About Panning

[djglenn]

When I pan with my DAW, I notice it doesn't pan completely. For example, say it's 30% right. The main focus (or center?) would be about 30% to the right, but it will sorta 'bleed off' beyond that, a little more into the right channel, and a bit into the left channel. From what I see in other DAWS and mixers (studio and dj) this seems to be the norm.

So I'm just wondering, how do the panning "laws" work in DAWS/Mixers?

Recently I've been listening more to some classic rock and various other types of band stuff. When I listen to how they pan something, sometimes they'll completely pay off to one side; not 100% but like halfway (or so it sounds) but there isn't any 'bleeding' into the other channel. So I've been wondering if doing that with dance music would be useful or not? Like, Waves has a plugin that can pan it off to one channel, anywhere in that channel, but only keep it on that side with no bleeding to the other channel. I'm sure there's many others like that.

Seems to me that's how most DAWS should be, or should they?

Thanks for your input.

[przechuy]

check pannin in tom jones - its not unusual


i love this song,and btw i was also amazed when for the first time i heard it and consciously paid attention to panning

[admin]

Pan law has to do with how much the signal is changed in volume between center and hard panned either left or right.

Depending on the DAW you use there might be different functions of the panner itself. For instance Cubase has the ability to let you pan both the left and right channels of a stereo signal. Or you can change the volume of those signals independantly. And finally you can change the volume of them linked which gives the usual pan behaviour.

There's always going to be bleeding unless you have a hard pan. The only way to not have a bleed would be to have the signal in one channel only, and this would end up being a hard pan by nature.

If you're panning stereo sources you might notice the bleed more than mono ones perhaps.

When it comes to panning with me I generally do most of the drums in center but slightly off from each other. I then have a couple of complimentary percussion parts hard panned. I then run some effects and a couple of synths hard panned or very stereo using effects with the rest mostly in the center.

This way you have a good contrast between the two so the stereo stuff jumps out of the mix and is obvious.

[klooptheloop]

Thanks for that J. That's cleared up a few things =]