Marianne Martinez
Panning is the process of placing different elements of a mix within a stereo image. There are two main approaches to panning drums: the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective. The former involves panning the elements of the drum kit as if one is the drummer sitting at the kit, while the latter involves imagining the kit from the perspective of the audience sitting in front of it. There is no industry standard for drum panning, and mixers can use whichever perspective they prefer, provided that their close mics, overhead mics, and room mics are all in agreement.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Panning techniques | Clock face technique, Glyn Johns method |
| Panning perspectives | Drummer's perspective, audience perspective |
| Panning direction | Left, right, centre |
| Panning percentage | 33%, 66%, 80%, 90%, 100% |
| Panning considerations | Balance, listener engagement, stereo perception, mono compatibility |
| Panning exceptions | Kick drum should always be centred |
| Panning for live video | Match audio with visuals |
| Panning for left-handed drummers | Request a 'left-handed drummer's perspective' |
| Panning for electronic drums | More flexibility |
| Panning for older jazz recordings | Creative production choices |
| Panning for stereo overheads | Use as main image of the kit |
| Panning for close mics | Match the main image |
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What You'll Learn
Drummer vs. audience perspective
There are two main approaches to panning drums: the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective. There is no industry standard, and the choice depends on the genre of music and the desired effect.
The drummer's perspective involves panning the elements of the drum kit as if from the perspective of 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. The kit is imagined from the viewpoint of the audience in front of the drum kit. So, the hi-hat is on the right and the floor tom on the left. This approach is more common when mixing, as it gives the listener a more familiar stereo image.
Some audio engineers prefer the drummer's perspective as it would be more like listening to the band live. However, others argue that the goal of recorded music is to replicate the feeling of playing the instruments, so the audience perspective can be disorienting.
Practical Considerations
When panning drums, it is important to ensure that the overheads and close mics are in agreement to localise the drum for the listener. For example, if the floor tom in the overheads is on the left, but the close mic is panned to the right, the track will sound messy and confusing.
Additionally, care should be taken when panning all the way to the left or right, as elements panned to one side may disappear when played through a mono source or if one speaker is broken.
Ultimately, the choice between the drummer's and audience's perspective depends on personal preference and the specific needs of the song. There is no right or wrong, and creativity is encouraged in music production.
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Mono vs. stereo
When it comes to recording drums, you can use either mono or stereo techniques, or a combination of both. The choice between the two depends on several factors, including the number of microphones available, the desired sound, and the genre of music.
Mono recording involves using a single channel, which can be reproduced through multiple speakers, all producing the same copy of the signal. In a drum kit, individual microphones are typically used to record the kick drum, snare, and toms in mono. This allows for more freedom during the mixing and mastering process, as each drum is captured separately.
On the other hand, stereo recording uses multiple channels to create a wider, more spacious sound. Overhead and room microphones are typically recorded in stereo, capturing multiple drums rather than a single drum. Stereo recordings provide more flexibility in placing individual drums within the stereo image, allowing for a more expansive and immersive soundstage.
Some sources suggest that the kick drum and snare should be recorded in mono, while the toms and hi-hats are panned in stereo. This is because low frequencies in the kick drum are non-directional, so panning them would not provide any additional benefit. Additionally, the snare is often set to mono to create a more focused and impactful sound. However, the snare can also be set to stereo to add variance and give it more room to breathe in the mix.
The choice between mono and stereo recording ultimately comes down to personal preference and the specific requirements of the project. Both techniques have their advantages and can be combined to achieve the desired sound. By understanding the characteristics of each drum and the available recording equipment, engineers can make informed decisions to create engaging and immersive drum recordings.
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Panning kick drums
Panning is the process of placing different elements of a mix within a stereo image. Tracks in a mix can be panned 100% left or right or anywhere in between. Kick drums are usually panned in the centre (12:00) of the stereo image. This is because if the kick drum is panned off-centre, it adds weight to one side, making the listener feel off-balance.
There are two main perspectives when it comes to panning drums: the drummer's perspective and the audience perspective. The drummer's perspective involves panning the elements of the drum kit as if one is 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 is done accordingly. The audience perspective is the exact opposite. The kit is imagined as if one is 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 perspective when mixing. However, there are no hard and fast rules, and one can use whichever perspective they like.
When panning drums, it is important to ensure that the overheads and close mics are panned in agreement to localize the drum for the listener. If the floor tom in the overheads is on the left but the close mic is panned to the right, the drum tracks will sound messy and confusing.
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Panning snare drums
Panning is the process of placing different elements of a mix within a stereo image. Tracks can be panned 100% left or right or anywhere in between. The kick drum should always be centred in the stereo image.
There are two main perspectives when it comes to panning: the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective. The drummer's perspective involves panning the elements of the drum kit as if one is 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 perspective is the opposite, where the listener is facing the kit and band. Most mixers tend to use the audience perspective, but there are no hard rules.
There are a few options for snare panning. Some engineers prefer to have the snare centred, while others prefer to have it slightly off-centre. If you choose the latter, it is recommended to not go beyond +/-20% left or right (between 11:00 and 1:00). Having the snare off-centre gives more variance between the stereo image of the kick and snare and gives the snare more room to breathe.
Another method is to match the snare panning with where it appears on the overhead mics. This involves panning the overhead mics hard left and right and then panning the snare to match where it is on the overheads. This technique takes practice.
A technique to strengthen the snare sound involves layering three equal drum sounds on top of each other and panning one of them close to the far right, one close to the far left, and leaving one in the middle. This creates a spacious and impressive sound.
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The clock face technique
In this clock face visualisation, the kick drum should always be at 12:00, in the centre of the stereo image. This is because the kick drum is usually the foundation of a song, and panning it to the centre ensures it is equally audible in both the left and right channels.
The snare drum can be at 12:00, but some engineers prefer to pan it slightly off-centre, between 11:00 and 1:00. This gives more variance between the stereo image of the kick and snare drums, allowing the snare to "breathe" and not be "fighting" the kick drum.
The toms are usually placed on the left and right of the stereo image, so they would be at 9:00 and 3:00 on the clock face. This is because toms are often recorded with overhead mics, which are panned hard left and right. The toms are then panned to match their position in the overhead mics.
The hi-hat is usually on the left from the drummer's perspective, so it would be placed at 9:00 or 10:00 on the clock face. However, some drummers have their hi-hat on the right, in which case it would be at 3:00 or 2:00.
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Frequently asked questions
The kick drum should always be panned dead centre (12 o'clock) of the stereo image.
There are no fixed rules for snare drum panning. Some engineers prefer to keep it dead centre, while others prefer to pan it slightly off-centre, not exceeding +/-20% left or right (between 11 o'clock and 1 o'clock).
There are two primary methods of panning drums: the drummer's perspective and the audience perspective. The drummer's perspective involves panning the drum kit elements as if you are the drummer, whereas the audience perspective is the exact opposite, imagining the kit from the viewpoint of the audience.
To achieve a wide and open sound, you can start by hard panning your overheads 100% to the left and right. Then, introduce your tom mics one by one, panning them to match their position in the overhead mics. Close cymbal or hi-hat mics should also agree with the overhead mics. Finally, you can experiment with panning the cymbals and hi-hats in a slightly more exaggerated manner to add spaciousness to the kit.
The clock face technique is a visualisation method for drum panning. In this technique, 12 o'clock (straight up) represents the centre (0 on the panning knob), 9 o'clock is 100% left, 3 o'clock is 100% right, 10 and 2 o'clock are roughly 66% left and right, respectively, while 11 and 1 o'clock are about 33% left and right.
