Emilie Meyer
Panning in Logic Pro X is a simple way to create dynamics and unique sounds in your music. Panning allows you to manipulate the stereo field by placing instruments and audio channels left, right, or anywhere in between. Logic Pro X offers three types of panning: stereo pan, balance, and binaural pan. The balance option is the default setting, which allows you to adjust the level of the left or right channel. The stereo pan option allows you to place the position of the stereo signal across the stereo field. Additionally, you can use automation techniques on the pan/balance knob to create interesting dynamics. With these panning options, you can experiment with placing elements in the stereo field to add interest and uniqueness to your mixes.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | To manipulate the stereo field |
| Panning options | Stereo pan, balance, binaural pan |
| Use of balance | Used for mono tracks with a single audio signal |
| Stereo pan | Takes into account both channels of audio on stereo tracks |
| Binaural pan | Used for post-production |
| Pad sounds | Can be used to clear out the centre of a mix |
| Stereo signal | Can be flipped by holding command and clicking in the centre of the pan knob |
| Track type | Mono, stereo |
| Track header area | Press "I" on the keyboard to open the inspector menu |
| Mixer | Press "X" on the keyboard |
| Track signal | Drag down to pan left, drag up to pan right |
| Automation | Can be used to move signals around and create interesting dynamics |
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What You'll Learn
How to use the pan knob
Panning is a great way to spatialize your tracks and create dynamics. Logic Pro X offers three types of panning: "stereo pan", "balance", and "binaural pan". "Balance" is the default setting for stereo tracks, and it works by balancing the channels, turning one side up and the other side down. This can be undesirable as you lose the information from one side.
To access the different panning options, right-click or ctrl-click on the pan pot you want to work with. "Balance" is perfect for mono sources, and stereo if you want to leave the part untouched. "Stereo Pan" is similar to having two pan pots, allowing you to place the position of the stereo signal across the stereo field.
To achieve true stereo panning, you can control-click on the panner in the channel strip while in the mixer. This allows you to focus the stereo image and pan everything left and right. You can also use the Direction Mixer plugin, which gives you true stereo panning by tilting both left and right signals to the left when you turn the knob.
You can also use automation techniques on your pan/balance knob to create interesting dynamics. For example, you can double-click the knob to enter numerical values, with zero indicating balanced stereo, negative numbers for panning to the left, and positive numbers for the right side.
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Stereo pan vs balance
Panning instruments around the stereo field is usually the next step after setting basic levels. The concept behind panning is simple: we don't necessarily have to hear the same thing in both the left and right channels at all times. Logic Pro X offers three different types of panning: "stereo pan", "balance", and "binaural pan".
The "stereo pan" option is the default and gives true stereo panning. It takes into account both channels of audio on your stereo tracks. The "real" stereo pan control gives us the capability to place the left and the right channels of the stereo track to any position we want in the stereo panorama, independent of one another. To be able to do real stereo panning, we need to have two pan pots in the stereo track; one for the left and the other for the right channel.
"Balance" is used for mono tracks where we have just a single audio signal. It is perfect for mono sources and stereo if you want to simply leave the part untouched or balance as you would before. It does not change the positions of the left and right channels in the stereo panorama. It just changes the level of the channels. For instance, with stereo balance control, when we twist the pan pot to the left, the level of the right channel is attenuated. If we turn it all the way to the left, the left channel plays back as normal but the right channel is cut.
The "binaural pan" option is mostly used for post-production.
One user on Reddit noted that they believe "real" stereo pan control offers much more flexibility in the mix. However, they also note that both options are useful and that as long as you know what they are doing, you can choose either.
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Binaural panning
To access binaural panning in Logic Pro X, right-click the panner above the fader in the mixer window. This opens a box with three panning options: "Stereo pan", "Balance", and "Binaural pan". Selecting "Binaural pan" will allow you to utilise this immersive panning mode.
It's important to note that everyone's experience with binaural panning will vary slightly due to differences in head and ear measurements. Logic Pro X uses average dimensions in its calculations, resulting in an impressively realistic binaural synthesis for most listeners. Additionally, you can combine conventional panning with binaural panning to create mixes that sound excellent on both speakers and headphones, allowing you to experiment with different effects.
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Panning mono audio
When working with mono tracks, panning is a simple process of positioning the single audio channel to the left or right according to your preference. However, it's important to note that the pan knob for mono tracks looks identical to that of stereo tracks, but they function differently. In the case of stereo tracks, the default is a Balance knob, which allows you to adjust the balance between the left and right sides. By turning the knob all the way to one side, you are muting the opposite side rather than panning it.
To achieve true stereo panning with a stereo track, you can use the Stereo Pan knob, which pans both the left and right signals simultaneously. Additionally, Logic Pro X offers the Binaural Panning tool, which allows you to adjust the position of your track beyond left and right. With Binaural Panning, you can change the distance of the sound source from the listener by moving it closer or farther away from the centre of the circle. You can also adjust the elevation level of the audio source by changing the binaural field from Planar to Spherical.
If you require a true mono file output, you can use the Split option in the Bounce Window, which creates two separate 1-channel mono audio files for the left and right channels. Alternatively, you can use the Gain Plugin and switch to Mono to create a summed mono signal.
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Panning stereo audio
Panning audio in Logic Pro X is a great way to separate instruments, create dynamics, and make your mix clearer and more atmospheric. There are three types of panning available in Logic Pro X: stereo pan, balance, and binaural pan.
The stereo pan option takes into account both channels of audio on your stereo tracks. This is useful for stereo-recorded instruments like keyboards or guitars, where you might want to place the position of the stereo signal across the stereo field. To achieve true stereo panning, you need to set the stereo pan preference for each track individually, as there is currently no universal setting. You can do this by saving channel strip settings with the stereo pan knob set to "Stereo Pan" and then defining this as your default setting when creating new channels.
The balance option is the default setting for stereo tracks in Logic Pro X. It acts as a level control, balancing the stereo signal from one side to the other. This is useful for mono sources and when you want to leave a part untouched.
The binaural panner feature is typically used for post-production.
To pan stereo audio in Logic Pro X, you can use the pan/balance knob in the track header area or the mixer. Control-click on the knob and select "Stereo Pan" from the menu. Then, click and drag vertically to position the track signal in the stereo field: dragging down will pan the track to the left, while dragging up will pan it to the right. You can also double-click the knob to enter numerical values for more precise panning.
Additionally, you can use automation techniques on the pan/balance knob to create interesting dynamics by moving signals around. For example, you can send different pads to left and right delays and pan them back and forth across the stereo image.
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Frequently asked questions
Logic Pro X offers three types of panning: stereo pan, balance, and binaural pan. You can access the different panning options by right-clicking or control-clicking on the pan pot in the channel strip. The pan/balance knob allows you to position the track signal in the stereo field by clicking and dragging vertically.
When a stereo track's pan knob is set to balance, panning it to one side will reduce the volume coming from the other side. On the other hand, stereo pan sums both signals to the left or right without reducing the volume.
True stereo panning can be achieved by control-clicking on the panner in the channel strip while in the mixer. This allows you to focus the stereo image and pan everything left and right.
Yes, panning can be used to create unique pad sounds and clear out the centre of a mix. For example, you can send different pads to the left and right delay busses, allowing for greater interest and movement in your mix.
