Tillie Doyle
Panning is an important technique in music production that can create interest, width, and a sense of space in a mix. It involves positioning sounds in the left-to-right spectrum of a stereo image, creating a stereo effect. This is achieved by using a pan pot or slider to adjust the ratio of levels between the left and right output of a stereo audio signal. While panning can be used to create a sense of balance, it can also be used to make certain elements stand out by placing them off-center. It is important to remember that panning choices are subjective and dependent on the specific mix. Additionally, it is crucial to check mono compatibility to ensure the mix translates well to mono systems.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To create a stereo effect, making sounds or instruments appear to come from different places in the left-right spectrum of the stereo field between two speakers |
| Pan pot settings | 0 or C (center) – signal equally divided between left and right channels; hard left – signal sent entirely to the left channel; hard right – signal sent entirely to the right channel |
| Panning positions | Hard left, 60% left, center, 60% right, hard right |
| Techniques | LCR (Left-Center-Right) audio panning, Haas stereo effect, Moog Source-pans, stereo "chorus" à la Roland Dimension-D |
| Instruments | Guitars, EDM synths, saxophones, snare drums, hi-hats, claps |
| Tips | Avoid going hard left or hard right, use complementary panning, remember conventional panning positions, always check your mix in mono |
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What You'll Learn
Using stereo effects
To create a powerful and immersive stereo image, you need to do more than just pan instruments left and right. You need to sculpt a full and rich stereo image that feels immersive and alive. This involves placing sounds with purpose, using width-enhancing tools, and creating depth, height, and width to glue your mix together.
The stereo image is the perceived spatial location of sound sources within a track, or the "room" in which your track is playing. Each instrument takes up space in this room, depending on the panning position, frequency response, and overall level. The size of the room is defined by the amount of reverb or delay on each track, which helps listeners understand how close each instrument is to the "walls" of the room.
To increase the stereo width of your mix, you can use a stereo enhancement plugin like GROW, which is part of the ANIMATE plugin. GROW makes it easy to increase the width of selected frequencies using the precedence effect. It can be applied dynamically, so only certain signals will be enhanced. For instance, you can use the filter to focus on one specific frequency range, allowing you to boost the highs without affecting the lows. However, this technique can cause phase issues, so it's important to leave a third version of the track panned in the center at a lower volume to retain mono compatibility.
There are other techniques to create a wide and immersive stereo image, such as LCR panning, the Haas Effect, microshifting, and doubletracking. These techniques bring clarity, depth, and excitement to your mix. It's important to check your mono compatibility and use tools like reverb, EQ, and stereo imaging plugins with intention. When done right, a well-balanced stereo field will pull listeners into your track and keep them engaged from start to finish.
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Panning hard left and right
When panning hard left and right, it is important to maintain balance in the stereo mix. While panning instruments or sounds to the extremes of the stereo field can create a sense of separation, it is crucial to ensure that the overall mix remains cohesive and that no single element overpowers others.
Some engineers and producers express concerns about panning hard left and right, stating that it can introduce phasing issues and frequency conflicts. These issues may arise due to the complex interactions between left and right channels, especially when dealing with mono compatibility. However, others argue that these concerns can be mitigated by experimenting, listening critically, and making adjustments to suit the specific project.
To achieve a wider stereo image, one common technique is to pan a guitar part or a counter melody hard right and then add a reverb or delay panned hard left. This creates a sense of spaciousness and depth in the mix. Additionally, in genres like hard rock, panning guitars and vocal harmonies hard left and right can be effective, giving the mix a powerful and separated sound.
It is worth noting that the decision to pan hard left and right depends on the creative purpose of the production. While it can be a useful technique in certain contexts, it may not be suitable for every project. It is important to prioritise clarity, balance, and consistency in the mix, ensuring that the pans complement the overall composition rather than creating confusion or distraction.
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LCR (Left-Center-Right) audio panning
LCR (Left-Center-Right) panning is a powerful mixing technique that can help you create unique soundscapes. This technique is a simple yet effective way to make your mix sound wider and more spacious. It involves restricting the pan positions of different tracks in your mix to only three options: hard left, hard right, or center.
LCR panning simplifies the mixing process by limiting your panning options. It also emphasizes the lead vocal track, which is typically placed in the center, along with other central elements like kick, snare, and bass. By reducing the audio energy in large swaths of the left-right spectrum, LCR panning can open up your mix and make it less cluttered. It adds excitement to your mix by creating dramatic and extreme positioning, making the mix more engaging for the listener.
LCR panning also helps you build separation between the main vocal, harmonies, backing vocals, and ad libs in your mix. You can keep the main vocal centered while sending other vocals to the hard left or right. Additionally, LCR panning can be applied to individual tracks within a larger mix or used on a smaller scale to create impact.
While LCR panning offers many benefits, it's important to note that it may not be suitable for every mix. Some skeptics argue that LCR panning creates a false sense of separation, causing issues when the mix is heard in mono. However, this criticism assumes that the primary goal of LCR panning is to create separation through panning, which is not its main purpose. LCR panning is a valuable technique that can enhance your mixes and is worth understanding as a producer or engineer.
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Pan law and compensation
Panning is the process by which monaural and stereo sounds are positioned within a stereo soundstage. Sounds that come out of the left speaker are said to be panned left, sounds coming out of the right speaker are panned right, and sounds in the centre are panned centre. The panning law determines the relationship between the sound's apparent image position and the pan knob control.
The panning law was introduced to address a problem: when a signal is panned centrally, the same signal is output identically on both the left and right channels. When panning a signal from the extreme left channel through the centre and then to the extreme right channel, the level rises as it passes through the centre. The panning law was integrated to introduce a 3dB level drop at the centre. If the left and right channels are summed in mono, the centre gain would result in a 6dB rise, so attenuating by that amount became essential in the broadcast industry as mono compatibility is always a prime issue.
There are two fundamental panning laws, relating to the way the material will be auditioned. If you want the panned sound to be perceived as remaining at a constant volume, regardless of the pan position, the centre attenuation needs to be 3dB. This is because the acoustic summation of two identical signals increases the perceived volume by 3dB. This is the law to choose if your audience will only ever listen via stereo loudspeakers. However, if you want the panned sound to be perceived as having a constant level when summed to mono, the centre attenuation needs to be 6dB, because the electrical addition of two identical signals creates a new signal with an amplitude that is 6dB larger. This is the law to choose if your audience is likely to hear a mono sum, such as when broadcast on radio or TV, or in a club, or on a mobile phone or tablet.
Most mixing consoles and DAWs employ a compromise option of 4.5dB centre attenuation, which is halfway between the two previous ideals. This presents a reasonable compromise with only minor level variations as a source is panned across the soundstage, regardless of the listening format.
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Mono compatibility
Phase issues are the leading cause of poor mono compatibility in mixes. Phase issues may occur during the recording stage when multiple mics are placed at various distances from a single instrument. Phase issues will only occur in your mix if the panned element is out of phase with the opposite channel. If you pan the same element in both directions in your mix, it will play back centred in the stereo field.
There are several ways to ensure mono compatibility in your mix. One way is to start your mix in mono and gradually add stereo width. This helps set your levels appropriately and use EQ to blend different elements together. Another way is to create a foundation for your mono mix before adding stereo effects. This can be done by boosting the mids and reducing the sides of your drum bus, for example.
To create width that translates well into mono, you can add a slight delay to a mirrored track and apply a pitch modulation effect. Recording a second take is another method to create stereo width. Using a second recording of a vocal, guitar part or synth patch that is slightly modified from the original panned left/right is a great way to produce a wider stereo image.
It is also important to check your mix in mono throughout the mixing process. This can be done by inserting a stereo imaging plugin on your master bus and bringing its width to zero. Listening to how your favourite commercial tracks sound in mono can give you a good direction for your own mix.
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Frequently asked questions
Panning is a process in audio and music production used to position sounds in the left-to-right spectrum of a stereo image.
To create a stereo effect, you can put a stereo delay on the track at 100% mix, and set one side of the delay with 0 delay, and the other side with a few delays (around 20ms). This will make your synth become "doubled", and you can play with the pan for spacialisation.
LCR (Left-Center-Right) audio panning is a technique where you always pan either left, right, or dead center. You can add complexity to the LCR technique by panning to a position between left and center, and also between right and center.
