow a lot, imho.

[papawise]

If you're talking about eg bouncing a mono synth to audio, then yes Live will bounce it as a dual-mono file and I reckon this can be annoying (I myself find this annoying).

yes, I'm talking exactly about that, (Ableton forces you to use dual-mono channels).

If you really want it to be a single channel file, then you need to use Live's rendering/export window and check the "convert to mono" option.

That's the only way I found, but I think you get me how inconvenient that can be.

The arrangement would be much cleaner with mono (when applicable), since the waveforms are bigger and clearer, something that you can't solve with the waveform zoom nor the general zoom. At least I would appreciate the option hidden somewhere or in the Options.txt, far from default, but well...

P.S. the forum is working as a Swiss clock today.

[[jur]]

That's the only way I found, but I think you get me how inconvenient that can be.

I can only concur as I also prefer single channel for mono mostly because less data is less HD space, but also because it alleviate any doubt as sometimes even mono sounds/textures can provide some kind of a stereo feeling and a dual-channel mono file needs to be checked with correlation meter in this situation.

P.S. the forum is working as a Swiss clock today.

Yeah! The situation made me very anxious yesterday, I'm glad it's all sorted out.

[madlab]

+1

[papawise]

+1

I can tell you there are a ton of users thinking the same about this

[madlab]

+1

I can tell you there are a ton of users thinking the same about this

I guess so. Let's state it clearly, and enveryone who thinks the same should let Ableton know.