Panning In Maschine: Stereo Image And Width

how to pan instruments in maschine

Panning is a crucial technique in music production, allowing you to position instruments and sounds across the stereo field for a balanced and immersive mix. When using Native Instruments' Maschine, understanding how to access and adjust panning controls is essential. While the specific steps may vary depending on the Maschine version, some general guidelines and tips can help you effectively pan instruments in your productions.

Characteristics Values
Panning in Maschine Software Go to mixer view in the software. Panning is just above the faders. Click down the rotary and the volume level changes to a C and you can pan.
Panning Individual Notes Go to the OUT tab of the sound, find the pan function, use autowrite and manually assign automation.
Stereo Outputs It is tempting to pan sources like keyboards, strings, and synths hard left and right. However, this often results in a stacked, cluttered, and muddied center.
Panning Instruments It is recommended to start by panning everything to the center to get an idea of the overall balance of the track and achieve a decent general mix.
Low-Frequency Sounds Generally, the more prominent the low-frequency in your sound, the more central you should pan it. This includes kick drums, basses, and anything below 120Hz.
Solo Mode Allows you to listen to a single group or sound in isolation. This is useful for isolating a group or sound in a mix to test different sequences.

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Panning individual notes

To pan individual notes in Maschine, you need to adjust the pan settings for the specific note. Here is a step-by-step guide:

  • Go to the mixer view in the software. The panning controls are located just above the faders.
  • Select the channel you want to adjust by clicking on the output page for that channel. This will display the knobs for that channel.
  • Click the rotary knob, and the volume level will change to a "C". You can now adjust the pan setting for that channel by clicking again to set it back to the fader.
  • To pan an individual note, go to the "OUT" tab of the sound and find the pan function.
  • Use the autowrite feature to manually assign automation to the pan function for that specific note. This will allow you to adjust the panning for that individual note independently from the other notes.

It is worth noting that this process may vary slightly depending on the version of Maschine you are using. Additionally, there are other methods to achieve similar results, such as using automation in the arrangement view or creating copies of MIDI tracks and panning them individually. Experiment with different techniques to find the one that best suits your workflow and creative needs.

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Using the OUT tab

To pan instruments in Maschine, you need to access the mixer view in the software. Here, you can adjust the panning to the left or right for each channel. One way to do this is by using the OUT tab.

To use the OUT tab for panning, find the pan function, which is usually represented by a knob or a slider. You can then adjust this knob or slider to the left or right to pan the instrument accordingly. Moving the pan knob or slider to the left will pan the instrument to the left, and moving it to the right will pan it to the right. This allows you to create a stereo image for your mix, placing instruments in different positions within the stereo field.

Additionally, the OUT tab may also offer a mono option, which is useful for bass instruments and kick drums to ensure they are centred and have a solid presence in the mix. By keeping low-frequency sounds in the centre, you can tighten up your mix and create a robust "core". This also prevents any issues when your track is played back on different sound systems.

The OUT tab in Maschine provides a simple and effective way to manually adjust the panning of individual instruments or sounds. This can be a powerful tool for creating a balanced and immersive stereo image for your music productions.

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Stereo outputs

For acoustic instrument and orchestral mixing, panning is a more prescribed process. You can refer to a Panning Instruments Chart for guidance on specific instruments. As a general rule, kick drums, basses, and anything below 120Hz should be kept centred to tighten up your mix and create a solid "core". Lead vocals should also be positioned in the centre to ensure they remain loud and prominent in all playback conditions.

When using Maschine software, you can access panning controls by going to the mixer view and selecting the output page for the channel. You can then click the rotary to change the volume level to a "C" and pan the sound. You can also use the hardware to pan by selecting either a group or sound. Solo Mode in Maschine Jam allows you to listen to a single group or sound in isolation, which can be useful for testing different sequences and creating breakdowns.

Additionally, if you want to pan individual notes in Maschine, you can go to the OUT tab of the sound, find the pan function, use autowrite, and manually assign automation.

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Panning in isolation

When panning in isolation, it's important to note that hard panning a stereo sound source to the left and right can often result in a centred sound. This can create a stacked, cluttered, and muddied centre if done with too many instruments. Therefore, it's recommended to start with everything panned to the centre at the beginning of a track-making and mixing session to get a decent general mix and overall balance of the track.

To adjust the pan settings in Maschine, you can follow these steps:

  • Press Shift Level.
  • Press the Group (A-H) containing the sound you want to adjust.

Additionally, you can go to the OUT tab of the sound, find the pan function, use autowrite, and manually assign automation.

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Mixer view

The Mixer view in Maschine gives you access to the level and routing settings of your Sounds, Groups, and Master channels. You can adjust the panoramic position and level of Groups by switching to Group view and pushing the 4-D encoder upwards.

The Mixer view can be launched directly from the hardware, allowing you to switch between Arranger and Mixer views. The layout of Sound and Group strips is similar to a classical mixing desk. The signal flow goes from input routing settings at the top, through various plug-ins, then through pan and level controls, and finally to output routing settings at the bottom.

The Mixer view provides a unique feature not available in Arranger view: you can quickly change settings in any channel strip without having to put the channel under focus. To adjust the panoramic position and level of a channel, use the Fader section. Drag the fader vertically to adjust the level. Click the little square to the left of a plug-in to bypass or re-insert it in the signal chain.

If the Maschine window is not tall enough to display the entire Plug-in panel, a vertical scroll bar on the right allows you to see the rest of the panel. The Plug-in Header at the top contains buttons to open the Plug-in window and access additional views for specific Native Instruments plug-ins.

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Frequently asked questions

Go to the mixer view in the software. Panning is just above the faders. Click down the rotary and the volume level changes to a C, and you can pan.

Go to the OUT tab of the sound, find the pan function, use autowrite, and manually assign automation.

The more prominent the low-frequency in your sound, the more central you should generally pan it. Kick drums, basses, and anything below 120Hz should be kept centred. Lead vocals should also be positioned in the centre. Additionally, at the beginning of a track-making and mixing session, it's worth panning everything to the centre to get an idea of the overall balance of the track.

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