Tillie Doyle
Panning drums is a crucial aspect of creating a wide and full sound that fills the entire room. It involves placing each drum element in a particular position in the stereo image, with the option to pan from the drummer's perspective or the audience's perspective. The kick drum typically remains at the centre (12 o'clock), while the snare can be placed at the centre or slightly off-centre to make it stand out. Toms, cymbals, and other percussion instruments are usually panned to either side, with the option to use the clock face technique for positioning. Panning allows for creativity and experimentation, enhancing the overall impact of the drum mix.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Kick drum | Should be in the centre of the stereo image and does not require panning |
| Snare drum | Can be placed in the centre or slightly off-centre to the left or right |
| Hi-hat | Can be placed on the far right from the drummer's perspective or the right from the audience's perspective |
| Toms | Should be panned on either side of the stereo image |
| Cymbals | Should be panned on either side of the stereo image |
| Percussion | Should be panned on either side of the stereo image |
| Panning technique | Depends on whether it is being done from the drummer's or audience's perspective |
| Clock face technique | 12 o'clock indicates centre, 9 o'clock is 100% left, 3 o'clock is 100% right, 10 and 2 o'clock are roughly 66% left and right, 11 and 1 o'clock are roughly 33% left and right |
| Overhead mics | Should be panned hard left and right |
| Mono panning | Can be used to create a clearer, more focused mix |
| Perspective | The audience perspective is better for video-oriented recordings, while the drummer's perspective is better for audio-only |
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What You'll Learn
- The kick drum should always be centred
- The snare drum can be centred or slightly off-centre
- The toms can be panned to the left or right, depending on the drummer's perspective
- The hi-hat can be panned to the left or right, depending on the drummer's perspective
- The cymbals and other percussion can be panned to the left or right of the centre
The kick drum should always be centred
Panning drums is the process of placing them in a particular position in the left or right channel of a stereo image. It is a crucial technique for making your drum sound fill the entire room. The kick drum, being the most impactful element of your drums, should always be centred in your mix.
When panning, you can choose to do it from the drummer's perspective or the listener's perspective. If you are a right-handed drummer, the hi-hat is set up on your left. So, if you want to pan your hi-hat from the drummer's perspective, you can place it on the far left. Many drummers prefer this style as it feels more natural to them. On the other hand, if you are panning from the audience's perspective, you should stick to the right side to keep the sound close to what the audience would hear.
If you are mixing and mastering your music, you might want to learn how to pan drums. The kick drum should always be centred, and it is easy to pan since it stays in the middle. The snare can also be left without panning, but most people like to place it right or left from the centre. Ultimately, the panning technique will depend on your creative choices and whether you are doing it from the audience's or drummer's perspective.
To pan your drums, you can use the clock face technique. Imagine a clock face, with 12 o'clock being the centre, 9 o'clock being 100% left, and 3 o'clock being 100% right. The kick drum should always be at 12 o'clock, or 0 on the panning knob, while the snare can be placed at 12 o'clock or slightly off-centre, depending on your preference.
In conclusion, the kick drum is the foundation of your mix, providing focus and purpose. By keeping it centred, you ensure that it remains the anchor for the rhythm and overall vibe of your music. Centering the kick drum also allows it to take up the entire middle space in your mix, creating a powerful and impactful sound.
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The snare drum can be centred or slightly off-centre
Panning drums is the process of placing them in a particular position in the left or right channel of your stereo image. The kick drum usually remains at the core of your beat and does not require any panning.
The decision to centre or off-centre the snare drum depends on the desired sound and the perspective being used. When panning drums, you can choose to do it from the drummer's perspective or the audience's perspective. The drummer's perspective involves placing the drums as they would appear from the drummer's point of view, while the audience's perspective involves panning them as they would be seen by the audience. For example, if you want to pan your hi-hat from the drummer's perspective, you can place it on the far left, as most drummers are right-handed and the hi-hat is set up on their left. On the other hand, if you are panning from the audience's perspective, you would place the hi-hat on the right to keep the sound similar to what the audience would hear.
Additionally, the panning technique can be influenced by the type of recording. For video-oriented recordings, the audience perspective is often preferred, while for audio-only recordings, the drummer's perspective is commonly used. It is also important to consider the potential for frequency conflicts when panning multiple drums together. For example, panning both the snare and kick drum together can cause issues if there is a frequency overlap.
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The toms can be panned to the left or right, depending on the drummer's perspective
Panning is the process of placing different elements of a mix within a stereo image. It is one of the most crucial things you can do to make your drum sound fill the entire room. When you pan a drum, you place it in a particular position in the left or right channel of your stereo image. The "pan pot" (panoramic potentiometer) is a volume control that splits the audio signal into the left and right channels. If you turn it left, the volume of the left speaker increases while the volume of the right speaker decreases simultaneously.
There are two main perspectives to consider when panning drums: the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective. The drummer's perspective involves panning the elements of the drum kit as if you are the drummer sitting at the kit. For a right-handed drummer, the hi-hat will usually be on their left and the floor tom on their right, so the panning reflects this. The audience's perspective is the exact opposite. You imagine the kit as if you are the audience sitting in front of the drum kit. The hi-hat, in this case, is on the right, and the floor tom is on the left.
Most mixers tend to use the audience's perspective when mixing, as it is more natural to the drummer and matches what the audience would hear. However, when mixing a full track, some prefer the drummer's perspective as it generally seems to fill the stereo field better. Ultimately, the panning technique will depend on the perspective chosen and personal preferences.
When panning toms specifically, you can create more dynamics in the stereo field's width by considering the various tom drums' perspectives in relation to the audience. The floor tom, being the largest and typically opposite the hi-hat, is often placed about 30% to the left. This leaves the rack toms, the medium-sized drums mounted to the kit, at about 15% left and right. When a part is played using all the toms in succession, you get a nice, natural spread. You can pan these out wider if there is room in the mix.
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The hi-hat can be panned to the left or right, depending on the drummer's perspective
Panning is a crucial technique in creating a full and wide drum sound. It involves placing a particular drum in the left or right channel of the stereo image. The most impactful elements of the drum kit, such as the kick drum, are usually kept at the centre of the mix and do not require panning. This creates an anchor for the rhythm and overall vibe of the music.
The hi-hat is one of the drums that can be panned to the left or right, depending on the perspective. If you are panning from the drummer's perspective, the hi-hat can be placed on the far left. This is because, for a right-handed drummer, the hi-hat is set up on their left. This style is preferred by many drummers as it feels more natural to them.
However, if you are panning from the audience's perspective, the hi-hat should be placed on the right. This keeps the sound closer to what the audience would typically hear in a live setting. For example, if you are planning to mix and master your music, sticking with the right side for the hi-hat can help maintain the naturalness of the sound for the audience.
The choice between the two perspectives ultimately depends on personal preference and the intended use of the recording. For instance, the drummer's perspective is often chosen for audio-only recordings, while the audience's perspective is preferred for video-oriented recordings.
It is worth noting that there is flexibility in panning. You can experiment with different panning positions for the hi-hat and other drums to create an interesting and pleasant stereo image. However, it is recommended to keep the panning for the hi-hat to a minimum, as fast panning can sound uncomfortable or obnoxious.
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The cymbals and other percussion can be panned to the left or right of the centre
Panning drums is a crucial technique to make your drum sound fill the entire room and give it a wide and open feel. The kick drum and snare drum are usually placed in the centre of the sonic mix and do not require panning. However, the cymbals and other percussion instruments, such as toms, can be panned to the left or right of the centre to create a dynamic and full stereo image.
When panning drums, you can choose to do it from the drummer's perspective or the audience's perspective. The drummer's perspective involves placing the drums as they would appear from the drummer's point of view, with the hi-hat on the left. The audience's perspective, on the other hand, involves panning the drums as they would be seen by the audience, with the hi-hat on the right.
If you are a right-handed drummer, the hi-hat is typically set up on the left side, and panning it about 30% to the right can simulate where it would be heard in a live setting by the audience. However, if you are panning from the drummer's perspective, the hi-hat would be placed on the far left.
The floor tom, which is the largest tom that sits on the ground, is typically placed opposite the hi-hat. So, if the hi-hat is panned 30% to the right, the floor tom would be panned about 30% to the left. The rack toms, which are the medium-sized drums mounted on the kit, can be panned 15% to the left and right to create a nice, natural spread when played in succession.
It's important to note that these values are just rough estimates, and you may need to adjust them based on your specific drum kit and personal preferences. Additionally, the panning technique you choose will depend on whether you are creating a video-oriented recording or an audio-only track. For video recordings, the audience perspective can be more effective, while the drummer's perspective is often preferred for audio-only tracks.
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Frequently asked questions
The kick drum should always be centred (12 o'clock) and does not require panning. The snare drum can also be left without panning, but some people like to place it slightly off-centre (9 or 7 o'clock) to help it stand out. Toms, cymbals, and other percussion should be panned on either side of the stereo image.
Panning from the drummer's perspective means placing the drums in the left or right channel according to how the drummer sees them when playing. Panning from the audience's perspective means placing the drums in the channels as the audience would hear them in a live setting.
If you are creating a video, panning from the audience's perspective will make the viewer feel like they are there. For audio-only recordings, the drummer's perspective is usually preferred. Ultimately, it depends on your personal preference and creative choices.
One technique is to pan your overhead mics hard left and right, close your eyes, and listen to where you can picture the drums in front of you. Then, pan the individual drums to match. Another technique is to use the clock face technique, where 12 o'clock is centre, 9 o'clock is 100% left, and 3 o'clock is 100% right.
