Ella Walter
Audio panning is a useful tool for music producers to create space, clarity, depth, and movement in their mixes. Panning involves adjusting the volume of a sound in one speaker relative to another, which allows producers to position sounds at any point between the two speakers. This technique can be automated, allowing certain sounds to move across the stereo spectrum throughout a track, creating a sense of movement and making the mix more interesting and exciting. Automated panning can be achieved using various software and plugins, such as DAW software, TLAutoPan, or Fruity Panomatic. By understanding and utilizing audio panning techniques, producers can enhance the overall quality and impact of their musical creations.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To create space and clarity in a mix |
| Core | Keep lower frequency sounds in the center, such as kicks, basses, and anything below the 120Hz range |
| Panning technique | Analyze frequencies and pan sounds to the left or right to avoid fighting for space |
| Stereo image | Use panning to control the relative volume of a sound from one speaker, positioning it at a specific point in the stereo image |
| Automation | Use DAW software to automate panning and create movement, making the mix more interesting |
| Volume automation | Adjust volume as sounds are panned left or right to maintain balance and avoid clashing with other frequencies |
| Reverb | Use reverb to create the effect of sound moving around the listener, especially in stereo |
| Binaural audio | Use binaural recording techniques to create the illusion of sound moving in three-dimensional space |
| Plugins | Utilize plugins like Fruity Panomatic or Pancake by Cableguys to achieve panning and stereo widening effects |
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What You'll Learn
Use headphones to check your pans and do some active listening
When it comes to panning, it's important to use headphones to check your pans and do some active listening. This is because headphones allow you to focus on each part of your mix independently, helping you to create a sonic image and ensure that your sounds are balanced.
To start, make sure you have all your low sounds in the centre, as this gives your mix a solid core. This includes kicks, basses, and anything else below the 120Hz range. If your track has lead vocals, pan them centre as well.
Now, put on your headphones and listen to each part of your mix independently. Try to get a sense of where each part is and how they fit together. If you have two sounds that are fighting for space in the same frequency, pan one to the left and one to the right to create space and clarity. For example, if you have a synth part that is getting lost in a piano track, hard pan the synth left and the piano right.
You can also experiment with panning duplicates of effected vocals to the left or right to create interesting effects. Automated panning will let certain sounds move across the stereo spectrum throughout your track, adding movement and width to your mix. Most DAW software has an automating function in the arrangement window, so you can experiment with different panning automations to find what works best for your sound.
Just be mindful of safe listening practices when using headphones. Avoid prolonged exposure to loud volumes, as this can damage your hearing. Keep your volume at a comfortable level and take breaks to give your ears a rest.
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Keep your mix balanced and experiment with panning duplicates
When mixing music, panning and volume can be used to create a cohesive, dynamic sound. The aim is to create space and separation between instruments, giving each element of your track a chance to shine.
To keep your mix balanced, it's important to place lower-frequency sounds in the centre. This includes kick drums, bass guitars, and anything else below the 120Hz range. Lead vocals should also usually be panned to the centre. This gives your mix a solid core or backbone.
Higher-frequency instruments can then be panned further out to the left and right. If you have two sounds that are competing for the same frequency space, pan one to the left and one to the right. This is a technique known as complementary panning. For example, if you have a synth part that is getting lost in a piano track, hard pan the synth left and the piano to the right.
You can also experiment with panning duplicates of effected vocals to the left or right. This can add width and space to your mix. However, remember that mixing is subjective, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Trust your ears and don't be afraid to break the rules.
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Use volume automation in congruence with panning automation
Volume automation is one of the fundamentals of music production. It is the process of automating the volume of a track, allowing you to bring an instrument to the forefront and fading it out when another instrument or vocal comes in. This creates dynamics in a track, making it more interesting for the listener.
Panning, on the other hand, is the process of controlling how loudly a sound is played from one speaker in comparison to another. By playing a sound louder from one speaker, the listener perceives the sound as coming from that side. This allows you to position sounds at any point between the two speakers.
When used together, volume and panning automation can create a more immersive and dynamic listening experience. For example, by automating the volume of a sound and panning it to the left or right, you can create the illusion of movement in your mix. This can be especially effective for sound effects or creating an ambient layer.
Additionally, by using volume and panning automation together, you can create balance and clarity in your mix. If two sounds are fighting for space in the same frequency, you can pan one to the left and the other to the right, ensuring neither sound is lost.
Most DAW software has an automation function, allowing you to automate various parameters such as volume and panning. This can be done by creating automation curves that determine the value changes for the volume or panning parameters over time.
By using volume automation in congruence with panning automation, you can create a wider and more exciting soundscape for your listeners to explore.
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Try using single-band EQ and either a low-pass or high-pass filter
To make sound pan automatically, you can try using single-band EQ and either a low-pass or high-pass filter. EQ, or equalization, is a way of applying a predefined shape to your sound by either reducing or boosting certain frequency regions. This allows you to shape individual sounds to your liking and make them evolve over time.
A low-pass filter, as the name suggests, allows lower-frequency signals to pass through while reducing the amplitude of higher-frequency signals. This can be useful for removing unwanted bass frequencies, but heavy use can result in a thin sound. Conversely, a high-pass filter removes low-frequency sounds from an audio signal, allowing high-frequency signals to pass through. This can be an interesting effect for dealing with hard-panned instruments like guitars or synths, giving them a more natural width.
When using a high-pass filter, be careful not to overuse it, as consistently removing the low-end from your sounds can make them lose their body and punch. Additionally, steep curves can introduce ringing or distortion around the cutoff point. Instead of high-cutting or low-cutting, you can try using a shelf filter, which boosts or attenuates frequencies after a certain point.
By using a single-band EQ with either a low-pass or high-pass filter, you can shape the sound to your desired effect and then automate the panning to create a more dynamic and interesting mix.
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Use binaural audio for panning sounds up and down
Binaural panning is a powerful tool for creating immersive audio experiences, allowing sound to be panned left, right, forward, and even behind the listener. Binaural microphones are designed to accurately record binaural sounds, with 'ears' that filter sound around our heads, and are particularly effective when used with Dolby Atmos.
While standard stereo mixing allows for left-to-right panning, binaural panning adds depth by simulating the feel of hearing real 3D sounds with both ears. This is achieved by delivering sound to each ear at different volumes and times, as the sound must travel further to reach the ear that is furthest away. Binaural panning also takes into account how sound is filtered through the head and the environment, creating a more realistic and immersive experience.
To create the effect of sound moving up and down, binaural panning employs psychoacoustic processors that simulate arbitrary sound source positions, including up and down information. This effect is best experienced through headphone playback, as playing binaural tracks through speakers may result in an average listening experience due to the output channels being heard in both ears.
To achieve optimal results, consider using a combination of standard L/R panning for the main elements of your track and binaural panning for ambient textures, subtle percussion, and delay trails. This way, you can ensure that the essential parts of your track are heard perfectly, while still providing an immersive experience for listeners using headphones.
Some DAWs, such as Logic Pro, offer built-in binaural panning, while others may require aftermarket plug-ins like Sennheiser's Ambeo Orbit. Additionally, certain free binaural panners like DeePanPot and Panagement can be utilised, although they may have limitations in terms of extreme panning values.
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Frequently asked questions
Automated panning lets certain sounds move across the stereo spectrum. Most DAW software has an automating function in the arrangement window. So get to know the function in your DAW and find the panning automation that works best for your sound.
To achieve this effect, you would need to have speakers behind you or a minimum quad surround. You can, however, make it sound like the noise was starting "behind" you and then moving around your head until it’s in front of your face. You can do this by having the sound start off very mono with the cutoff frequency low, and as the frequency gets higher, the width could follow.
Automate the panning so that the mix sounds wider in the choruses and narrower in the verses. This gives the chorus more impact and can make your mix more interesting and exciting to listen to.
