DO NOT RELY ON DIGITAL VALUES FOR PANNING

[♔Chello]

DO NOT RELY ON DIGITAL VALUES FOR PANNING

Today I did something I've been meaning to do for a long time:
To check panning and what consequence this can have for a three-dimensional sound image.

It turns out that even if a track has the value C 00, the instrument may be wrongly centered to the left or right, which destroys the perception of a three-dimensional soundscape.
I have chosen a random style from the Pa5X internals; Fast Jazz Waltz as an example:

This has the following panning:
Drum C 00,
Italian Grand L-40
Soft Jazz Guitar R+40.

The drums, on the other hand, are clearly heard in the right and left channels, while the piano is slightly to the left (not -40, as the value says), and the guitar is all the way to the right, as the value says.
The bass is barely to the left, even though the value is C 00, but I don't touch this.

When I use my ears (with a headset) to correct all three to the middle, which gives these values:
Drum L-15
Italian Grand L-20
Soft Jazz Guitar C 00

Then something unexpected and strange happens:
Played through my horn speakers the drums are now in the center of the soundstage, but less intrusive and more natural.

The drums are a little to both sides.
The piano is now slightly to the left, while the guitar is slightly less to the left.
The bass, which I haven't touched, is now a bit more towards the middle.

Overall, the soundscape is now three-dimensional, which it is not originally set.
Some sound engineers believe that stereo destroys the three-dimensionality, which I absolutely agree with.
Many of the most and best three-dimensional recordings I have are recorded in mono.


Hear the difference:

  Fast Jazz Waltz ADsingle processed.mp3 (Size: 4.39 MB / Downloads: 5)

  Fast Jazz Waltz ADsingle & panned processed.mp3 (Size: 4.4 MB / Downloads: 5)

[⚖musicalmemoriesuk]

So once again it’s better to use your ears.