How To Hook up Keyboard in Stereo

[wweiss]

My rig: Yamaha MOD X6, one RCF TT10, Mackie PROFX12 V3 mixer
Since I'm running only one speaker and RCF has only one input, I am running a splitter cable from the mixer into the TT10. From the main outs dual XLR female to single XLR male to TT10. This set up sums to mono.
From the keyboard I am running dual 1/4 " TS Left and Right, to the mixer single 1/4" TRS into channel. Sounds great.

My question: To get stereo sound should I use two separate TS 1/4" cables from Left and Right from the keyboard? I'm thinking it won't matter since my mains are summed to mono anyway.

[Schorsch]

You won’t get stereo with just one speaker ...

[maxpiano]

My rig: Yamaha MOD X6, one RCF TT10, Mackie PROFX12 V3 mixer
Since I'm running only one speaker and RCF has only one input, I am running a splitter cable from the mixer into the TT10. From the main outs dual XLR female to single XLR male to TT10. This set up sums to mono.
From the keyboard I am running dual 1/4 " TS Left and Right, to the mixer single 1/4" TRS into channel. Sounds great.

My question: To get stereo sound should I use two separate TS 1/4" cables from Left and Right from the keyboard? I'm thinking it won't matter since my mains are summed to mono anyway.

I am running a splitter cable from the mixer into the TT10. From the main outs dual XLR female to single XLR male to TT10. This set up sums to mono. this is "not a good way" ( to say the least) to transform a stereo output into a mono, you should rather use one mono Aux/Monitor output of your mixer (MON SEND on your model); that will also sum any stereo input channel used on the mixer, e.g. to connect your Nord.

[FZiegler]

If you search for "stereo mono" in the forums, you will find multiple approaches to a mono setting. A lot of people are playing their gear mono for FOH:
a) summing up the 2 channels in the amplifier of the active speaker (needs 2 inputs);
b) summing up the 2 channels in the mixer, having two ins, using only one out (like Mono Send as maxpiano proposed);
c) summing up the stereo signal inside the keyboard (mono out);
all those approaches are reported to work fine in one or another case. No idea where the different likings come from.

There is a second approach that's quite different: connect only one channel out and forget about the other. You will lose part of the signal (on the piano either part of the heights or the bass), but will keep more from some effects.

Putting together 2 signals in one cord sounds a bit like an electric short circuit. What the hell did they call that cable you got for that - in any case it can't be a splitter cable - it's intended to be the opposite, but it can't. Where do you want the current know from in which direction it has to go while coming from one end and arriving at a Y crossing? It's not a usual solution as maxpiano states. And you should use better solutions while using so fine gear.

As you always will meet phase cancellation while mixing two channels into one, your Nord piano sounds might get problematic. Other brand's sounds are reported to be less affected. If you aren't happy with the TT10 anymore, you might want to buy a second one and carry both around!

[Hlaalu]

There is a second approach that's quite different: connect only one channel out and forget about the other. You will lose part of the signal (on the piano either part of the heights or the bass), but will keep more from some effects

Slightly off topic, but I have heard people doing this with the Neo Vent: basically they only connect the Left out (in the Vent it's the R where the summing happens) so while something is lost they claim the rotary effect to be more defined... I never tried this.

[alex78]

I usually connect everything in stereo and sounds great. Some time ago I was experimenting at home with a guitar pedal which is mono, and tried the following:
A) 1 TRS cable from the headphones output of the electro to the pedal > one TRS cable from pedal to the microphone input of my stereo mixer > 2 TS cables from the mixer output summing the signal to one TRS to my computer. The final signal was stereo but the sound was aufull, very flat and dull and any stereo movement (delays, etc) was gone.
B) Stero connection from keyboard to the mixer > 2 TS cables from the mixer summing to a single TRS jack into the pedal > single TRS cable from pedal to computer. The sound was ruined as before.

It was something I expected but I just wanted to test how the sound alters when mono is involved.
So, summing up to mono in any part of the signal chain, results in loss of any stereo articulations of the sound such as ping pong delays, rotary speaker simulation and others.
If I ever decide to use an effects pedal for my keyboards that will definitelly be a stereo one.

[Hlaalu]

If I ever decide to use an effects pedal for my keyboards that will definitelly be a stereo one.

The problems come when some of the pedals you'd like to use are stereo, and some are mono. Some pedals, like the Neo Vent II, accepts mono in and give a stereo out, so that they can be put at the beginning of the chain and "convert" from mono to stereo.

But most of guitar pedals are mono aniway, so unless you buy two of them and run them in parallel, unfortunately you're stuck with this problem.

[Hlaalu]

I usually connect everything in stereo and sounds great. Some time ago I was experimenting at home with a guitar pedal which is mono, and tried the following:
A) 1 TRS cable from the headphones output of the electro to the pedal > one TRS cable from pedal to the microphone input of my stereo mixer > 2 TS cables from the mixer output summing the signal to one TRS to my computer. The final signal was stereo but the sound was aufull, very flat and dull and any stereo movement (delays, etc) was gone.
B) Stero connection from keyboard to the mixer > 2 TS cables from the mixer summing to a single TRS jack into the pedal > single TRS cable from pedal to computer. The sound was ruined as before.

By the way it's no surprise that the sound was ruined! Because if that pedal is mono, then by connecting a TRS cable into it you removed one of the lines, thus feeding the pedal with a half signal.

You have to make sure that all the signal is preserved, if you want to test how things sound in mono. In this case, you should have set the Electro to mono, then use a TS cable into the pedal (...and out of it as well, of course, otherwise you'd be left with the ring floating and, at the end of the chain, all the signal but only in one speaker).

Hope my explanation was clear enough.

[alex78]

In this case, you should have set the Electro to mono, then use a TS cable into the pedal (...and out of it as well, of course, otherwise you'd be left with the ring floating and, at the end of the chain, all the signal but only in one speaker).

You got a point in that. However I would have problem anyway, since the E4 has no setting for sending everything out in mono from a single output. You can only split organ to L and and piano/synth to R or alternatively B3 to L and Vox, Farf, piano/synth to R. That makes sense if you want to use a pedal for organ or send organ to a lesslie. But you should compromize with having the other sounds in mono as well.
In my occasion, I want piano and sample synth in stereo and an OD pedal that will turn on only for some organ programs and turn off for the other sounds.
Considering that the electro has not the routing options of a stage, a stereo pedal is the only solution for me I guess.

[Hlaalu]

I am not familiar with the routing system of the Electro, mine was rather a general point, that to actually check how something sounds in mono, the right connections should be made.

That said, I have the Stage and I too prefer to use stereo pedals. Sadly most pedals are designed with guitar and bass in mind and are mono, so I am kind of forced to rule them out and it's not like there is a ton of choice. Lately though it seems that more and more pedals are being made stereo.