Cody Casey
Panning is a process in audio mixing that creates the impression that a sound is moving from one side of the soundstage to the other. It involves adjusting the volume of a sound source in the left and right channels. When a sound is played louder from one speaker than the other, our brain perceives the sound as coming from that side. Panning laws vary depending on the product, but in general, panning a sound to the centre will make it sound louder, with a boost of up to 3dB with constant power panning. However, there are some instances where users have reported losing sound when panning to one side, which could be due to various factors such as the setup, the type of track, or balancing issues.
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What You'll Learn
Panning laws vary between products
The most common panning law today is a compromise between constant voltage and constant power, with pan pots designed to provide approximately 4.5 dB of attenuation at the centre. This compromise aims to balance the demands of maintaining constant voltage and constant power.
Different panning laws can result in variations in the absolute levels of the output signals, even though the perceived effect may be similar. For example, some products may attenuate the levels of both left and right output channels as the pan control moves towards the centre, while others may raise the level of one channel as the pan moves in that direction.
The choice of panning law can depend on the specific application and the desired effect. For instance, a pan law of -6 dB is desirable when combining two output buses into a monaural signal, while a -3 dB law is suitable for maintaining stereo output. Ultimately, the choice of panning law may depend on personal preference and the specific requirements of the project.
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Mono tracks and stereo tracks
Panning is the process of positioning sounds at particular locations in the stereo image of a mix. It can be used to create the impression that a source is moving from one side of the soundstage to the other. Panning laws vary between products, depending on whether they are designed to maintain constant voltage, constant power, or a compromise between the two. The constant power panning law is used when a panned signal is desired to remain at the same perceived volume regardless of where it is panned.
When working with mono tracks in a stereo output, panning essentially involves adjusting the volume of the source in the left and right channels. For example, if a mono signal is panned to the right in a stereo track, the sound will be lost. This is because the signal is defaulted to the left channel, and panning to the right will result in the signal being sent to the right channel, which has no sound.
When working with stereo tracks, panning can be used to control the position and width of the stereo image. This allows for the creation of a dual mono signal, where the left and right channels of the stereo source are panned straight up, sending the signal equally to both the left and right outputs of the mixer.
Additionally, panning can be used to layer sounds, such as vocals or guitars, to create a wider and more dynamic mix. This can be achieved by panning one track hard left and the other hard right, allowing each to have its own space in the stereo image.
It is important to note that panning can affect the overall gain of a signal. When identical signals are panned fully left and right, there are full-level signals in each output channel. However, when panned to the centre, the signals in both channels combine, resulting in a perceived boost in volume. This boost can vary depending on the panning law being used, with constant power panning providing a 3 dB boost and the -4.5 dB compromise law resulting in a 1.5 dB boost.
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Binaural hearing
The ability to make it sound like an instrument is coming from a specific point between speakers is due to binaural hearing. Binaural hearing allows humans to perceive the location of sounds. When a sound occurs directly in front of a person, it reaches both ears at the same time and at an equal level. The brain uses this lack of difference to perceive the sound as coming from the front. Similarly, playing a sound louder from one speaker will make the brain perceive the sound as coming from that side.
Panning is a process in audio that uses this phenomenon to position sounds at particular locations in the stereo image of a mix. An audio pan pot can be used in a mix to create the impression that a source is moving from one side of the soundstage to the other. Panning can also be used to reduce or reverse the stereo width of a stereo signal. For example, the left and right channels of a stereo source can be panned straight up, creating a dual mono signal.
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Panning and mixing
Panning is the process of positioning sounds at specific locations in the stereo image of a mix. It is used to create the impression that a source is moving from one side of the soundstage to the other. Panning can be used to control the relative levels of sounds, making them appear louder or quieter in relation to each other. This is achieved by adjusting the volume of a source in the left and right channels.
When panning a mono source from left to right in a stereo output, you are adjusting the volume of that source in the left and right channels. This can be done using an audio pan pot, which changes the relative level of the sound, making it appear louder or quieter on one side compared to the other. The pan pot can also be used to create a dual mono signal by panning the left and right channels straight up, sending the signal equally to both the left and right outputs of the mixer.
The panning laws vary between products, depending on whether they are designed to maintain constant voltage, constant power, or a compromise between the two. The constant power panning law is used when a panned signal needs to remain at the same perceived volume, regardless of where it is panned. However, this can look wrong on desk meters, so a compromise law is often used to satisfy both situations. The most common compromise version provides a 4.5 dB attenuation when at the centre, while constant power gives 3 dB of centre attenuation, and constant voltage gives 6 dB.
When mixing, panning is used to create a balance between the different elements of the mix. This can be influenced by personal taste, genre, and instrumentation. For example, some people prefer to hard pan an instrument to one side only when it has a counterpart on the other side, such as with electric guitar tracks. Others may prefer to start with LCR panning and then move out of it if elements get lost, lose depth or quality, or just get lost.
It is important to note that panning does not actually change the gain of a sound. However, when a sound is panned to the centre, it may experience a boost in volume of up to 3 dB with constant power panning or a maximum of 1.5 dB boost with the -4.5 dB compromise. This is because when a sound is panned to the centre, it is coming through both speakers, which can make it sound louder.
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Hard panning
Some people believe that hard panning one of the main elements of a song for the entire duration has gone out of style, while others argue that it can still be effective when used in the right way and arranged well within a song. It is important to consider phase and whether the mix will still work in mono when hard panning. It is also worth noting that panning laws vary between products, and this can affect the volume of the signal when it is panned centrally.
Overall, hard panning is a useful technique for creating a sense of width and space in a mix, but it should be used judiciously and balanced with other elements in the mix.
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Frequently asked questions
Panning laws vary between products, depending on whether they are designed to maintain constant voltage, constant power, or a compromise between the two. Constant power panning can give a 3dB boost to centre-panned signals, while the -4.5 dB rule might give more equal loudness panning.
You might have a mono signal on a stereo track. In this case, the default is often to the left channel, so panning right would result in a loss of sound.
Panning is very subjective and depends on personal taste, genre, and instrumentation. Panning can be used to create the impression that a source is moving from one side of the soundstage to the other.
