panning

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Music is my boyfriend
Member Since: Jan 31, 2008

hi peeps..ok so panning lol, totally new with this panning stuff, so how should i pan my tracks, what geos L what goes R and what stayes in the middle as for beats kicks synths and lead vocals and backup vocals?????? and also off topic here how do i change my password on here?? :)

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http://www.reverbnation.com/2ndg
Member
Since: Nov 27, 2007


Feb 08, 2010 10:34 pm

guitars, roughly 80L/R if youre double tracking add 2 at roughly 30L/R
kicks centre, vox centre, or if double tracking just slightly off centre with each L/R
backing vox, well i guess thats up to you and where you think they sound best.

at the end of the day youre trying not to smother anything with anything else unless its meant to be front and centre like vox, bass, kicks, leads etc. even then you need to make sure yopur eqing is extra well looked after, so nothing is competing for its own space too much. eg, bass guitars frequencies are fighting with the kick drum.
eg, kick is at 63hz, dont smother it with a bass guitar of the same frequency.

Music is my boyfriend
Member
Since: Jan 31, 2008


Feb 08, 2010 11:04 pm

ugh sounds like too much lol

http://www.reverbnation.com/2ndg
Member
Since: Nov 27, 2007


Feb 09, 2010 01:25 am

not really, just pan and make sure nothing is smothering one another.

Typo Szar
Member
Since: Jul 04, 2002


Feb 09, 2010 03:55 am

No real hard and fast rules to panning, its alot like EQ where all u can really "learn" is wat does wat and then listen to ur track and apply ur knowledge.

Stuff left in the center will have alot of energy and be more in ur face, energy taht is lost the further u move away from the center, really after that its all about just experimenting and seeing what sounds right.

One fun trick is, i use a simple Mono plugin on my masterbuss and when u start to pan on the individual tracks obviously coz the output is mono it wont move away from the center, but instead will lose volume. I "stack" my trax first by volume and then again by panning in mono, basically ur listening for stuff to be ontop or underneath eachother, like say a vocal will sit ontop of a kick drum hit and then the bass under that, and then the guitar under that. after i disengage the mono thing i always find everything is placed much nicer both in terms of volume and panning

Digital Mixing and Mastering
Member
Since: Feb 08, 2010


Feb 09, 2010 07:41 am

Hi muzika.

A common way of panning a drum kit is to pan the individual drums as you see them. So if you want to pan as if your in the audience kick in the center and snare to the right. If you want to pan as if your from the drummers point of view kick in the center snare to the left.

With beats kick should be in the center. Kicks require more acoustic energy since they are of lower frequency so need both speakers working on reproducing the sound. Snares, tombs and cybals are usually placed a little off the center to give them that seperation.

Lead vocals very often go in the center (95% of the time) backing vocals anywhere else. Its all about attaining clarity in the mix so use panning as a tool to achieve this. Also use it to construct a "wall of sound" to make your mix more enjoyable for the listner.

If you need you project professional mixed im willing to offer 15% off. Take a look at my website at www.lucky6musicmix.com

Hope your project goes well

Member
Since: Sep 30, 2009


Feb 09, 2010 09:52 am

The way someone explained it to me, in simplest terms, panning is about making room for the other pieces in a mix. You want to get as big and wide of a sound as the song/genre calls for.

Like everyone else said too, in more technical terms its making sure the frequencies don't smash into each other. Oddly enough each pan setting further to the right or left feels like an entirely new area of this imaginary little soundscape you're creating. L80 feels like its a mile away from L30. And then with the frequencies, you'll notice when something is just getting smothered no matter what you do. Especially double tracking a guitar with different tones, if you put the bassier one on the "wrong" side. The whole mix sounds like crud, switch them around. BAM the whole mix sounds incredible. I've done that twice already haha. Couldn't figure out why it sounded bad, switched the panning around and it was great.

So, for starters Kick, Bass, and Vocals in the center. Guitars double track L80 for one, R80 for the other. And then if you're using a drum program, just keep them panned how the standard setting is. that should be good enough. If you're recording the drums yourself, set it up like how the drummer views his drums.

Then mess around with it and tweek stuff like backing vocals how you think sounds good.

Music is my boyfriend
Member
Since: Jan 31, 2008


Feb 09, 2010 11:40 pm

thanx guys uve helped, im now at ease to know theres no "supeer" right or wrong way, i thoguht u had to have them at a specific level or something, and lead vocals i was panning so good to know not too haha, LEE L6MM, i have a tiny budget thats why i do everything myself lol i would LOVE to have my music mixed professionally, but i bet its way over my budget with even the 15%, thanx for the offer, but i will still look at ur site to check costs!

Music is my boyfriend
Member
Since: Jan 31, 2008


Feb 09, 2010 11:44 pm

actually LEE-L6 thats not pricy at all! but thats what pounds not dollars? cuz my cd will have like 15 songs, but i may just want demos with like 3-5 songss, u can email me so we can discuss [email protected]

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