Panning/Leveling

Panning

Panning can improve the definition and interest mixing objectives. Panning can drastically change the quality of a mix because it allows you to place each instrument within the stereo domain.

Izhaki describes a stereo panorama as "the imaginary space we perceive as if existing between the lift and right speakers" (69). We can place any instrument within this panorama to add definition. We can then move the instruments within it using automation to add another level of interest.

Imagine you're watching a rock band on a stage. The band is laid out on stage typically with the drums and bass back and center, guitars on the right and left, and vocals up front and in your face. Depending on where you are in the audience one voice might stick out more than the other. Panning allows you to move these voices in the stereo domain to places that makes sense.

The stereo domain has four properties:

  1. Localization - Where the sound appears to come from
  2. Stereo Width - How much of the overall stereo image the sound occupies
  3. Stereo Focus - This deals with a sound coming from a specific point in the stereo image or a broader area
  4. Stereo Spread - Specifically how the various elements are spread across the stereo image

Application

When it comes to panning, Balance is the name of the game. Specifically, we want to focus on the balance between the left and the right spaces in the stereo domain. Think about the rock band again. We want to place all of the voices so that the whole stereo domain is filled. Stereo imbalance occurs when one channel is heavier than the other.

Izhaki describes three different Panning diagrams that should be avoided: the I-Mix, the V-Mix, and the W-Mix (71). Listen to these examples to get a better picture of what I'm talking about.

I-Mix

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In the I-Mix all of the sound is localized to the very center with no voices in the left or right channels.

V-Mix

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In the V-Mix the sound sits in the extremes of the stereo domain and is completely empty in the middle. The overheads are separately panned left and right with the snare and kick competing with the toms on the opposite channel.

W-Mix

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The W-Mix is a combination of the I and V mixes with voices centered and the extreme right and left. The problem is that the range between the center and extremes isn't being used. The overheads and toms are panned to the extreme left and right while the snare and kick are sitting directly in the middle.

Full Mix

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Here I have panned the drums so that the entire stereo domain is used. The overheads are panned opposite each other but not to the extremes, the kick sits right in the middle and the snare is panned to the drummer's POV and the toms are panned opposite each other, but again, not to the extremes.

Haas Effect

The Haas Effect is an interesting trick you can employ. Here's how to set up a simple demonstration of the Haas Effect:

  1. Take a track and duplicate it
  2. Pan the original track to one extreme and the other track to the opposite extreme
  3. Then shift the new track so it's delayed between 1 and 35 ms
  4. Make sure that the new track is less than 10 dB louder than the initial sound

The Haas Effect plays with how we perceive the directionality of sound. "His findings teach us that the directivity of the sound is determined solely by the initial sound" (169). The result is a wide, open sound. Listen and compare these two samples.

Guitars Panned Extreme w/out Haas

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Guitars Panned Extreme w/ Haas

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Check out this link for more information on the Haas Effect.

Listen to This!

Remember that EQ example with the two guitars conflicting over the same frequency space? Well let's take those same guitars and see if panning can help solve some of those issues.

Guitars Panned Center

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Here's that same example from the Equalization page. Same EQ and both guitars are panned center. Not only are they fighting for frequency space but they're also competing for the same place in the stereo image. It's getting bloody!

Guitars Panned Opposite

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Now rather than tweaking the EQ to solve the definition problem we can use panning. The guitars are still fighting over frequency but they're each living on opposite sides of the stereo image. This is one way to solve masking issues, but don't rely on panning to solve them by itself.

Leveling

In classical music it's called dynamics—-changing the volume level to add interest and expression to a piece. In mixing altering the level achieves a lot of the same goals. Admittedly, the arrangement should be the first step to leveling but sometimes it needs to be adjusted in the mix stage too.

Application

Relative Levels are our primary concern in evaluating the mix. Rather than asking 'how loud?' we should ask ourselves 'how loud in relation to other instruments?' Keeping this in mind, listen to the following examples.

Balanced Original

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This is the original mix without any leveling problems. All the instruments are at a level that doesn't detract from the mix as a whole.

Guitars Up

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Here the guitars take up way too much space and attention—-especially in a pop context where vocals should be center stage.

Snare Up

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In this example the snare is way too loud and distracts from the rest of the mix.

Vocals Up

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Even though the vocals are the focal point of the mix they are way too loud and takes away from the aesthetic appeal of the song.

To Delay/Reverb

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