MusicIsMyBiz

Perhaps nothing makes a mix more interesting than a wide stereo field. However, having instruments panned to the left or right not only makes a mix more aesthetically appealing, but it also helps to create a more stable, balanced mix.

Before I start preaching the benefits of extreme panning, let me first provide a disclaimer. Mono does have its place, particularly when mixing for telephone (such as on hold messaging and music), checking mixes intended for television (many older sets are mono), and checking for phase problems. Therefore, never discount checking your mixes in mono before you print a final mix.

Separation

In a previous post, I discussed eliminating competition between instruments in a live mix by using EQ. Since many live mixes are mono, I didn’t mention panning. If your mix is stereo, though, the first step to creating separation and eliminating competition between instruments is to reach for the pan knob. When two instruments are similar in range or timbre, it’s usually a good idea to pan them opposite from one other. This technique works particularly well if you’re having difficulty distinguishing between two instruments or between what each instrument is playing. The results are instantly noticeable.

Width

Many engineers neglect extreme panning, opting for a more narrow sounding mix. However, panning some instruments “hard left” and others “hard right” and others in between can really open up a mix, creating a fuller sound. While it creates a greater sense of balance within a mix, it also creates a greater sense of width. Extreme panning can also create a “larger-than-life” type of sound.

Aesthetics

To take the concept one step further, if you have an instrument or part that is doubled, try panning one hard left and the other hard right. This technique is often used with doubled rock guitars to create a massively wide guitar sound.

Example

Here’s an example of a typical rock band: acoustic guitar, electric guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums. Try a wide mix with these. Typically, we would keep the bass in the center. Our drums would be panned to either audience perspective or drummer perspective. With a typical right-handed drummer in drummer perspective would be Kick in center, Snare in center (or slightly to the left), Rack Tom at 9 o’clock, Mid Tom at center, Floor tom at 3 o’clock, and stereo overheads. To create even wider drums, pan the toms even wider than 3 o’clock an 9 o’clock, bordering on hard left and right. Now place the electric guitar and keyboard opposite from each other at hard left and right. This leaves room for the acoustic in the center. Another trick is to pan the reverb of a panned instrument to the opposite side of the stereo field. For instance, if you pan the guitar to the left, pan its reverb to the right.

These are just a few examples of the benefits and uses of extreme panning. Try it out on your mixes and see how it expands your mixing horizons. Next time we’ll talk about treating the studio mix as a live stage.

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Today, I’m going to enter into more technical territory and discuss mixing. As the title says, the key to obtaining a better mix is by eliminating competition. Too often, engineers who are just starting out focus only on volume for mixing. While volume is a huge component of mixing, it’s not the end-all-be-all. Unfortunately, many newer engineers don’t fully embrace the practical use of equalization and use it only for aesthetic purposes. However, EQ is a crucial tool for eliminating competition between instruments, which is the start of building a good mix.

So, how does EQ eliminate competition? Sometimes when mixing, you get into a sort of “volume battle” between instruments. You turn up Instrument A because you can’t hear it over Instrument B, only to turn up B because you just masked it by turning up A. Rinse and repeat until your eardrums cringe and you’re so frustrated that you want to pull your hair out. EQ is the answer. Instead of EQ-ing instruments to sound good by themselves, try EQ-ing them to work with each other. If two instruments are playing in the exact same note/frequency range they will be difficult to distinguish from one another in the mix, no matter how hard you try with volume. If you have boosted 400Hz and 1.5KHz in one instrument, try cutting those frequencies in the offending instrument. The “mirror image mixing” approach goes a long way in clearing up a mix. While the instruments may not sound great on their own, in combination they have a better chance of being distinguishable.

Use EQ to eliminate “unneeded” frequencies from instruments. Doing so will reduce excess acoustical energy, in turn providing more clarity at lower volumes. If a lead vocal is not clear enough in your mix, increasing the volume may not always help without some EQ help. However, boosting frequencies with EQ may not be the answer either. First, try the “subtractive” EQ approach. Cut unnecessary bass frequencies from the vocal to reduce “muddiness” before increasing the volume. If that’s still not enough, find the frequency range you need to hear more of in the vocal and CUT it from other instruments. That often solves the problem without increasing any overall volume.

We’ve all heard the saying “a place for everything and everything in its place”. The same principle applies with EQ. We touched on this a little when we talked about “mirror image mixing”, but let’s take it one step further. Each instrument should reside in its own frequency range. Ideally, the players themselves should take the first step by playing in different registers from other members. If they don’t, it’s left up to us as the engineer to compensate. Try carving out niches for instruments to sit in. Pull some low mids out of the keys to make room for the guitar. Pull mids out of the guitar to make room for the keys. Let the acoustic just handle the high “chingy” stuff. Pull the lows out of everything else to make room for the bass. Granted this is a very simplistic, oversimplified example, but the principle works very much this way.

So, if you’re having trouble with getting a solid mix without the volume battle, give these techniques a shot. Be mindful of excess acoustic energy, put everything in its place, and eliminate the competition!

Until next time, here are two great books on mixing that I refer to often.

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