Should My Snare Be Mono?

Most of the time, the main snare and claps in a mix should be mono for the same reason as the kick. Mono hits provide the most impact. However, there are a few exceptions. If you plan on stacking snare samples, you may consider putting them in stereo to provide each hit with a bit more width.

Should drums be in mono?

You can record drums in both mono and stereo. Each drum should be recorded as a separate instrument. Individual microphones are used to record the kick drum, snare, and toms; therefore these are captured in mono. However, overhead and room mics are recorded in stereo.

Should my beat be in mono or stereo?

It's totally fine if you're going to mix your entire song in mono. But before you bounce it, switch back to stereo to hear how it sounds. If you've mixed the song well, you may only need to make tweaks in stereo. You can do it the opposite way too.