panning sax/trombone/trumpet

[sebster]

I recently finished tracking and mixing a ska-punk band, including a sax/trombone/trumpet section. During the sessions, we also came up with a couple of bariton sax lines which is now also included (but not always).

I started working on the mp3 master and would like to experiment a little bit with panning (the band was satisfied with the mix, so it went already to the CD plant) since I'm not quite satisfied with it.

How would you pan it?
- The whole section to one side?
- Split the section to both sides: sax and the trumpet to the left side (from 9 to 11) with the trumpet more to the centre, trombone and bariton to the other side ...
- All instruments to center, then a stereo mixdown and left-rigt panning each stereo channel? ...
- Where to put the bariton sax lines which sometimes does not play togehter with the section?

Ideas and suggestions are welcome.

Thans,
Sebaster

 

[Gidge]

maybe listen to something of a similar genre with similar instrumentation (No Doubt?) and see where they have it....alot depends on the part played and what role of the mix it is playing.....

 

[cordura21]

very old records of ska and blue beat have the entire section on one side, I guess because of chanel restrictions.
For me, if the arrangement is a little loose is cool to have the trumpet on one side and the sax on the other.
But if you're after a wall of sound kind of arrangement like the Arsenals, the Bosstones, etc... I'll pan them center and maybe double track or delay the channels to make them wider.
And if you're panning them differently, I'll pan the bass brasses in the center and I'll take more freedom with the treble ones.
I guess in brasses it's more important the "horizontal arrangement", that is carving frequencies within them and the other instruments (e.g. baritone sax and bass) to make them work properly.
These are some ideas, though you'll surely find the truth of it moving the knobs.
Cheers, Andrés