Question How to Get Windows to Read Mono Input as "Stereo"

[thetimeistwo]

I really don't know how to word this as a simple question, so I'll just write out the situation I'm in real quick. I just switched from a (deteriorating) Samson G-Track Pro to a Blue Spark SL going into a Komplete Audio 1, which is a mono microphone going into a "stereo" interface (as in the "left" track is mono mic input and the "right" track is mono instrument input, that kind of thing). I love the setup, everything sounds just as good as the G-Track Pro did, but I have just one problem. Recording software (like Windows Voice Recorder and Mirillis Action!) takes the input from the KA1 as stereo, but the mono mic input is not reflected into the right ear. I can just Fill Right with Left in Premiere or set the recording to mono with a Utility in Ableton, but that would make the whole signal mono, and would remove any stereo audio in screen recordings when I only want the mic to be mono. This doesn't happen in Discord, though, for some reason. Maybe because Discord only takes mono input or something. I'm not well versed in all this.

So my problem is: I want the KA1 to send a mono signal to my computer, instead of a stereo signal with an empty right track. Is that possible? I don't really know what I'm doing and this feels like an easy fix. I'm having a difficult time looking up this question in a way that will actually find me good answers on Google. Thanks for any help.

 

[thetimeistwo]

So I did some extra research and actually found the solution, so for those of you who find this on your search for the answer, hopefully this helps.

While there isn't a particularly practical method by which you can force your audio interface to mixdown to mono without the use of a hardware button on the device itself, most recording applications will have their own option to do so.

In Action!, the gear button to the right of the microphone input source on the main recording tab allows you to balance the mic input from full stereo to mono on either side, so I just slid it all the way to the left, making it record mono which it pulled from the left track- therefore making my voice sound centered and solo without affecting the other sound sources in the recording (like my computer audio for instance).

OBS has this option in the advanced audio settings for each audio input track, and Streamlabs OBS has it as a checkbox in the master audio properties panel found by clicking the gear above the audio meters.

Unfortunately, Windows Voice Recorder doesn't have this option, but since it's only recording your one input it shouldn't be an issue to just fill right with left in Premiere or set it to mono with a utility in Ableton.

Hope this helps, even though it doesn't technically solve the entire problem.