Panning is the spread of a monaural signal in a stereo or multi-channel sound field - it is critical to the make up of the stereo image.
Usually, the most problematic area of the sound field is the center, as this is normally the busiest place within a mix. It is advisable to keep the kick, snare, bass, and vocal in the center as they provide the music with a solid grounding and help aid the rhythm (although these rules can often be broken to great effect). For every other instrument, however, it is advisable to position them either side of the center.
Panning several instruments hard left and right can be tempting to create a wide stereo sound which can produce an excellent sonic sound, but generallyshould be avoided. Many instruments can soon become stacked in the same area leading to a masked, muddy sound. Instead of panning hard left and right for all instruments, find a place inside those extremes.
To maintain balance within a mix, for every element panned one way, another element should be panned the other
Panning gives instruments their own space in the stereo field. It can be used to eliminate masking by moving sounds out of the way of other sounds so the listener can clearly define them.
A good example of masking can be seen when two electric guitars are playing simultaneously as they both quickly eat up valuable frequency bandwidth. Simply panning one left by 40% and the other right by 40% can help to free up mix room.
There are no absolute rules for panning. Like with every aspect of mixing, it is best to experiment and use your ears. If it sounds good, roll with it.
Suggested Panning Positions
The table below suggests some commonly used positions. A clock face is used as the comparable analogy to panning, with 7 and 5 on the clock being hard left and hard right. Pan the instruments anywhere between these positions.
Instrument
Position
Comment
Kick
Bass heavy instruments, such as the kick, should be kept near the centre as to not disrupt the balance of the track
Snare
The snare reinforces the rhythm of a track and therefore should be set around the centre
Toms
One tom to the left and the other to the right helps balance up the mix. Toms are best used on fills only. Beware if Toms are set too wide they can be very distracting and over-powering in the mix
Hi-Hat
Hi Hats can be panned flexibly as they emit high frequencies and do not disrupt the balance too much
Overheads
Overheads are best panned fairly wide but should never be too loud as to distract the listener
Bass Guitar
Bass heavy instruments, such as the bass guitar, should be kept near the centre as to not disrupt the balance of the track
Rhythm Guitar
If the rhythm guitar has been double track pan the two tracks hard left and hard right
Acoustic Guitar
If the acoustic guitar has been double tracked or recorded in stereo pan the two tracks hard left and hard right
Piano
Stereo
Mono
For a stereo recording of the piano, pan the two tracks left and right. If recorded in mono try panning just off centre.
Strings
Wide pads and strings help to really open up a track
Vocals
Vocals should generally be kept dead centre, although there are many stereo techniques which should not be overlooked
Panning is a photographic technique that combines a slow shutter speed with camera motion to create a sense of speed around a moving object. It is a way to keep your subject in focus while blurring your background. Panning is typically done on a subject moving horizontally, such as a moving car, or a running dog.
Panning is the act of placing or moving a sound anywhere in the stereo field of a stereo playback system. With panning, sound sources can be placed in a way that they are perceived as coming from the left speaker, the right speaker, or from anywhere in between.
Audio panning affects both EQ and levels so it's a good idea to start your mix with panning. Once you have your positions roughly sorted it becomes much easier to set levels and dial in EQ, processing and other effects. So, make pan a priority!
Beginning with the camera, shaking slightly, panning smokestacks and freeway bridges. They're quiet now, quiet, the big promises never panning out as quickly as we had hoped. That ambitious prediction doesn't seem to be panning out.
The purpose of a pan in video editing is to create a smooth horizontal movement that can provide a sense of space, reveal something off-screen, or follow a subject. It is a technique where the camera moves left to right or right to left while its base is fixated on a certain point.
Panning is the distribution of an audio signal (either monaural or stereophonic pairs) into a new stereo or multi-channel sound field determined by a pan control setting. A typical physical recording console has a pan control for each incoming source channel.
pan2 verb (panned, panning) 1 criticize [transitive] informal to strongly criticize a film, play etc in a newspaper or on television or radio The movie was panned by the critics.
Unlike stereo pan, stereo balance control does not change the positions of the left and right channels in the stereo panorama. It just changes the level of the channels. For instance, with stereo balance control, when we twist the pan pot to the left, the level of the right channel is attenuated.
Ideally, your mix should have a dynamic range of around 6-8 dB. This range allows the mastering engineer to make enhancements without encountering issues like distortion or excessive compression. 2. Peak Levels: Keep your peak levels below 0 dBFS.
Vocal Panning? As a general rule, lead vocals should be positioned in the centre. These key elements need to be 'front and centre', allowing them to connect to the listener and remain as loud and prominent as possible in all playback conditions. How to pan vocals: basically, don't!
If your track has lead vocals pan them center as well. Experiment with panning duplicates of effected vocals to the left or right. But as a general rule lead vocals should always be panned center.
For a good panning shot, the camera should match speed with the subject and move as they do. Having the shutter open longer is key to getting a nice motion blur. Carlson also recommends using autofocus. Subjects, especially in sports, often move erratically or unpredictably.
Like mentioned before, panning music stimulates the entire neurodivergent brain. This allows for our mind and body to be more on the same page. A regular practice of listening to panning music throughout the day may help satisfy that sensory deficit your brain needs for functioning.
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