iMovie 11 Mono Sound to Stereo Track Using Audacity Tutorial

This is one method for making your mono sound in iMovie output as stereo.

I found the solution after searching high and low to find an example that worked for me. Obviously we prefer to record with stereo to begin with, but when you get audio that is only filling one channel, this method can be employed to duplicate the sound for both channels.
The video uses Audacity, which is free and easy to use.
Go get it here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

Here are the steps as shown in the video:
1. Export your audio via the Share menu, then choose "Export using QuickTime..."
1a. Change the file type to "Sound to AIFF"
2. Now save the file where you can find it in Audacity
3. Open Audacity and open the file you recently created
4. Convert the stereo to mono, leaving you only one track.
5. Copy the remaining audio using Command-C
6. Add new track
7. Paste the copied track in the new location, using Command-V
8. Be sure to set each track to Left and Right
9. Export the new stereo file as AIFF again, but give it a new name
10. Drag the folder the new stereo file is saved under into the "Music and Sound Effects" browser in iMovie and it will make the file available under the "Folders" tab
11. Drag the new stereo file into your project and you are almost finished.
12. Lower the levels of the clips' audio files, or detach and delete them

That is it, you now have duplicated your one channel to two.

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• Category

  Film & Animation

[Vin Weathermon]

sure seems weird that you can't just duplicate a track or something in iMovie 11; this is a great deal of work. It is so much so that I guess you should never record in mono or split it into stereo while recording...

[Deward Knapp]

Vin, you are correct. Good Audio in is your best bet. When dealing with inexpensive gear (camera or mic or both), then this is one work around. What is counter-intuitive is the QuickTime export option, which when Mono is selected, will result with Stereo channels, also.

[Vin Weathermon]

thanks much; naturally "cheap" is my only option. I am using a used Azdan wireless lav which seems to work ok at least for interviews. I ordered a mono to stereo adapter to put between the wireless receiver and the Vixia G10. But somewhere I think I read that you can't just do that because it goofs with the line level or something. Maybe it needs to go into a preamp or something?

[Deward Knapp]

Trial and error -- depending on the setup. When in doubt, I use a Zoom H4n to record the best audio possible. Then sync the files in post production. Even if the wired or lav mic provides the more direct (better) audio, I can use the H4n for ambient and reference tracks where needed.

[kingalessa]

Thanks a lot

[Deward Knapp]

You are most welcome.  Glad it helped.

[Deward Knapp]

Thank You! We do our best to make it simple to follow and see what is going on in the videos. HD works best if you have the bandwidth and resolution.

[Deward Knapp]

Thank you for posting the answer to your own question! Since making this video, I found out that you can export a stereo version from iMovie via Export using QuickTime. It makes no sense, but when you export using the Mono settings it actually does duplicate the mono track and make it stereo for you. Saves the back and forth with Audacity.

[margaret grigsby]

I figured it out. If anyone doesn't have the "tracks" option in the menu:

-load the aif file and click the drop down to the left of the top track

-select "split stereo track"

-click the same drop down to the left of the top track and select "mono"

-export and continue with the rest of this tutorial.

Everything else here was very helpful. Thanks so much!

[margaret grigsby]

In audacity, I don't have a "tracks" option in the menu. Searched for "stereo track to mono" too. I'm on a computer at school, so maybe they have an old version. :-( well done tutorial, though.