Laws of panning
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Posted on Feb 25, 2003 08:44 am
Cleamon Jones
Member Since: Dec 31, 2002
I sometimes record in mono and sometimes in stereo. I'm not sure what the rules are for panning the main instruments like guitar, bass and drums.Also if I'm adding brass, strings etc, should it all be panned to one side? I've tried to listen to actual recordings by other artists, but every one seems to be panning differently. I also noticed that it still gives me the option of panning when recording in mono. I thought mono was just all center.
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Feb 25, 2003 09:03 am Quote:
I've tried to listen to actual recordings by other artists, but every one seems to be panning differently
exactly. there are no rules. sometimes things generally sound better, like vocals are dead center 90% of the time. but you can do it however you want :O)
as for "panning when recording mono".. you got me. A mono recording has no panarama until it's mixed back to stereo. what do you mean "it" give you the option? what are you using to record?
Feb 25, 2003 10:30 am IM USING CUBASE SX, AND YOU CAN STILL PAN LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN RECORDING IN MONO. I BASICALLY WANT TO GIVE MY RECORDINGS THE BEST BALANCE POSSIBLE SO THAT THERES NOT TOO MUCH COMING FROM THE LEFT VS THE RIGHT OR VICE VERSA
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Feb 25, 2003 10:50 am If it is a mono waveform you are using in two seperate tracks, just keep each pan the same. It doesn't really mater where the pan is set, just so both channels are equal. For that matter you can just use one wave form and leave it center pan. When you do the mix down it will play evenly on both speakers.
Nov 30, 1999 12:00 am Thanks for the responses. What about instruments, any general suggestions about placement? I like to sometimes add orchestration to my songs to give a sort of psuedo Beatles/Beach Boys vibe.
juesContributor
Since: Dec 30, 2002
Feb 26, 2003 06:09 am Just do whatever sounds good :) There have been many panning trends over the years (eg: back in the 60's it was popular to pan the drums to just one speaker (?!)).
jues.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Feb 26, 2003 06:13 am I like listening to live performances, so I usually start right out putting the instruments in just the places they would normally be in the group. Say start 3/4 left with keyboards and work over to the farmost right with say maybe the rythum guitar. If I record the percussion with seperate mics, I will even put a little space between each drum. From there I adjust listening for overall blend and stereo effect. But there are also a lot of very enjoyable effects that can be had with radical panning and moving the pan. I did one once with vocalists to the outsides of the group and ended the song with a heavy long reverb moved in to center as the reverb progressed. You could just see the singers fade together, back and up into the distance. Great fun!
Feb 26, 2003 07:19 am I kinda like to invision the band playing live, the bass slightly off to the left, guitar off to the right, vocals front center...I also like to pan the drum kit so when there is a roll down the toms it subtly goes from speaker to speaker so it sounds as tho the listener is sitting right in front of the kit.
Unless there is a dramatic reason I rarely pan anything hard left, right, front or back....it always subtle but effective.
Feb 26, 2003 08:13 am I'm using Cubase SX, how do you change the pan "on the fly" when I do all the recording by myself. When I mixdown it just snapshots how its set up at the time.Is there a step i'm missing where I can change the pan at a certain spot in the song?
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Feb 26, 2003 01:03 pm Not sure on SX but in VST the Write and Read controls are used to automate volume and pan. Before mixdown, while still auditioning the mix, set the Write control to on. Play back or audition the mix. Move the pan and volume as you want during the play back. Stop the song at the end of where you want the automation to occur. Play back the mix again with the Read control set to on to hear how well the automated changes fit in. Then simply tell Cubase to include automation in mixdown.
Feb 26, 2003 09:30 pm Hey that makes sense, I did notice a R and W in the automation window. Thanks i'll try that.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Feb 26, 2003 09:35 pm My pleasure my friend! It's a little easier if you have a control surface, but it can be done with a mouse. Took a little practice for me, but dooable!
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Feb 26, 2003 09:50 pm That is one thing Sonar did very well. You can actually go in and draw your automation curves right on the audio you want to have it effect. And you do it right in the track view. How sweet is that. And you can still pull faders up and down if you want, I still do that sometimes.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Feb 27, 2003 06:49 am That is very cool! Stienberg uses some separate automation track to record the changes, kinda like a macro as best I can tell. Havn't looked into the hows too deeply yet. I would like that Sonar option. Better for tweeking instead of, oh well try again!
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Feb 27, 2003 07:07 pm Ya, in Sonar you can actually record your automation for mutliple midi controls to a seperate single track, or all seperate tracks, very nice. I believe the audio automation has to be on the same track, but I havent tried it ona seperate track yet. But yes it is very kool to be able to do perfect stuff the first time. Although in mine and dBs case for the movie we always end up doin it about 10 times anyway. Like a level drop we ahd to do for one lousy track on Saturday, I must have redrawn the fade and volume envelope about 20 times. But I was just takin it one step at a time instead of a big drop all at once. dB thought I was nuts.
Oh ya, I almost forgot the best part, you can automate all the FX and synths and stuff both outboard gear and software in this ame manner. Talk about the koolest thing on a PC, Man I love it.
bbbitterI'm back bitches!!!Member
Since: May 27, 2004
Jan 23, 2005 01:21 pm Cubase actually gives you a seperate view of the track for each parameter you are trying to automate. That ways you can do volume on one, pan on another, and even automate effects paramters on another. Like in Sonar, you can use the pointer to drag the automation curve where ever you want it in the automation track. If you click the + sign in the lower left corner of the track display it will pull down an automation track view. Then you can assign it to whatever parameter you want. When you are done, you just click the next one down and assign another one. when done with automation, you can hide the automation track views so they don't clutter your screen.
RigsbyUltra MagnusMember
Since: Nov 13, 2004
Jan 24, 2005 09:13 am I'm with dB on panning to replicate live set-ups when using live instruments, not that it's necessarily the 'right' thing to do, but it's generally how i like things to sound. I try to see the mix as a room, and fit all the instruments into the space, so i'm not thinking about panning, EQ, reverb or whatever, i'm thinking, this instrument in this part of the room, and then try to replicate. Really helps once you have the sound in your head, then it's just putting the work in.
