| Home recording and general music post from the archived Yabb Recording Website Message Board. Some of the info here may be outdated but many of the audio recording and home studio tips are still good. Note: The only tags I made and attempt to convert are italics, bold, center and underline. So if you see some gibberish surrounded by brackets, just ignore it.
Recording Website Archived Yabb board Post
Febuary 2001 Yabb Message Board Archive
Subject: Panning our tracks?
by Hotchiproll | 06/01/01 at 00:06:38
I'm in a small group who has just released our first CD. we recorded our songs one at a time (we recorded off the drum track that we laid first) - then mixed them on a computer and viola - finished.
We had a comment from a sound guy that it would have sounded fuller if we'd panned different things a little to the left or right.
Just wondering if there's any hints or guidelines as to what pans where? do you split the drums up? keep the guitars together on one side? split the lead and backup vocals?
Any advice would be helpful
Thanks
Hotchiproll.
Subject: Re: Panning our tracks?
by DanS | 06/01/01 at 07:45:23
"Voila finished"
Gee I only wish it were that quick & easy! ;D
So do you basically have a mono recording?
Subject: Re: Panning our tracks?
by Kevin | 06/01/01 at 09:46:05
Unfortuately there is no "set" answer.
What I do sometimes is try to visualize standing in front of the band and how I would want them positioned on stage. Then I pan accordingly. Vocals Drums in center, one gutar right, bass left etc. etc.
Trust your ear!
Subject: recording
by Hotchiproll | 06/02/01 at 03:50:02
Well, it's actually a stereo recording but it came out with left and right not panned - everything panned centre. I just like hearing the stereo sound when you're listening - but i dont really know how to achieve it.
Thanks for your comments though - i'd be interested to hear lots of people's personal preferences..
Subject: Re: Panning our tracks?
by bgcole | 06/04/01 at 07:10:48
I agree with Kevin's comments.
I'm no digital expert -- just got my groove back after a 10 year layoff -- but in my analog years I found that a good set of headphones really helped in "setting" the instruments in the stereo mix. I would often reference a few favorite cuts from a pro band, (Joe Walsh, Eagles ect...) and try to pan similarly.
I now have 24bit reference monitors and a Roland VS-1880, and I still find that putting on a good set of headphones, and mentally visualizing where I would like to set the musicians still works for me.
Subject: Re: Panning our tracks?
by darrinjc | 06/04/01 at 09:38:51
One thing to remember: the higher the frequency, the more directional the sound. Panning low frequencies will not do you much good as they are very "non-directional", so place your kicks and bass in the center.
Off-setting the higher frequencies can provide a whole lot of effect. Panning cymbals (crash to one side, ride to another) or giving rhythm/lead guitars an 70/30 split to one side or another provides a lot of "space" on the recordings.
Darrin
Digital Desine Studios
"The new guy" 8)
Carpe Diem
Subject: Re: Panning our tracks?
by Skyline | 06/04/01 at 15:00:17
If you're going for an 'orthodox' band sound (i.e. not a techno/samples plus 'funny noises'), perhaps a CD to sell at gigs where fans want to hear something like what they heard at the gig, then this is how I use panning with our band recordings (live with overdubs). These are rough starting points though, to be deviated from to suit the song/frequencies involved!
Bass guitar and kick drum: mono, always dead centre.
Lead vocals: stereo 8 o'clock L, 4'clock R with reverb.
Backing vocals: mono 10 or 2 o'clock.
Toms: stereo 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock.
Hi-hats: mono 1 o'clock
Lead guitar: mono just off centre.
Rhythm guitar(s): mono 9 o'clock/3 o'clock plus some chorus.
Synth pads: stereo and wide.
Piano: stereo, 10 to 2 o'clock.
Shakers, congas, etc. mono, 9 or 3 o'clock.
I stress - this is where I tend to start, and then I have to use my (and my partner's) ears.
Good luck.
Subject: Re: Panning our tracks?
by Bonafide | 06/06/01 at 09:08:04
If you have just a 'demo' type CD, Then you aren't hurting yourself any by mixing dead center. Mono mixes have their benefits. The Biggest one being that your CD will work correctly and sound 'right' or consistent even in a crappy car stereo with on speaker blown. I make it a habit to mix my 'demos' dead center or close to it. You have NO IDEA where your demo is going to be heard. 'Hard' left and right panning can be spacious and lively but if your stereo isn't in stereo mode (Believe me many people don't realize that they even have a stero switch on their audio equipment) you could end up with funky results.
Listen to albums like Van Halen 1 in stereo and then turn off one speaker. Nothing there but an occasional background vocal, rythym guitar and the send from the lead guitars reverb.
Overall I agree with everyone here about headphones and visually choosing the instruments location. I just wanted to let you know that all is not lost and you do have some benefit in your CD.
BF
Subject: Re: Panning our tracks?
by DanS | 06/06/01 at 10:20:58
http://www.keyboardmag.com/columns/dhr/ss0104.shtml
Craig Anderton has some useful ideas & tips. ;)
Subject: Re: Panning our tracks?
by BandyLou | 06/06/01 at 10:23:40
yeah-word to van halen 1 -
peep some late sixties rock albums that were made on 4 or 8 tracks- the beatles, early traffic, etc. whole string and brass sections on one track panned hard to one side, or whole backing tracks w/ drums, bass, guitars all coming at you out of the left speaker with only vox + tambourine on the right- you hear some weird stuff on them old records. some folks go for that perfectly balanced stereo modern sound, but i dunno- especially with home 4 track recordings, some of the older methods might prove to be more interesting to the ear.
either way, put on some headphones, check out albums you like the sound of, and dig the whole stereo spectrum!