Most beginners think that pans left and right are not that important in a mix down of your track. While skilled engineers and producers know that using your pan left and right correctly is most important in mixing a track. Understanding the dynamics is the key. In any song or track all instruments and vocals play a role in creating a song. You have to know what to listen for in order to judge how you should use your pans. Example: Your working on a Alt Rock track and you've got three slamming guitars,

keyboards and full percussion.Oh yeah and vocals.

Can you image not using a pan at all? Your music would sound muffled,and none of the instruments could stand out. In this situation working on an Alt Rock track, you would need the guitars to compliment each other, so choose the lead and do not pan.Then pan the 2nd guitar about 25% left and the 3rd Guitar 25% to the right. Now take the keyboard and pan about 10% right and 15% for the percussions. Keep the kick and snare drum center and pan the toms hard left and right. Take the cymbal and hi hat and pan slightly about 5% one left and the other right. You should hear a hugh difference now. Do the same with your vocals, there's no one way to use your pans, the object is to make sure you spread your instruments and vocals, this will allow your music to breathe, and thus giving you and your fans a more pleasant listening experience.

This method will work on software or hardware mixes. An other key to mixing is rest.. that's right rest
after you have applied all of the techniques mentioned above, give yourself a day or too before you listen to the track again, this will help you keep a fresh ear to what you are actually listening to, a lot of time you can overload your ear listening to the same mix over and over. So be sure to rest.

When preparing for your final mix be sure to have your monitors and speakers place correctly to get the best sound quality possible. Of course every room varies depending on the size shape and density.How ever a couple of basic techniques that remain the same no matter the size or shape are try to have at least 4 speakers or monitors so that you can have the pan left and right Hi and Lo's. 6 speakers would be perfect to have Left and Right Hi,Mid Lo. You want to be able to hear every level of the audio wave signal. Now test the hi frequency by cutting out the lo and mid frequency. You should only hear the hi's make sure there's no popping or static noise. Now bring the mid's up slowly and listening for the warmth on the voice and instruments, finally bring up the lo's and it should compliment the hi's and mid's Not over power them.

By this time you should hear a nice even mix sound playing clear with no static warm vocals and smooth full low's. Hope this helps good luck on your next project

Publisher/Producer Carlton Richard has been producing and pitching songs for the past 5 years with many artists and placements under his belt this young CEO of 2manproductions is headed to the top.
Email him personally info@2manproductions.com or visit 2manproductions.com now!