Cody Casey
Panning is an essential component of mixing audio. It can be used to create clarity and add a third dimension to the music. By hard panning, one can create a stereo effect, with sounds coming from the left and right channels. When it comes to drum overheads, some people prefer to hard pan them to create a wider stereo image, while others find this unnatural, instead opting for a tighter spacing or a mono recording. Ultimately, the choice of whether to hard pan overheads depends on the desired sound and style of music.
Characteristics and Values of Hard Panning Overheads
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Music style | Rock/pop, jazz, blues, 60s |
| Instrument | Drums, guitars, bass, kick, snare, hi-hat, cymbals, toms |
| Panning range | 70-100%, 90-100% L/R, 7:00 and 5:00, 8:00 and 4:00, 10 and 2 o'clock, 9 and 3 o'clock |
| Mono compatibility | Yes |
| Stereo spread | Yes |
| Sound quality | Natural, full, loud, clear, wide, open, busy, muddy, disconnected |
| Mic placement | XY, ORTF, stereo pair, spaced pair, room mics, binaural |
| Listener's perspective | Drummer, audience, front of kit |
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What You'll Learn
Hard panning for a 60s sound
Hard panning is a technique used in music production to create a stereo effect by panning instruments or vocals hard left or right in the stereo field. This technique was commonly used in the 1960s to optimise music for mono setups, such as car speakers, TVs and phonographs.
To achieve a 60s sound, hard panning can be used to create a sense of width and separation in the stereo field. This effect is especially prominent when used on drums, as it can make the recording sound more dynamic and open. When panning drum overheads, it is common to go for a hard left/right pan to create a wide stereo image. However, some producers suggest that a tighter spacing, such as 9 and 3 o'clock, can create a more realistic soundstage.
It is worth noting that hard panning may not always be the best option, as it can make the mix sound too busy or disconnected. It is important to use your ears and go with what sounds good. In some cases, a more moderate pan of 70% or less may be preferred to achieve a more balanced and coherent mix. Additionally, the style of music should be considered when deciding whether to hard pan. For example, when mixing jazz or blues, a minimalist approach may be preferred, with drums panned from the audience's perspective rather than the drummer's.
Ultimately, the decision to hard pan comes down to the desired sound and style of the music. Hard panning can be an effective tool to create a sense of width and a 60s vibe in a mix, but it should be used judiciously to avoid a confusing or unnatural-sounding recording.
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Hard panning for a 3D effect
Panning is a way of achieving balance in a mix, just like frequency manipulation and dynamic control. Hard panning involves fully tilting the pan knob left or right, sending a signal exclusively to the left or right channel. This technique can be used to achieve a 3D effect in a mix.
One way to achieve a 3D panning effect is by using binaural panning plugins like HALO 3D Pan. This plugin uses head-related transfer function (HRTF) filters and pre-recorded binaural impulse responses to simulate the sound of a sound source moving around the listener's head. It offers four main controls: azimuth, elevation, width, and focus. Azimuth controls the angle of the sound source around the listener's head, elevation controls the angle above the listener's head, width controls the separation between stereo inputs, and focus fades between spatialized panning and traditional stereo panning.
Another technique to achieve a 3D effect is by panning reverb sends opposite of the source. For example, you can pan a high-frequency sound to the right and send that signal to a reverb panned left, creating a floating effect around the listener's head. Additionally, you can experiment with phase inversions to create unique spatial aspects.
In video production, creating a 3D effect involves using techniques like projection mapping and multiplane setups. In Adobe After Effects, you can create a fake 3D camera pan effect by shooting footage at different camera pan angles and stitching them together into a virtual 3D scene. This allows you to animate your virtual camera and explore different viewpoints.
It's important to note that while hard panning can create a 3D effect, it should be used judiciously to avoid overtaxing the listener. Additionally, always check your mix in mono to ensure that panning enhancements do not compromise the overall balance and impact of the mix.
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Hard panning for width and separation
Panning is a powerful tool in music production that transforms a two-dimensional audio track into a rich and multidimensional sonic experience, enhancing the impact of the music. Hard panning involves placing elements hard left, center, or right, creating a wide-sounding mix. This technique is particularly useful for width and separation in a mix.
When it comes to width, hard panning can create a sense of space and make the mix sound larger than life. This is achieved by placing instruments or sounds at different positions in the stereo field, from far left to center to far right. This technique is often used with guitars, where rhythm guitars are panned to the sides, and lead guitars are centered, creating a sense of depth and width. Additionally, hard panning can be used to separate different sections of a song, such as making the chorus wider than the verse by panning certain elements hard left or right during the chorus.
Separation in a mix is crucial for clarity and ensuring that each element can be heard distinctly. Hard panning is an effective tool for achieving separation, especially with multiple drums or guitars in a mix. For drums, the kick and snare are usually panned to the center, while the hi-hat is slightly to the left, and the toms are panned from left to right. The overhead drum mics are often hard panned left and right to create a wide stereo image. However, this can sometimes sound unnatural, and a tighter spacing, such as at the 9 and 3 o'clock positions, may be preferred.
It's important to note that while hard panning can create width and separation, it should be used judiciously. Overdoing it can make the mix sound disconnected or too busy for the listener. A balanced approach is essential, and it's crucial to tailor the panning choices to the specific genre and arrangement of the song. Additionally, hard panning may not translate well to all listening environments, and it's important to consider how the mix will sound on different playback systems.
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Hard panning for mono compatibility
Hard panning involves panning a sound either to the centre channel or to the far left or right of the stereo field, typically at 90-100% pan. This technique was common in 60s mixing to ensure recordings sounded good on mono playback systems, such as car radios and TVs.
Today, hard panning is used to achieve mono compatibility, a full sound, and width and separation in a mix. For example, when mixing rock or pop music, hard panning can be used to achieve a good mono compatibility. In this case, the drums would be panned all the way left and right, with the bass up the middle.
However, hard panning can cause a recording to sound unnatural, particularly when used on live drums. This is because the stereo spread of live drums is often too wide, resulting in a sound that is too "stereo". This can be avoided by bringing the overhead microphones closer together or by panning less hard, for example, at 10 and 2 o'clock.
Ultimately, the decision to hard pan or not depends on the desired sound and style of music. For example, when mixing jazz, a minimalist approach is often taken, with a single stereo microphone placed in front of the drum kit and minimal panning.
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Hard panning for a wider stereo spread
Hard panning is when a sound is placed in the centre channel or panned 90-100% left or right. It was common in 60s mixing to prevent recordings from sounding bad on mono car, TV, and phonograph setups.
Hard panning can be used to achieve a wider stereo spread. For example, when recording drums, you can pan the overheads hard left and right to capture the toms, ride, and rest of the cymbals. This gives you the widest possible spread, resulting in a fuller, broader sound.
However, hard panning may not always be the best option. Some people find that hard panning makes the recording sound unnatural, especially with cymbals and hi-hats, which can become too "stereo". It can also make the drum kit feel disconnected if it's too wide.
A common alternative is to pan the overheads at a tighter spacing, such as 9 and 3 o'clock, which can create a more realistic soundstage. This decision depends on the style of music and the placement of the microphones. For example, in jazz and blues, a more minimalist approach is often preferred, with drums used primarily for time-keeping from an audience perspective.
Ultimately, the choice to hard pan or not depends on the desired sound and style of the recording. It is recommended to mix with your ears and go with what sounds good, rather than following strict recipes or recommendations.
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Frequently asked questions
Hard pan means that a sound is either in the centre channel or panned 90-100% left or right.
It depends on the style of music. Hard panning is common when going for a 60s sound. Hard panning is also useful when you want to add a third dimension to the music for momentary ambience, hihats or other percussion.
If your mix sounds too sparse or disconnected, you may have hard panned too much. Try bringing the sounds in a bit and experiment with adding reverb and delay.
You can try panning overheads at 10 and 2 o'clock for a more realistic soundstage. You can also try panning from the listener's perspective, imagining someone facing you as you play.
