Ella Walter
Panning is a powerful tool for crafting a wide, balanced, and immersive mix. It allows you to place instruments from left to right, determining the left and right walls of your mix and how close each instrument is to them. While panning is traditionally used to place specific instruments in the left, centre, or right of a mix, you may want to pan all sound to the right to create a unique effect. This can be achieved through various methods, such as using a Peak Controller, enabling 'swap stereo', or creating a stereo image with depth and height.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Panning technique | Hard panning, Haas effect, micro-shifting, time-based processing |
| Instruments | Kick, snare, bass, vocals, guitars, piano, synth |
| Positioning | Left, right, centre, front, back |
| Balance | High-mid frequency, low-end heavy |
| Volume | Louder for front, quieter for back |
| Effects | Reverb, delay, chorus |
| Direction | Can be manipulated left to right, or back and forth |
| Software | FL Studio, Ableton Live Utility, ANIMATE, GROW |
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What You'll Learn
Panning drums and guitars
Panning Drums
It is recommended to start with the drums when mixing as they establish the rhythm and backbone of the song. The kick and bass drums, being low-end heavy instruments, should always be in the centre of the mix to keep everything grounded. For the rest of the drum set, panning them individually can lead to a clearer, more focused mix. A natural stereo spread can be created by panning the toms 15-30% around the centre, from one side to the other.
The direction of the pan depends on the desired perspective. For a right-handed drummer's perspective, pan the drums to the left. For an audience perspective, simulating a live performance, pan them to the right.
Panning Guitars
Rhythm guitars can be effectively panned hard left and right, especially if double-tracked, creating width and thickness. This also works well if two guitars are playing different parts. If there is a solo, the lead guitar should be in the middle, assuming there is no vocal playing, as it takes the place of the lead vocal. If it's a riff, it can be panned roughly 50% to either the left or right, depending on the context and what else is playing at the time. For example, a guitar playing riffs can be played against the hi-hat, panning it to the opposite side at a similar position.
Panning in Mono
Setting the initial balance of the drums and other instruments in mono can help avoid issues with levels dropping significantly when checking the mix in mono later on. This can be done by setting the panning while monitoring in mono and on one speaker. Using EQ to separate instruments in mono will result in greater clarity, depth, and width when switching to stereo.
Other Tips
- To create a wide-sounding mix, try panning just one or a couple of interesting elements wide and spacious, such as doubled guitars, while maintaining a strong and balanced centre.
- If using a stereo piano track, reduce its width in a busy mix to avoid cluttering.
- To make an audio recording slowly pan from left to right, enable 'swap stereo' in FL Studio.
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Stereo imaging
Panning is a key process in stereo imaging, allowing producers to place sounds anywhere between the far left and far right of the stereo field. This helps create width and gives different elements their own distinct spaces in the mix. For instance, panning a guitar hard left and a piano hard right creates a wall of sound, with each instrument occupying its own space.
Phase and amplitude differences also play a role in stereo imaging. Phase differences occur when identical sounds reach the left and right ears at slightly different times, enhancing the sense of width and spatial placement. Amplitude differences, or volume variations, between the left and right channels contribute to stereo imaging by making sounds that are louder in one ear seem closer to that side.
To achieve depth in stereo imaging, techniques such as reverb, volume adjustment, EQ, and delay are used. Reverb adds a sense of space, with more reverb creating distance. Lowering the volume and cutting high frequencies make sounds seem further away. Delay effects also add to the sense of space and separation between elements.
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Balancing audio
Drums and Percussion:
Start by establishing the rhythm with the drums, ensuring they are EQ'd and panned correctly. The kick and other low-end heavy instruments should be placed right down the center to keep the mix grounded. For a right-handed drummer's perspective, pan the drums to the left, or pan them right for an audience perspective. Create a natural stereo spread by panning the toms 15-30% around the center, from side to side.
Guitars:
A classic technique is to pan rhythm guitars hard left and right, creating width and thickness in the sound. This works well for double-tracked guitars playing the same part or two guitars playing different rhythm parts. For a guitar solo, place it in the center or just off-center, especially if there are no vocals. If it's a riff, pan it roughly 50% left or right, depending on the context and other instruments playing.
Piano and Synth:
In a sparse mix, such as percussion, piano, and vocals, pan the piano microphones hard left and right to utilize the natural width of the 88 keys. In a busier mix, pan the piano between the center and one side. If the mix is already cluttered, reduce the width of a stereo piano track using a plugin to avoid cluttering. The same principle applies to synths; while a wide and lush synth pad is appealing, it can quickly clutter a busy mix.
Fine-Tuning:
To achieve balance, consider the frequency content of your instruments. If you have a high-mid frequency-heavy instrument on one side, balance it with another high-mid frequency instrument on the opposite side. Listen to reference tracks to hear how professionals pan their instruments. Additionally, use a Peak Controller to adjust the base and volume knobs for more precise control over the panning motion.
Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to balancing audio. These guidelines provide a starting point, but the specific decisions depend on the context of your mix and your creative preferences.
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Using plugins
When it comes to panning sound to the right, there are several plugins that can be used to achieve this.
One option is to use a traditional panning plugin as an insert, and then insert a sample delay or another stereo widening tool. This can be done using a plugin like the rotary plugin by UVI or the S1 imager from Waves. These plugins allow you to reorient the perceived placement of the signal. Additionally, effects like tremolo and chorusing will cause phase cancellation that will add to the stereo widening.
Another option is to use binaural panning plugins, which allow you to place your signal within a 360-degree field and change the perceived elevation, tilt, and more. These plugins use delay-based panning, spectral panning, and other tricks to recreate a spatial environment. Some digital audio workstations (DAWs) come with built-in binaural processors, but if yours does not, you can use a third-party plugin.
If you are working with guitars, panning rhythm guitars hard right is a common technique. This works well with double-tracked guitars playing the same part to create width and thickness in the sound. This also works if you have two guitars playing different rhythm parts.
For a sparse mix, such as percussion, piano, and vocals, you can utilize the natural width of the piano by panning the microphones hard right. This will give you a full stereo image of the 88 keys. However, if you have a busy mix, you may want to reduce the width of the piano using a plugin like Ableton Live Utility to prevent cluttering.
Additionally, if your EQ allows for left and right channel filters, you can use these to pan your signal. By creating two bell filters, one on the left and one on the right, and slightly varying their frequencies while amplifying, you can achieve a wider sound that is panned at specific frequencies.
There are also some free auto-panning plugins available, such as Panstation by Audio Damage, Panagement by Auburn Sounds, and Panflow by Audio Modern. These plugins allow you to set parameters for an instrument track to move left to right automatically.
Finally, if you are looking for a specific sound, you can try using plugins like Audiority's Tube Modulator to give percussion elements movement and character.
By using these plugins and techniques, you can effectively pan all sound to the right and create immersive and spacious audio experiences.
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Panning lead vocals
Firstly, it is essential to establish the role of the lead vocals in the mix. Lead vocals are typically considered one of the most prominent elements of a song, and as such, they should be given a prominent position in the stereo field. Panning the lead vocals centre is a common practice as it ensures the vocals are equally present in both speakers, creating a solid core for the mix. This approach also guarantees that the vocals remain clear and intact, even if the listener has a faulty speaker or an unconventional speaker setup.
However, there are occasions when panning the lead vocals hard left or right can be effective. For example, in a sparse mix with few instruments, panning the lead vocal to one side can create a sense of depth and width. Additionally, if the lead vocalist is also playing an instrument, panning the vocal to one side can visually represent the stage positioning.
Another technique is to use double or triple tracking for the lead vocals. This involves recording multiple takes of the same vocal part and panning them across the stereo field. This approach can create a wide and thick sound, adding interest and dimension to the mix. However, it is crucial that the performance is flawless, as any flaws or inconsistencies will be accentuated.
When panning lead vocals, it is important to consider the frequencies of other instruments in the mix. If the vocal is competing for space with another element, panning them to opposite sides can help create separation and clarity. Utilising a frequency analyser can assist in identifying which sounds occupy the same frequency range and guide panning decisions accordingly.
Lastly, it is recommended to check the panning using headphones. While monitors provide a general idea of the panning positions, sound in an open room will leak into both ears. Headphones allow for more precise evaluation, enabling you to hear each part independently and visualise the entire sonic image.
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Frequently asked questions
To pan all sound to the right in FL Studio, you can use a Peak Controller and set the panning knob of the clip to follow the LFO. If you want it to go from left to right repeatedly but never from right to left, set the LFO to a sawtooth wave.
To pan all sound to the right in a stereo mix, you can duplicate the track and pan one hard right. By applying time-based processing like a delay to one of the tracks, you can create a psychoacoustic effect that causes the listener to think they are two different signals, making the track sound wider.
To make the sound seem like it's coming from the back, you can make it quieter and add reverb.
