Ableton Forum

I am just starting to use the M/S functionality of the EQ-8 and what I'm currently noticing is that sometimes an audio track will have no output on the sides, meaning, to start with, there is no visual feedback in the frequency display of the EQ-8 itself when S (side) is chosen. I have settings on other audio tracks that appear to be identical and I see movement in the frequency display for both M and S, why others don't I remain stumped...

As well as no visual feedback it is clear to me now that there is only a mono audio signal coming through on tracks such as these.

Are they mono audio files? Are you recording from an external input and only have one of it's pairs active?

by definition, the "sides" consists of sounds that are different on the left and right channels.

if the audio has exactly the same sounds on the left and right, then there is only a mid component, and the sides are empty...

So two examples. My bass was recorded in mono via my outboard synth with 1/4" cable into my interface, and a talking drum was recorded through a single microphone. I can see the Mid and Side of the bass channel but not the talking drum. I've since changed the EQ-8 setting from M/S to L/R on the talking drum, and that made a huge difference to the sound of the track. I've changed my approach to affect the signal on left and right sides, and the sound is so much fuller than default Stereo setting...

I'm yet to figure out why these tracks, both recorded through the same interface, but on different channels, are behaving differently...