Tillie Doyle
Panning a single drum track is a process that involves placing the different elements of a mix within a stereo image. The goal is to create a balanced sound that doesn't lean too heavily to either the left or right side of the mix. The pan pot (panoramic potentiometer) is a volume control that splits the audio signal into left and right channels, allowing you to distribute stereo or mono tracks throughout the stereo field. When panning a single drum track, you can choose between two main perspectives: the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective. The drummer's perspective involves panning the elements of the drum kit as if you are the drummer sitting at the kit, while the audience's perspective involves imagining the kit as if you are the audience in front of the drum kit. Ultimately, the choice of perspective depends on personal preference and the desired sound.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Panning | The process of placing different elements of a mix within a stereo image |
| Pan pot | A volume control that splits the audio signal into the left and right channels |
| Panning techniques | Drummer's perspective, Audience's perspective |
| Drummer's perspective | The elements of the drum kit are panned as if from the perspective of the drummer |
| Audience's perspective | The elements of the drum kit are panned as if from the perspective of the audience |
| Kick drum | Usually kept in the centre |
| Snare drum | Can be kept in the centre or placed slightly off-centre |
| Hi-hat | Can be kept in the centre, or placed on the far right or left |
| Toms | Can be panned 20% to 50% to the left and right |
| Overhead mics | Can be panned hard left and right |
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What You'll Learn
Drummer vs. audience perspective
There are two main schools of thought when it comes to panning a single drum track: the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective. The choice between these two methods depends on the specific situation and personal preference.
The drummer's perspective involves panning the elements of the drum kit as if from the viewpoint of the drummer sitting at the kit. For a right-handed drummer, this means the hi-hat will usually be on their left and the floor tom on their right. This approach is often favoured by drummers as it feels more natural to them. Additionally, when listening to music, some people visualize the band facing the listener, which aligns with the drummer's perspective. This visualization technique is also common in films, contributing to a sense of naturalness.
On the other hand, the audience's perspective entails doing the exact opposite. Here, the kit is imagined from the viewpoint of the audience sitting in front of the drum kit. In this case, the hi-hat is on the right, and the floor tom is on the left. Most mixers tend to use the audience's perspective when mixing, as it aligns with the visual representation of a live performance. During a live show, the audience sees the drummer's fill go from their right to left, so hearing the sound from right to left as well can enhance the experience.
Ultimately, there are no hard and fast rules about which perspective to choose. Some people opt for the drummer's perspective, while others prefer the audience's perspective. Some even choose to mix drums from the listener's point of view, arguing that the band 'faces' the listener, and the mix should reflect that. Additionally, in certain genres like jazz, both drummer and audience perspectives are used interchangeably, with the main goal being to achieve a natural sound.
Regardless of the chosen perspective, it is crucial to ensure that the kick drum is always centred in the mix. This is considered an exception to the panning rules and is essential for maintaining a balanced sound.
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Balancing the mix
There are two main perspectives to consider when panning drums: the drummer's perspective and the audience's perspective. From the drummer's perspective, the hi-hat will usually be on the left, and the floor tom on the right, so the panning reflects this. From the audience's perspective, the setup is imagined from the viewpoint of the audience sitting in front of the drum kit, so the hi-hat is on the right and the floor tom on the left. Most mixers tend to use the audience perspective, but there are no strict rules.
When panning, it is important to keep the kick drum in the centre of the stereo image. This is because panning it off-centre can add weight to one side, making the listener feel off-balance. The snare drum is usually also kept in the centre, although some prefer to place it slightly off-centre to help it stand out. However, it shouldn't be panned more than +/-20% left or right, otherwise it will compete with other central elements such as guitars or vocals.
To create a more interesting stereo image, you can pan the hi-hat, cymbals, and other percussion instruments to the left or right of centre. This also frees up space in the middle for the kick and snare.
To achieve a wide and full sound, you can try the following technique: layer three equal drum sounds on top of each other and pan one of them far to the right, one far to the left, and leave one in the middle. This can also be done with non-percussive instruments to create space in the centre of the beat for the main melody or vocals.
Another technique for adding width to your kick drum is to add a short reverb or delay on an auxiliary track and set the width and mix to taste. This can be useful in sparser mixes.
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Panning individual drums
When panning from the drummer's perspective, the hi-hat is usually placed on the left, with the floor tom on the right. This is because, for a right-handed drummer, the hi-hat is typically on their left, with the floor tom on the right. This perspective is often preferred by drummers as it feels more natural to them.
From the audience's perspective, the setup is imagined as if viewed from the opposite direction. The hi-hat is on the right, and the floor tom is on the left. This perspective is commonly used by mixers as it gives the listener the feeling of being in the room with the band.
The kick drum should always be placed in the centre of the stereo image, at 12:00. The snare drum can also be left in the centre, but some prefer to place it slightly off-centre, at around 9:00 or 7:00, to make it stand out. However, this can cause it to compete with other central elements such as guitars or vocals.
For tom drums, one suggestion is to pan the floor tom to 9:00 or 3:00, depending on the perspective, and the rack toms to 15% left and right. Another technique is to use overhead mics, panning them hard left and right, then listening with your eyes closed to picture the drums in front of you. You can then pan the individual drums to match the overhead mics.
Panning is a powerful tool to make your drums sound huge and fill the entire room. It is important to maintain a balanced sound across the stereo spectrum, ensuring that the most impactful elements of your beat remain at the core.
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Mono compatibility
According to the pan law, the farther away a sound is panned, the less audible it will be when played in mono. This is why, unless you are doing something specific, you will want to pan right up the middle. This is because, in mono, the kick, snare, and lead vocal all typically reside close to the centre. If your main guitar riff is panned hard left, it may lose its impact in mono.
To avoid phase cancellation, limit your use of stereo effects and choose contrary waveforms when layering sounds. You can also use a stereo vectorscope display for your DAW, such as Flux Audio's Stereo Tool plug-in, to help identify any impending mono phase-cancellation problems.
It is important to compare your mix against commercial productions in mono. You can also compare your mix to your favourite records on headphones and decide which sounds best to you. Checking your mix in mono is a good way to identify problems. If your mix already sounds good in mono, it will sound good when the stereo field is introduced.
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Overhead mics
When panning a single drum track, the first step is to determine the perspective of the drums in the track. This could be the drummer's perspective or the audience's perspective. The next step is to balance the overheads and pan them to create the required stereo image width. This is usually done by panning the overhead mics hard left and right, at 7:00 and 5:00 respectively, to get the widest possible spread. However, some prefer a less open stereo image and go for a less drastic left and right at about 8:00 and 4:00.
If you have a stereo overhead track, pan it fully wide. If you have a stereo overhead track and separate mics for the hi-hat, you may want to match the hi-hat mic to where it appears in the overheads. If you don't have a separate hi-hat mic, keep it tight to the snare and have it one 'hour' further left or right than the snare.
Once the overheads are balanced, the next step is to match the panning of each spot mic around the kit with its corresponding source's position in the stereo sound stage provided by the overheads. Start with the snare drum, listen critically to its apparent position in the stereo overheads, and pan the snare drum channel to match. Then, fade the snare drum spot mic up and down, and listen carefully to see if the apparent image moves.
Finally, with the overheads defining the basic drum image, adjust the level of each spot mic as necessary to 'fill in' the overall sound to create the required character, impact, and perspective.
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Frequently asked questions
There are two main ways to pan a single drum track: from the drummer's perspective or the audience's perspective. The former involves panning the elements of the drum kit as if you, the mixer, are the drummer sitting at the kit. The latter is the opposite, where you imagine the kit as if you are the audience sitting in front of the drum kit.
When panning from the drummer's perspective, the hi-hat will usually be on the far left and the floor tom on the right. When panning from the audience's perspective, the hi-hat will be on the right and the floor tom on the left.
It is important to maintain a 'healthy' balance when panning drums. For example, if you pan something a little to the right, you should pan something else a little to the left to avoid leaning too heavily on one side. Additionally, when panning from the audience's perspective, it is important to keep the sound close to what the audience would typically hear.
