panning 2 guitar tracks

[drummersteve]

i have 2 conflicting views on how the guitars should be panned. im just wondering what people think is the right/wrong way, or whether it just depends on how it sounds.

the studio my band recorded in, the enginneer pans the 2 guitars a hard left and a hard right. although, on an article i read, the guy suggested that it should be more 75% each way. is one of these ways better than the othetr, or is it purely down to what my own preference is? thanks.

Steve

[sile2001]

I don't have much experience with mixing and I don't have any evidence to back this up, but it would seem that hard panning left and right would create too much separation for people who listen to music with headphones.

[ez_willis]

Originally Posted by drummersteve

is one of these ways better than the othetr, or is it purely down to what my own preference is? thanks.

Steve

"If it sounds right, it is right!"- Joe Meek.

IMHO, the seperation that panning hard L-R gives, creates room for other instruments/vocals.

[Simman]

Generally, I don't pan anything hard left or right. However, the material and the “sound” you are trying to achieve really determine how wide a “sound stage” will work. If it’s your material, you should have a pretty good idea of how you want things to sound before you ever start to mix.

[jfrog]

I don't think most people end up panning guitars hard left & right. It doesn't mean you absolutely shouldn't, though...If you've got 2 guitars playing similar parts, for example, it might sound good. I've done it with guitar leads, one channel being the original and the other with the harmony. I sounds pretty good. I've also done acoustic guitars hard left & right.

going 75% instead of 100% does make the effect more subtle, so, if in doubt, do that.

Bottom line: Do what sounds best

[drummersteve]

thanks guys, i appreciate ur quick response. il have to try the different ways n see which my ears take to best. thanks again!

[pweaver]

Hey Steve . . .

I dont know what style music your recording, but here's a link for two songs where
the rythym guitars are panned hard right and left. Personally I love that sound.

www.halftheworld.cc/music.html

[riantide]

I'm going to have to agree with "if it sounds right, it's right." I ALWAYS use hard-panning, but it also depends on what DAW or recording setup you're using. I know that in ProTools, when pan anything past 75% or so, something weird happens where you start losing signal. That is to say, hard-panning on a console and hard-panning using an algorithm are very different.

Basically, if hard-panning seems to cause things to be lost in your mix, then don't use it. If it makes a nice notch for your mix to rest in, then rock on.

If my facts are straight, George Martin has said that he tried not to pan anything in between hard R, hard L, and center. I'm pretty stoked on that idea and I try to mix by it. What sounds good to you, however, could be entirely different. Find your style and roll with it, my man.

For shits and giggles: When mixing guitars, try panning the close-mics hard R and L and panning the respective rooms at about 80-90%. I find that both separates them and gives them some depth. Have fun!