Emilie Meyer
Panning is the process of positioning sounds at particular locations in the stereo image of a mix. It is used to create a sense of space and clarity in a mix, ensuring that instruments do not fight with one another. The most basic form of panning involves using pan pots to control the volume of a sound coming from one speaker compared to another, which influences the listener's perception of the sound's location. This technique can be used to create a range of effects, from making a sound appear to be approaching from behind to gradually widening the stereo field. While panning is a powerful tool, it should be used with caution as excessive use can clutter or ruin a mix.
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What You'll Learn
Use a combination of volume, pan and reverb/space
To achieve a gradual panning effect, you can use a combination of volume, pan and reverb/space. Here are some detailed techniques to achieve this:
Firstly, understand the concept of hard panning. This involves committing to your pans and placing your sounds firmly to the left, right, or center. This creates instant space and room for your mix to breathe. By starting with hard panning, you establish a solid foundation for further experimentation.
Next, analyze the frequencies of your sounds. If you have two sounds competing for the same frequency range, you can pan them to opposite sides to create a balanced mix. For example, if a synth part is being overshadowed by a piano track, hard pan the synth left and the piano right to give them distinct spaces.
Now, let's introduce the concept of reverb. Reverb helps to simulate the reflections and scattering of sound in a given space. Most reverb plug-ins are designed to deliver an even output across all output channels, which can result in an unnatural effect. To counter this, pan the output of the reverb return to match the desired space. For instance, if you have an acoustic guitar panned hard left, use a mono reverb panned left and another panned right at a lower volume. This maintains the sense of directionality while adding depth.
Additionally, consider using delay in conjunction with panning. By delaying one channel of a stereo synth track by a few milliseconds, you can create a phantom pan effect, making it sound like the sound is above other elements in the mix. This adds another layer of depth to your audio.
Finally, utilize automated panning to let certain sounds move across the stereo spectrum throughout your track. This works particularly well with ambient layers or subtle percussion. Most DAW software offers an automating function in the arrangement window, allowing you to experiment with different panning automations.
By combining these techniques, you can create a dynamic and immersive soundscape that gradually pans and evolves, providing a captivating auditory experience.
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Utilise binaural hearing to create the perception of sound location
Panning sound is a great way to create a sense of space and width in your audio mix. Binaural hearing, or hearing with two ears, is a key component in creating the perception of sound location. This phenomenon was first studied by Somerville Scott Alison in 1859, who coined the term "binaural", meaning "to hear with two ears". Binaural hearing allows humans to determine where a sound is coming from by comparing information from both ears. This is also known as sound localisation.
To utilise binaural hearing for sound localisation, you can experiment with panning certain sounds to the left or right while keeping others in the centre. This creates a sense of balance and space in your mix. For example, if you have a synth part that is getting lost in a piano track, try hard panning the synth left and the piano right. This technique can also be used to create the perception of sound coming from above or below, although this is more complex and may require the use of filters to high pass or low pass a sound.
Additionally, you can use stereo widening plugins to magnify the effect of panning, especially in the higher registers. However, be cautious when using panning and stereo widening as it can ruin the low end of your track. It is also important to check your pans on headphones, as sound in an open room will leak into both ears. By using binaural hearing and panning techniques, you can create a more immersive and spacious soundscape for your listeners.
To create a gradual panning effect, you can use automation to slowly move a sound from one side to the other. This can be done by creating an envelope for the track pan. By starting a sound panned to the right and then gradually moving it to the centre, you can create the effect of a character listening to a song through speakers, as described in a piece of audio theatre. This technique adds depth and realism to your sound design.
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Control the width of stereo instruments
To create a sense of space and width in your mix, it is important to control the stereo width of your instruments. The stereo image is the "room" in which your track is playing. Each instrument takes up space in this room, depending on its panning position, frequency response, and overall level.
One way to increase the stereo width of your mix is to use a stereo enhancement plugin. Stereo Width Control, for example, is an Audio Unit plugin that allows you to increase or decrease the stereo width of four adjustable frequency bands. This plugin helps to ensure that the bass frequencies of kick drums and bass instruments stay focused in the centre channel, while maintaining a spacious stereo image in the mid-range frequencies.
Another technique to create a wider-sounding mix is to duplicate a track and pan the duplicates hard left and right. By applying time-based processing, such as a delay, to one of the tracks, you can create a psychoacoustic effect known as the Haas Effect or the precedence effect. This causes the listener to perceive the two signals as distinct, making the track sound significantly wider.
It is important to note that panning and stereo widening can affect the low end of your track. To avoid this, you can leave a third version of the track panned in the centre at a lower volume to help retain mono compatibility. Additionally, when using stereo widening techniques, it is crucial to listen to your mix on headphones to ensure that the pans are balanced and not lopsided.
By following these techniques and utilizing tools like stereo enhancement plugins, you can effectively control the width of stereo instruments and create an immersive and spacious mix.
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Use a pan pot to control the position of the left and right sides of the signal
Panning is the distribution of an audio signal into a new stereo or multi-channel sound field determined by a pan control setting. A pan pot, short for "panning potentiometer", is an analog control with a position indicator that can range from the 7 o'clock position when fully left to the 5 o'clock position when fully right. The internal architecture of a pan pot determines how much of a source signal is sent to the left and right buses, with each channel equipped with its own discrete gain or volume control.
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. As you turn the pan pot to the right, the signal coming from the left speaker will become quieter, and you will hear the sound louder in your right ear, localizing the sound to the right. The more you pan to the right, the quieter the left channel becomes.
When the pan pot on a mono channel is at the center position, the signal's output is at the same level from both speakers. This is the backbone of your mix, and it is recommended to keep lower-frequency sounds in the center, such as kicks, basses, and anything else below the 120Hz range.
To create width and space in your mix, you can use hard panning to put sounds on the left, right, or center. If you have two sounds that are in the same frequency range and fighting for space, pan one to the left and one to the right. A good rule of thumb is to keep an equal amount of elements on each side and to check your pans on headphones to ensure a balanced mix.
While panning can be a powerful tool, it should be used carefully. Overdoing it with panning and stereo widening can ruin the low end of your track. Additionally, keep in mind that simple analog pan controls only change relative levels; they don't add reverb, phase changes, modify the spectrum, or change delay timing.
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Automate a high cut along with the stereo width
Panning is a great way to create space and clarity in your mix. The centre of your stereo image should be the core of your mix, with lower-frequency sounds like kicks, basses, and anything else below the 120Hz range. This is because the centre gives your mix a solid core and backbone.
To create a sense of width, you can pan other sounds to the left and right. If you have two sounds that are in the same frequency range and are fighting for space, pan one to the left and the other to the right. This will create balance and ensure your mix doesn't sound lopsided or confusing to the ear.
You can also use stereo widening plugins to magnify the effect, especially in the higher registers. However, be careful with panning and stereo widening as it can ruin the low end of your track.
To automate a high cut along with stereo width, you can use a stereo width knob on your DAW's master track. You can also use a stereo enhancer to play with the width. Additionally, you can use a mid-side processing plugin to rein in excessively wide stereo signals.
Another technique is to use the Haas effect, named after Dr Helmut Haas, to spread a mono recording out to the sides of the stereo image. To do this, duplicate a mono track, pan one copy to the left and the other to the right, and delay either one by a few milliseconds to create a convincing stereo representation.
You can also automate the widening effects and plugins to create contrast between the chorus and verse. For example, you can narrow the stereo field and remove some bass and high end before a high-energy moment, and then bring it all back as the chorus drops.
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Frequently asked questions
Panning is the process of positioning sounds at particular locations in the stereo image of a mix.
You can use a pan pot to control the positioning of sounds from left to right and vice versa. The more you pan to one side, the quieter the other channel gets, making the sound appear to be located further on that side.
Keep the lower-frequency sounds in the centre. If you have two sounds fighting for space in the same frequency, pan one to the left and the other to the right to create balance.
You can try increasing volume from the back to the front to create this effect. Another method is to invert one of the channels when panning audio.
You can use the automation function in your DAW software to create an envelope for the track pan. This will allow you to gradually pan sounds across the stereo spectrum.
