Emilie Meyer
Panning is a tool used in music production to add depth to a recording, making listeners feel like they are surrounded by the band. It is especially important for vocals, which are the face of the music. The lead vocal should almost always be in the centre, with other vocal parts panned left or right to create a three-dimensional effect. The number of vocal tracks will determine how they should be panned. For example, with two vocal tracks, each part can be panned hard left and right. With three vocal tracks, one can be kept in the centre with the other two panned to the sides. However, there are no set rules for panning, and the best way to learn is to listen to music from a variety of genres and pay attention to how the vocals are mixed.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of vocal tracks | The number of vocal tracks will determine how the vocals are panned. For instance, if there are 2 vocal tracks, one can be panned to the left and the other to the right. |
| Type of vocals | Lead vocals should usually be in the center. Harmonies and backing vocals can be panned to the sides to add depth. |
| Genre | The genre of the music can influence panning choices. For example, a natural-sounding pan is typical for folk and pop, while hard-panning is common for rhythm guitar-centric genres. |
| Recording quality | Good recording quality is important for achieving desirable panning effects. Bad recording quality may not yield the desired results even with panning techniques. |
| Mixing techniques | Panning decisions are aesthetic but should consider mono compatibility. Centrally panned double-tracks come through the balance more strongly in mono, while hard opposition panning weakens the mono level. |
| Vocal characteristics | The tone and timbre of vocals can influence panning choices. For instance, the lowest vocal octave is usually kept in the center, while higher tones are panned to the sides. |
| Production style | The production style and desired effect can vary. For example, panning backup vocals hard left and right can create a huge sound, while keeping them more central can create a spacious, powerful feeling. |
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What You'll Learn
Panning lead vocals
Keeping the Lead Vocal Centered
One common practice is to keep the lead vocal panned center. This is because the lead vocal typically serves as the "face" of the music and should be front and center for the listener. Additionally, many people still listen to music on mono or semi-mono playback systems, such as smartphones, tablets, and computers, which have little to no stereo separation. Keeping the lead vocal in the middle ensures that it comes through clearly on these devices.
Panning Double Lead Vocals
In some cases, you may have double lead vocals, where two singers or two takes of the same singer are used. In this scenario, you can experiment with panning. One approach is to pan each vocal take hard left and hard right, creating a spacious and powerful feeling. Alternatively, you can keep both takes in the center to achieve a fuller sound, especially if the double tracking was done to enhance the tone and create a fuller timbre.
Panning with Harmonies
When dealing with vocal harmonies, you have more flexibility to pan. If you have two harmony vocal tracks, you can pan each one left and right. With three layers, you can keep one in the center and pan the other two to the sides. Adjusting the width of the center vocal can create space for the lead. Additionally, consider the tone of the vocals. Typically, the singer with the lowest octave is kept in the center, while the higher tones are panned to the sides.
Artistic and Creative Panning
Panning is an art, and there is room for creativity and experimentation. Listen to various genres and artists to understand how they use panning. For example, Queen's vocal harmonies in "Bohemian Rhapsody" are unique, with each "harmony" being all four band members singing in unison. You can also try panning backup vocals hard left and right to create a huge sound, reminiscent of the Beach Boys.
Technical Considerations
When panning, it's important to consider mono compatibility. Centrally panned double tracks will come through stronger in mono, while hard panning weakens the mono level. Additionally, hard panning double tracks left and right will affect the chorusey timbral side effects in stereo, but these layers will combine electrically when summed to mono. Therefore, always check the mix in mono to avoid surprises later on.
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Panning harmony vocals
Firstly, it is important to understand that the lead vocal should typically be panned centre, as this gives it emphasis and space in the recording. By keeping the lead vocal in the middle, you also avoid the risk of losing the effects of the blend with the harmony vocals. Once you have your lead vocal in place, you can start to experiment with panning the harmony vocals.
If you want a pure and organic sound, such as in folk or pop music, you can try panning the harmony vocals to the left or right. This creates a sense of separation while still allowing the harmonies to blend with the lead. You can also try routing both the lead and harmony vocals through the same compression and reverb to blend them nicely and EQ them to give them their own space.
For a more spacious and powerful feeling, you can record each harmony vocal two or three times and pan them across the stereo field. For example, if you record two takes of each harmony part, you can pan one hard left and one hard right. If you record three takes, you can leave the final one in the centre. This technique creates a wide and thick wall of sound that can be very effective for harmony vocals.
Another technique is to use Send FX bussing with vocals, which gives you greater control over the subtle amounts of each element in the mix. For example, you can use effects like a guitar amp pro, telephone filter EQ, stereo delay, reverb, and a bus compressor to create a unique and dynamic sound for your harmony vocals.
It's also important to consider the context of the mix when panning harmony vocals. If you have multiple unique vocals going on at once, creating separation by panning them relatively hard left or right can help to reduce chaos and give each vocal part its own space. On the other hand, if you have a sparse mix, you might want to utilise a wider panning range, whereas in a busy mix, you might need to reduce the width to avoid a cluttered sound.
Finally, remember that the best way to learn how to pan harmony vocals is to listen to other artists and productions that have done it well. Pay attention to how the backing vocals interact with each other and the lead vocal, and then experiment with different panning techniques until you find the sound you are looking for.
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Panning double-tracked vocals
Choosing the Right Sound
The first step is to decide on the sound you want to achieve. Do you want a pure and organic sound, or a more produced and layered effect? Listening to other music can help you decide. For example, if you're going for a folk or pop sound, you might want to try panning the harmony vocals to the left or right, while keeping the lead vocal centred.
Panning Techniques
Once you have an idea of the sound you want, you can experiment with different panning techniques. One common technique is to pan double-tracked vocals slightly left and right of centre. This gives a bigger sound while still keeping the vocal upfront and centred. You can also try hard panning, which means putting one vocal track hard left and the other hard right. This creates a very spacious and powerful feeling. However, be aware that hard panning may draw attention to the doubling effect, which you may or may not want.
Using Effects
To create an even bigger sound, you can use effects like delay or reverb. For example, you can send the left-panned vocal to a right-panned reverb and vice versa, creating a crisscrossed effect. You can also try using a stereo pitch shifter to create your own double-tracked vocals.
Technical Considerations
When panning double-tracked vocals, it's important to check how the effect translates to mono. Panning double-tracks left and right can weaken any chorusing effects in stereo, but when summed to mono, these layers will combine electrically, reintroducing that chorusing flavour. So, always check how your mix sounds in mono to avoid any unwelcome surprises.
Final Thoughts
Remember, there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to panning vocals. The most important thing is to trust your ears and do what sounds good to you. Experiment with different panning techniques, effects, and settings to find the sound that best suits your music.
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Panning with compression and reverb
When using compression and reverb, it's important to consider the desired sound and the number of vocals being worked with. For a pure, organic sound, panning the harmony to the left or right can be effective. Routing both vocals through the same compression and reverb can help blend them together, and EQing can give each vocal its own space.
To create a spacious, powerful feeling, each vocal harmony can be recorded two or three times and then panned hard left and hard right, with the final take kept in the centre. This technique is similar to the approach used with rhythm acoustic and electric guitars.
Additionally, panning a single mono track dead centre is the same as splitting it into two and panning one hard left and one hard right. To achieve the desired effect, the same line can be sung twice and panned hard left and hard right, or one side of the split mono can be given a slight delay.
When working with multiple vocals, creating separation by panning them relatively hard left or right can help to reduce chaos and make the mix less cluttered.
In terms of compression and reverb, it's common to use a stereo verb to make the vocal sound wide and larger than life. However, panning a reverb can sound unnatural if creating a realistic space is the goal.
To create a more transparent sound, it's recommended to EQ and compress reverb/delay, especially those with longer decay times. For example, cutting below 600 Hz and above 6-7 kHz for a more transparent sound, as in the Abby Road reverb "trick".
Using two panned mono reverbs can lead to better results than using one stereo reverb. For instance, if an acoustic guitar is panned hard left, a mono reverb can be panned in the same direction, and another can be panned in the opposite direction at a lower volume. This keeps the centre free of distractions from centred instruments.
A single mono reverb can also be used with one instrument, panned in line with the instrument or in the opposite direction. This can be combined with a mono delay that feeds into a stereo longer reverb, creating the effect of the vocal reverb falling down the centre and then splitting off at the end of the tail.
Stereo reverbs are impressive, spacious, and realistic, but they can take up a lot of room in the mix, reducing the clarity of the dry signals. Mono reverbs are often used as an alternative, providing a more cohesive sound, especially for electric guitars.
It's important to experiment with both mono and stereo reverbs, adjusting their width and panning them within the mix as needed. Reducing the width of a stereo reverb can give it more focus and impact, preventing it from sounding detached from the source, which can happen with wide stereo reverbs.
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Panning with EQ
Lead Vocals
The lead vocal is typically panned centre, creating a solid foundation for the mix. However, in more experimental genres, you can explore panning the lead vocal off-centre to create an unbalanced effect.
Double-Tracked Vocals
When working with double-tracked vocals, you can create a wide stereo image by panning one track left and the other right. This technique adds a sense of space and depth to the vocal performance.
Backing Vocals
Backing vocals can be panned to create separation and avoid cluttering the mix. If you have multiple backing vocal parts, try panning them relatively hard left or right to create a sense of movement and surround the lead vocal. You can also use effects like reverb to further separate and position the backing vocals in the mix.
Harmonies
Harmonies should be placed in the mix to complement the lead vocal. In a full-band arrangement, you might pan harmonies to match the positioning of other instruments. For a more produced sound, you can experiment with panning harmonies wherever they fit best in the stereo field.
EQ and Panning
When panning vocal parts, EQ can be used to enhance the clarity and presence of each element. For example, boosting certain frequencies can add clarity to vocal tracks, while cutting others can reduce muddiness and create a cleaner sound. Additionally, you can use EQ to sculpt the sound of each vocal part, ensuring that they sit well together in the mix.
To achieve precise control over the stereo image and EQ settings, you can utilise software such as eqMac on macOS. eqMac allows you to equalize audio separately for left and right channels, providing a detailed approach to panning and stereo imaging. Remember to monitor your mix in mono to ensure that your panning and EQ settings translate well across different listening systems.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no one "best way" to pan vocal harmonies as it depends on the sound you are trying to achieve. If you want a pure, organic sound, try panning the harmony to the left or right. If you want to create depth, you can pan vocal harmonies to the sides of a centred lead vocal.
The lead vocal should almost always be centred as it is the face of the music. However, there are some exceptions. For example, if you have two lead singers, you can pan one 20% to the left and the other 20% to the right.
If you want to create a chorus-style effect, you can edit the double-track to match the lead and balance the double-track lower in level. If you want to create the impression of two vocalists singing together, you can make the fader levels more even.
