Panning L/R weight (?)

  • Thread starter Thread starter Alanfc
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Alanfc

Alanfc

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hi, this may be really obvious but I must ask

Lately I've noticed the panning on everything I hear. Fresh in my head now is the new U-2 song with alot of cool stuff going on ,as well as some old Pearl Jam and Montrose (=love).
2+ completely different guitar parts hard panned Left and right. But it doesn't sound so obvious. Nice, lots of space and the parts are very clean and present without being in-my-face. I 'm in my car playing around with the balance knob and really listening to this stuff. Now, when I listen to something else like Linkin Park, mid-80's Rush, Boston, both sides are the same.

I'm trying this at home on my band's stuff, that is the U2/PearJam/Montrose panning styles....... and it sounds out of balance, heavy on one side or the other. Not in a pleasing way. Regardless of the pitch or freq's of the instrument. I'm not getting it. The U2/PearJam/Montrose seem to =weigh= the same on both sides, yet be different. Thats the only way I can explain it, is weight, like a dry goods scale with 2 trays L/R.

For example is there actually a tiny bit of the heavier/lower pitched/freq signal in the opposite side where the high stuff is? I don't hear it (yet)... Like with U2 - a clicky, high stringy part on the right, and a lower/middle chordy bit on the left.

Thanks
 
What u need to do is solo the 2 tracks u r trying to pan and then just listen and pan them left and right start at about 50 each way and then bring them down until they sound like they are coming out of the speakers the same so the left might be around 40 and the right 36 u just have to listen to get what u want they won't exactly be the same number sometimes they might be close.
 
Are you recording two different guitarists playing the same part but with different instruments and setups? If so that's why it doesn't work!

To get the cool effect you record the same guitar part, same insdtrument, same player, same amp, same tone (OK maybe a slight variation) and double it, then pan each one HARD left and right. Sounds excellent.

This is different to recording two guys in the band who play different parts on different setups. This is when it starts to sound unbalanced, when the tone of the two parts is not the same.

Providing you keep everything the same, and just re-record the same part played in the same way it should work just fine, it's not difficult to achieve (assuming the guitar sounds good in the first place - that's another thread!).

You could try adjusting the volume of the more dominant guitar till it doesn't overpower the weaker one anymore.
 
glynb said:
Are you recording two different guitarists playing the same part but with different instruments and setups? If so that's why it doesn't work!

To get the cool effect you record the same guitar part, same insdtrument, same player, same amp, same tone (OK maybe a slight variation) and double it, then pan each one HARD left and right. Sounds excellent.

This is different to recording two guys in the band who play different parts on different setups. This is when it starts to sound unbalanced, when the tone of the two parts is not the same.

Providing you keep everything the same, and just re-record the same part played in the same way it should work just fine, it's not difficult to achieve (assuming the guitar sounds good in the first place - that's another thread!).

You could try adjusting the volume of the more dominant guitar till it doesn't overpower the weaker one anymore.

hey thanks,

yes I have some parts where I do the human double & pan hard L/R using the same settings and flawless doubling :)

but here I'm asking about completely different parts, on opposite sides. Like high chordy overdriven on the right and low growly on the left. Like Pearl Jam.
I'm sure its going to take some practice but I wanted to ask here too, in case there was something really obvious I was missing. When I bring up one side or the other, the =weight= of the music goes askew. Thats the only way I can describe it.
thanks
 
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