In this free video tutorial, Pro Tools Expert Team member Julian Rodgers looks at the Brainworx bx_control V2 from Plugin Alliance. This plug in offers comprehensive M/S tools as well as useful metering options.

Learn as Julian uses the bx_control V2 to take the hard work out of recording with a middle and sides mic array, highlighting one of the less talked about advantages of M/S - its inherent symmetry.

What Is M/S?

Most engineers who are recording music know about the Middle and Sides (M/S) microphone technique. Recording a signal using M/S requires the output from the two mics to be mixed together in a specific way: The mid signal, usually from a forward facing Cardioid mic, is routed to the left and right channels and the sides mic, a sideways facing fig 8 mic, is send in phase to the left and phase inverted to the right, creating a stereo signal.

One of the many things bx_control V2 can do is to correctly encode an M/S input allowing quick and easy monitoring of M/S signals.