When mixing down drums, what are some of the standards in panning left to right on the individual tracks? I'm miking everything individually. Bass, 3 Toms, Snare, High Hat, 17 Crash/ride, 16 Crash, 20 Ride. I know how to mic them, but as far as mixing after recording I need to know what you guys use for a standard settings in the stereo spectrum........or what works for you?
Best way to mix drums
- Thread starter dantell
- Start date
mshilarious
Banned
dantell said:
Well I have to say I admire you. You took a pretty good thrashing on the other thread, and you haven't given up. Keep at it, you'll be OK.
Individual miking is probably excessive. I know, I like to do it too, but it's easier to mix fewer tracks.
I must really suck
As many times as I've heard the phrase "You Suck" should have made me eat a bullet by now. It really doesn't phase me. Anyone who has ever been in a band for any length of time knows about dissappointment. If you're in the music business to make money as a performer, better get a 2nd job. Few people do. Gotta love it.
As many times as I've heard the phrase "You Suck" should have made me eat a bullet by now. It really doesn't phase me. Anyone who has ever been in a band for any length of time knows about dissappointment. If you're in the music business to make money as a performer, better get a 2nd job. Few people do. Gotta love it.
thundercage
New member
Drum Mixing
I can only offer general guidelines because there are no set rules. Kick and snare pan to center. Left and right overheads hard pan left and right. Hihat center. You might try spreading toms and cymbals (since you're micing them seperate) from left to right based on the position in the drum kit. In any case hard panning toms or cymbals is probably a no-no unless you're going for a specific effect. Like I said there are always exceptions and this is only my opinion.
I can only offer general guidelines because there are no set rules. Kick and snare pan to center. Left and right overheads hard pan left and right. Hihat center. You might try spreading toms and cymbals (since you're micing them seperate) from left to right based on the position in the drum kit. In any case hard panning toms or cymbals is probably a no-no unless you're going for a specific effect. Like I said there are always exceptions and this is only my opinion.
This is what I do:
Kick - center
Snare - center
High Hat - 15-20% R
Overhead L - 80% L
Overhead R - 80% R
Overhead Center - center
For the toms I will start the high tom at about 10% R and then put the next tom 15% over and so on... until I run out of toms... depends on how many they have. A LOT of guys now have just 2 toms in that Dave Grohl style.
Kick - center
Snare - center
High Hat - 15-20% R
Overhead L - 80% L
Overhead R - 80% R
Overhead Center - center
For the toms I will start the high tom at about 10% R and then put the next tom 15% over and so on... until I run out of toms... depends on how many they have. A LOT of guys now have just 2 toms in that Dave Grohl style.
Dan the Pan Man
I have been experimenting with panning all last week and mixed it over and over with different pans on everything. I noticed if you pan your overheads all the way right and left it seems to not set well in the mix. I scooted them over and when I hit 40% right and left it sounded better. I was slightly panning the snare and bass, but I now have it centered. The high hat is now centered also. I've decided since I can't get the floor tom to sound good I'm leaving it out and just using the other toms and panning them 40% right and left. I had a friend of mine that's a good drummer put new hydraulic heads on and tune them perfectly to take away the "trash can sound" Wow! what a difference. Thanks for all your help and all this has also made me a better drummer...........................for a guitarist. I will post the final product for the song here or at the mp3 clinic, hopefully today.
I have been experimenting with panning all last week and mixed it over and over with different pans on everything. I noticed if you pan your overheads all the way right and left it seems to not set well in the mix. I scooted them over and when I hit 40% right and left it sounded better. I was slightly panning the snare and bass, but I now have it centered. The high hat is now centered also. I've decided since I can't get the floor tom to sound good I'm leaving it out and just using the other toms and panning them 40% right and left. I had a friend of mine that's a good drummer put new hydraulic heads on and tune them perfectly to take away the "trash can sound" Wow! what a difference. Thanks for all your help and all this has also made me a better drummer...........................for a guitarist. I will post the final product for the song here or at the mp3 clinic, hopefully today.
Chibi Nappa
New member
I always go with what the overheads tell me...
First I pan the overheads hard left/right. Then I sloooooowly pan both of them towards center. As I pan them in, I listen for the point where the stereo image "snaps" into place. You can hear the center come into focus.
Once the overheads are panned and the stereo image is in focus, I listen to where everything is in the kit. The individual mics are panned accordingly. If I hear the floor tom at 70% left in the stereo overhead image, I pan the floor tom mic to the same place etc.
Basically, I let the real-life physical placement of the drum kit dictate the panning of my drum tracks.
First I pan the overheads hard left/right. Then I sloooooowly pan both of them towards center. As I pan them in, I listen for the point where the stereo image "snaps" into place. You can hear the center come into focus.
Once the overheads are panned and the stereo image is in focus, I listen to where everything is in the kit. The individual mics are panned accordingly. If I hear the floor tom at 70% left in the stereo overhead image, I pan the floor tom mic to the same place etc.
Basically, I let the real-life physical placement of the drum kit dictate the panning of my drum tracks.