Emilie Meyer
Audio panning is a technique used in music production and audio mixing to create a sense of space and depth, enhancing the listener's experience. It involves positioning sounds at specific locations in the stereo image, simulating a three-dimensional sound field. While there are no hard and fast rules, one guideline is to pan foundational elements, including low-frequency sounds, centrally, using the left and right channels for additional elements. This creates a balanced and spacious mix. Panning low-frequency sounds off-centre can cause issues with uneven power consumption and vinyl record playback. However, in digital formats, there is more flexibility to experiment with panning, although panning low-frequency sounds to one side may result in a loss of potential maximum volume. Ultimately, the decision of how and where to pan depends on the creative vision for the song.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Panning low-frequency instruments | Technically, you can pan low-frequency instruments wherever you like. However, for loud bass, panning to one side will result in a 6 dB loss in the potential maximum level. For vinyl releases, low-frequency sounds should be panned dead center to avoid issues with the needle bouncing out of the groove. |
| Panning vocals | The lead vocal should almost always be in the center. |
| Panning foundational elements | Foundational elements (low-end content) should be panned in the center. |
| Panning drums | The low rack tom might be half-left in the stereo image of the overhead. |
| Panning guitars | You can pan the high frequencies of a guitar track to the left and the lower frequencies to the right. |
| Panning hats | If you decide which side you want the hi-hat on (30%), you can create a natural stereo spread by panning the toms 15-30% around the center, from one side to the other. |
| Panning synths | Put a synth lead in the center and a riff midway on one side. |
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What You'll Learn
Low-frequency sounds are harder to locate
Humans can hear sounds within the frequency range of 20 Hz to 20 kHz. Everything below 80Hz is extremely difficult for the human ear to locate. There are two mechanisms that enable us to locate a sound: the angle at which sound waves hit our ears and the latency between the two ears. The lower the frequency, the less it will have changed from hitting one ear to the other. Lower frequencies are longer, so they require more space to unfold.
Sounds send out vibrations, which bounce off anything solid in the environment. If a sound is deep or low-pitched, it will make more obvious vibrations, so it is easier to know where they are coming from. Low-frequency sounds tend to create standing waves in a room, which can confuse our brains. People with one functioning ear have to rely on loudness to locate sound, whereas people with two ears can use both phase shift and loudness.
Low-frequency sounds are also more challenging to reproduce with headphones. With loudspeakers, you can split the job of producing frequencies among a subwoofer, a midrange speaker, and a tweeter. For low frequencies, subwoofers are large and have a resonating chamber, which is not an option with headphones, which must produce a large range of sound frequencies in a small space.
In audio, panning is the process of positioning sounds at particular locations in the stereo image of a mix. It is harder for us to perceive the location of low-frequency sounds than it is of high-frequency sounds. As such, low-frequency sounds are typically kept central in the stereo field.
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Keep low-frequency sounds central
Panning audio is the process of positioning sounds at particular locations in the stereo image of a mix. Using pan pots, you can make an instrument sound as though it is coming from a specific point between your left and right speaker.
It is harder for us to perceive the location of low-frequency sounds than high-frequency sounds. This is because low-frequency sounds are mainly felt rather than heard. Hence, it is advisable to keep low-frequency sounds central. Panning low frequencies away from the centre can cause problems with uneven power consumption between speakers and issues with the needle bouncing out of the groove when the song is pressed to vinyl. Frequencies of 120Hz and below should be panned centrally in the mix.
In audio panning, balance is key. If you have a high-mid frequency heavy instrument on one side, you should balance it with another high-mid frequency heavy instrument on the opposite side. This creates a natural stereo spread. The most important elements of your mix should always be in the centre. This includes the kick, snare, bass, and lead vocal.
If you are recording in mono, you may find that the audio comes out of the left and right speakers when you place the pan in the centre. This is because the same identical signal is output in the left and right channels.
If you are trying to block out low-frequency noise, you can use window plugs, soundproof curtains, sound blankets, bass traps, or acoustic caulk.
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Panning low frequencies away from the centre can cause issues
Secondly, panning low frequencies away from the centre can cause problems with uneven power consumption between speakers. This can also cause issues with the needle bouncing out of the groove when the song is pressed to vinyl. For vinyl releases, keeping low frequencies in the centre is a strict requirement.
Thirdly, panning low-frequency instruments to the sides can cause a mix to lose focus. The most important elements of a mix should always be in the centre. This includes the kick, snare, bass, and lead vocal. A well-balanced stereo image makes your track feel spacious and full across the entire soundstage.
Finally, panning low frequencies can cause issues with auditory masking. This is when one sound is affected by the presence of another. If two sounds share the same frequencies, the louder sound will mask the quieter sound. Our perception of the balance of a mix changes because one sound seems to dominate another.
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Balancing high-frequency sounds
Achieving a balanced mix is one of the most challenging aspects of music production. A balanced mix usually has a full range of frequencies, with each instrument at the proper level relative to the other channels.
To achieve a balanced mix, it is important to pay attention to high-frequency sounds. Too many channels with strong high frequencies will sound harsh and cause ear fatigue. Therefore, it is important to reduce the louder high frequencies. A dynamic EQ is perfect for this task. Set the band of the high frequencies you want to reduce, then set the threshold so that the reduction only occurs when the high frequencies are too loud.
Another way to reduce high frequencies is to use a shelving EQ and turn down the highs. Look at your curve and see where the steep part starts, then lower it down by 3-5dB until the FFT becomes flatter.
Additionally, when panning your mix, you want to achieve balance. If you have something that is high-mid frequency heavy on one side, balance it with another high-mid frequency heavy instrument on the opposite side. For example, if you have a hi-hat on one side, balance it with a tambourine, conga drums, or another percussion instrument on the opposite side.
It is also important to keep low-frequency sounds central. Panning low frequencies away from the centre can cause issues with uneven power consumption between speakers and problems with the needle bouncing out of the groove when pressed to vinyl. Therefore, keep frequencies of 120Hz and below panned centrally in the mix.
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Panning for headphones
Panning is the process of positioning sounds at specific locations in the stereo image of a mix. Using pan pots, you can make an instrument sound as though it is coming from a specific point between your left and right speakers. Panning can also be used to control the width of stereo instruments, allowing you to spread them out across the stereo field.
When panning for headphones, it is important to consider the impact of the additional isolation that headphones provide. Unlike in a room where both ears hear sound from both speakers, headphones deliver sound directly to each ear. This means that if a signal is entirely in the right channel, the left ear will not hear it, creating a sense of closeness that can kill the feeling of space in the mix. To address this, it is recommended to always leave a healthy portion of the sound in both sides of the mix when the intended audience is headphone users.
Another factor to consider when panning for headphones is the balance between the left and right channels. Panning a vocal part that was initially hard right to the centre, for example, might cause it to disappear in the mix. This is because the pan pots not only position things in the stereo field but also adjust the level being sent to each channel. Hard panning to the left or right sends 100% of the signal to that respective speaker, while panning to the centre sends the same signal to both the left and right channels.
Additionally, it is generally recommended to keep low-frequency sounds centralised. This is because it is harder for humans to perceive the location of low-frequency sounds, and panning them off-centre can cause issues with uneven power consumption between speakers and problems with the needle bouncing out of the groove when pressed to vinyl. Frequencies of 120Hz and below are typically kept panned centrally in the mix, although there are exceptions, such as in some jazz records where the bass guitar may be panned off-centre.
Overall, when panning for headphones, it is crucial to maintain balance in the mix, leave a portion of the sound in both sides, and be mindful of the potential limitations of panning low-frequency sounds off-centre.
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Frequently asked questions
It is recommended to keep frequencies of 120Hz and below panned centrally in the mix. However, there is no restriction on where you can pan audio for digital formats.
It is harder to perceive the location of low-frequency sounds, so keeping them central makes sense. Panning low frequencies away from the centre can cause issues with uneven power consumption between speakers and problems with the needle bouncing out of the groove when pressed to vinyl.
You can use pan pots to position sounds at particular locations in the stereo image of a mix.
While both adjust the levels between the left and right channels, balance control adjusts the levels of pre-existing left and right channels, while pan control positions a mono signal within a stereo field.
A general guideline is to pan foundational elements (low-end content) in the centre and use the left and right space for additional elements to create a balanced and spacious mix.
