Should you pan low-frequency instruments?

A reader asks whether it is allowable to pan low frequency instruments. If not, what would the possible penalty be?

Follow RecordProducer.com on Twitter...

A question received from an RP reader...

Is it allowed to pan low frequency instruments? It is extremely useful doing that with guitars, vocals and cymbals, but what if I had low-frequency? How can I distinguish the similar low frequency sounds? The mix is a mess!

For release on old-fashioned vinyl, the answer is no. Low frequency sounds should be panned dead center. The reason for this is that differences between the channels cause the groove to become shallow. This is a particular problem in the low frequency end of the spectrum and it is possible for the groove to become so shallow that it almost disappears and the stylus has no path to follow. If you do pan low frequency instruments left or right, then the cutting engineer will probably simply sum the bass into mono. Although vinyl is very much a minority sport these days, the idea that bass should be panned center persists.

For any digital format, technically you can pan wherever you like. The only restriction is that if you like your bass to be loud, then panning it to one side will result in a 6 dB loss in the potential maximum level that could have been achieved if it were reproduced by both the left and right speakers.

Gaining clarity in the bass end of a recording is another matter.

Rule number one is to to cut the bass below around 100 Hz for any instrument or sound source that has not been specifically included in the mix for its bass content. Anything else is just mush, and should be filtered out.

In many cases, that will be enough to provide clarity in the bass. However if you wish to combine several bass instruments, you need to carefully EQ them so that each has its own little space in the frequency spectrum.

For example you could EQ up a kick drum around 80 Hz, then cut the bass guitar slightly in this region while boosting it in the 150 Hz to 200 Hz zone. These are not hard and fast figures, just instances. It would be up to you to experiment.

One problem is that most monitor speakers have a resonance in the low end that confuses the bass. Other than using electrostatic loudspeakers, there is little you can do about this. The best solution is to have two or three different pairs of monitors. Each will have their own faults, but with a little effort you should be able to come up with a balanced mix that will sound good on them all.

Publication date Monday July 27, 2009

Discussion on this article's topic...

Monday February 08, 2010

UPDATE - Posting of comments has been disabled. RecordProducer.com has been targeted by a botnet posting spam comments. The facility to post comments will return when this problem has been resolved.

We welcome your addition to the discussion on the topic of this article. If you feel that the article is inaccurate in any way, please let us know by e-mail at . We read all messages sent to this address but we cannot promise a reply.

What is the difference between EQ and filters? *With Audio*
	Both EQ and filters alter the frequency response characteristics of a signal. But how are they different, and how should they be applied? Read more...
What will happen if you don't get copyright clearance for the samples you use in your tracks?
	What will happen if you use an uncleared sample on your recording? Can you sample legally if your use is only private? Is it safe to use samples you find on the Internet? Read more...
The iPad - it's really quite mediocre
	It was supposed to be a magical and revolutionary device. But now that it's here, it is plain that it really isn't anything special at all. Read more...
Are your college tutors assessing you according to real-world criteria?
	Your college tutors don't work in the real world, so how can they possibly assess you by real-world criteria? Read more...
Should your music be more organic?
	The food you eat is mostly factory farmed - grown in chemicals manufactured in a chemical works. But is your music 'factory farmed' too, and does it sound like it? Read more...
The best place to make your production decisions
	Where do you make your production decisions? In the studio? No, there's a better place than that, somewhere you can get some peace and quiet... Read more...
How good is your drummer? Put him to the test in five different ways.
	A good drummer is worth his or her weight in platinum. But how can you know for sure just how good they are? Read more...
You write the lyrics, someone else writes the tune. Who owns the copyright?
	In the triangle of lyricist-composer-producer, various copyrights are generated on which royalties are payable. But who gets the lion's share? Read more...
Will the iPad change the way you make music?
	Apple's launch of the iPad has created a whole new segment in computing. Should musicians rejoice? Or be very afraid? Read more...
Do your cymbals sound like trash can lids?
	You'll never get a good recording of a drum set if the cymbals sound bad. But how you be sure to get a perfect cymbal sound every time? Read more...
Phantom power - a great breakthrough in microphone technology?
	Capacitor microphones used to come each with their own power supply. Then phantom power was invented so that any number of mics can be powered from the mixing console. So why are some manufacturers returning to the old ways? Read more...
Playing the piano - how hard can that be?
	Go to a piano teacher and they will tell you to practice every day. But the one thing they hardly ever tell you is *how* to practice. But the cure for 'wrongnoteitis' might be simpler than you think. Read more...
What happens when you don't get a credit on a recording you have worked on?
	Suppose you worked on a recording, but you didn't get a credit. Would this matter to you? You bet it would! Read more...
Men At Work copyright case - PROTEST NOW!
	We're organising a mass protest against the Larrikin Music vs. Men At Work court decision. Join now and the kookaburra may not have the last laugh. Read more...
The shocking truth about working in pro recording studios
	An RP reader successfully lands an internship in a major recording studio. But the kind of work he is asked to do isn't quite what he expected... Read more...
What important feature do analog tape simulators lack?
	It's a strange world where you can buy a secondhand analog tape recorder for less than the price of some tape emulation plug-ins and devices. But which will give you the most authentic sound? Read more...
Mix Michael Jackson's multitrack masters in your own studio?
	There's a new software around that could be the savior of the music industry. And you can get your hands on some amazing original multitrack recordings too! Read more...
How to use as many plug-ins as you like
	You are running tons of plug-ins and your computer is running out of steam. How can you lighten the load AND use as many plug-ins as you like? Read more...
Does the polar pattern of your microphone matter?
	Your mic might be cardioid, omnidirectional, figure-of-eight or hypercardioid, but what difference will it make to your recording? Read more...
So your bass rig on stage goes next to the drummer? Did you want to go deaf?
	It's an old cliche of rock music that the bass guitarist should be close to the drummer. But with modern technology does this still matter? And will you indeed go deaf? Read more...