Panning Q

[RyanEmerson]

I've heard some people talk about "slightly" off-setting two microphones recording the same guitar amp in stereo, and then panning hard left and right later. I was always under the impression that wherever you panned your instrument going in, you could always move it back and forth. But hearing this, does that mean that when you pan after you've recorded than the panning is only RELATIVE to where it was panned before. For example, if I panned in at 10 right, and then, after it was recorded, panned at 10 left, would it actually end up in the middle instead of at 10 left?

Get what I'm trying to ask?

Thanks.

 

[starch]

RyanEmerson,
So long as you have each mic going onto its own track, (you are recording in mono) you can pan it wherever you want, and change it whenever you want without it affecting the sound.
I think what you 'heard' about double micing the guitar amp is for the purpose of getting two slightly different colors of the same signal so that when you pan them and mix them together it adds some fattness or texture to the guitar sound. For instance, you may put one mic right up on the grill, then place another (different type of mic) away from the amp 5-6 feet. This will give you one up-front guitar track and one distanced with some air and room. Play with panning and levels and you may get some great results that you would have a hard time getting with only one 'version' of the track.

I hope this makes sense and helps. Good luck.