Emilie Meyer
Panning overhead drums is a crucial aspect of creating a powerful and immersive drum sound. The term panning refers to the stereo positioning of sounds, allowing you to place drums in a particular spot in the left or right channel of your stereo image. When panning overheads, you can choose between the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective. The drummer's perspective involves placing the drums as they would be heard by the drummer, while the audience's perspective aims to recreate the experience of a listener in front of the drummer. To achieve a balanced sound, it is essential to match the panning of close spot mics on snare, hi-hat, and toms with the stereo image captured by the overhead mics. Additionally, factors such as the style of music and the number of microphones used can influence the approach to panning overheads.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Panning drums | Drummer's perspective, Audience's perspective |
| Panning style | Hard left/right pan, 75-85% left and right, 50% left and right, 100% pan |
| Stereo image | Natural, Wide, Open, Full |
| Mono compatibility | Good |
| Sound | Confusing, Messy, Balanced, Spacious, Full, Clear, Unreal |
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What You'll Learn
Panning from the drummer's perspective
Panning is a crucial technique for creating a sense of space and depth in a mix, and it can be approached from different perspectives, including the drummer's viewpoint. Here are some insights into panning from a drummer's perspective:
Understanding the Drummer's Perspective
The drummer's perspective in panning involves setting up the drum kit from the drummer's point of view, typically going from left to right. This approach aligns with how we read and watch films, creating a natural flow that feels intuitive. Drummers may find it more comfortable and familiar to pan their kits this way.
Panning Techniques for Overheads
When it comes to panning overheads, there are a few techniques to consider. One common method is hard panning, where the overheads are panned 100% to the left and right, creating a wide stereo image. This approach gives a broad and open sound, filling the stereo field. However, some engineers prefer a tighter spacing, such as at 8:00 and 4:00 or even 10:00 and 2:00, for a more realistic soundstage.
Matching Overheads with Individual Drums
It's essential to ensure that the panning of individual drums, such as the snare and toms, matches their positions in the overhead mics. Panning these drums differently from their positions in the overheads can create a messy and confusing sound for the listener. By aligning the panning, you provide a coherent and localized drum sound.
Genre Considerations
The choice of panning perspective can also depend on the genre of music. For rock and pop, a standard approach is to pan the drums left, centre, and right, ensuring good mono compatibility. In jazz, a minimalist approach is often taken, using a single stereo microphone in front of the kit, with the perspective of an audience member in a club.
Personal Preferences and Experimentation
Ultimately, the choice between the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective is a matter of personal preference and artistic choice. Some drummers and engineers prefer the drummer's perspective because it feels more natural or suits their mixing process better. However, it's worth experimenting with both techniques to find what works best for each song and situation.
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Panning from the audience's perspective
When panning from the audience's perspective, it is important to consider microphone placement and distance. Microphone placement and distance can affect the loudness and timbre of the sound source. Close miking, for example, involves placing the microphone up to about one foot away from the sound emitter, emphasising the direct signal over reflected signals. Distant miking, on the other hand, involves placing microphones several feet away, capturing both the direct sound and reflected sounds. The distance of the microphone can convey a degree of intimacy, with closer microphones creating a more intimate zone.
Additionally, when panning from the audience's perspective, it is crucial to match the panning of individual drums with their position in the overhead mics. For example, if the floor tom is on the left in the overhead mics, the close mic for the floor tom should also be panned to the left. This ensures that the drum tracks do not sound messy and confusing.
It is worth noting that the approach to panning may vary depending on the style of music. For instance, in rock and pop, a Left-Center-Right panning approach is commonly used to maintain good mono compatibility. In jazz, a minimalist approach is often preferred, with a single stereo microphone placed in front of the kit.
Overall, panning from the audience's perspective involves carefully considering microphone placement and distance while ensuring that the panning of individual drums aligns with their position in the overhead mics. This technique enhances the listening experience by creating a sense of space and proximity for the audience.
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Mono drums down the middle
There are several approaches to panning drums, and the best approach depends on the style of music and the desired sound. One approach is to record drums in mono, or "mono drums down the middle". Mono recordings of drums are common, and can be achieved with as few as three microphones.
Recording drums in mono has several benefits. Firstly, it minimises phase issues. When a signal hits multiple microphones at slightly different times, the tracks can become out of phase with one another, creating a messy sound. Mono recordings also create a more cohesive sound, as the drums will sound like they are coming from one location in the recording space. This is especially useful for rock and pop music, where recordings will maintain good mono compatibility. Mono recordings also tend to sound more natural and punchier in the mix.
However, mono recordings may sound boring when listening in headphones or up close to a stereo system. In this case, it might be preferable to pan the left and right overheads out a bit to create stereo width. Stereo recordings can be beneficial if the mix is lacking sound across the stereo field.
Regardless of whether you choose to record in mono or stereo, it is important to pay attention to the positioning of your overhead mics. One approach is to pan the overheads hard left and right (as far left and right as they go) to create a wide and open sound. Another approach is to use tighter spacing, such as at 10 and 2 o'clock, for a more realistic soundstage.
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Hard panning
When setting up for hard panning, it is important to consider the placement of the overhead microphones. The microphones should be spaced evenly and as close to the middle as possible. The height of the microphones should also be considered, with some sources recommending placing them at the same height level. However, others suggest placing them about 2 feet above the drum kit, pointing at the crashes.
Once the microphones are set up, the audio signal from the overhead microphones is panned hard left and right, creating a stereo image of the drum kit. This technique can make the drum kit sound too "`stereo`" or unnatural, especially for genres like jazz and blues. In these cases, a more minimalist approach or a tighter spacing between the microphones might be preferred.
It is worth noting that hard panning is just one technique, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach to audio mixing. Experimentation is often recommended to find the best sound for a particular song or genre. Additionally, the perspective of the panning can vary, with some mixers preferring to pan from the drummer's perspective, while others opt for the listener's or audience's perspective.
Overall, hard panning can be a useful technique for creating a wide and open sound for a drum kit, particularly in modern rock records. However, mixers should trust their ears and feel free to experiment with different microphone placements and panning techniques to achieve the desired sound for their specific project.
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Matching spot mic panning to the overhead image
When it comes to panning drums, there are two main approaches: the drummer's perspective and the listener's or audience's perspective. The former involves panning the kit from the perspective of someone facing the drummer, while the latter provides a more natural stereo image as if heard by someone in the audience. Ultimately, the choice depends on the style of music and the desired sound.
To match spot mic panning to the overhead image, it is crucial to first balance the overhead mics and pan them to create the desired stereo image width. This involves positioning the overhead mics to capture the desired soundstage, with the kick drum typically occupying the centre. The next step is to match the panning of each spot mic around the kit with its corresponding source's position in the stereo soundstage provided by the overheads.
For example, if using individual dynamic mics on the snare, kick drum, and toms, as well as condenser mics overhead, you would want to pan the snare spot mic to match its position in the overhead image. This ensures that the apparent image of the snare remains consistent as you fade the spot mic up and down. The same process can then be repeated for the other spot mics, including hi-hats, toms, and the kick drum.
It is important to note that the panning of close spot mics on the snare, hi-hat, and toms should match the stereo image produced by the overhead mics. If these images contradict each other, the resulting mix will lack focus and impact, sounding confusing and messy. Additionally, when panning spot mics, it is beneficial to experiment with different positions and perspectives to find the soundstage that best suits the music and the desired effect.
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Frequently asked questions
Panning refers to the stereo positioning of sounds. When you pan a drum, you place it in a particular position in the left or right channel of your stereo image.
There are two main panning perspectives: the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective. The drummer's perspective involves panning the drums as the drummer would hear them while playing. The audience's perspective involves panning the drums as the audience would hear them during a performance.
To pan overheads from the drummer's perspective, you can hard pan them left and right, usually at 7:00 and 5:00, or 10:00 and 2:00. This creates a wide stereo image.
When panning overheads from the audience's perspective, you may want to pan them less extremely, such as at 8:00 and 4:00, to create a less open stereo image. This can provide a more natural sound, as if the audience is hearing the drums from a distance.
Listen critically to the apparent position of each drum in the stereo overheads, and pan the corresponding spot mic channel to match. For example, if your snare drum is prominent in the left overhead mic, pan the snare spot mic to the left.
