Panning
How to split the stereo field so every element has its own place.
A clean stereo image comes from being deliberate about where each part sits. The simplest rule of thumb: anchor the loadbearing parts down the middle, throw textural and supporting parts to the sides, and use the half-pan positions only for the one or two elements that need to feel close to centre without crowding it.
Think of pan position as a role, not a decoration. The middle is reserved for sounds that carry the song; the edges are for sounds that decorate it.
A sensible starting layout#
| Position | Typical roles |
|---|---|
| Centre | Lead vocal, kick, snare, bass, sub — anything the listener needs to feel locked to the centre of the speakers. |
| Hard L / R | Wide stereo material: room mics, double-tracked guitars, pads, synth layers, percussion loops. |
| Half-left | Hi-hat or a higher tom — close enough to feel like part of the kit but not competing with the snare. |
| Half-right | Floor tom or a counter-element — balances the half-left position so the kit feels symmetrical. |
Always check in mono Collapse the master to mono before you commit to wide moves. If a part vanishes or thins out badly, you've widened it with phase tricks rather than real panning — and it won't survive on a phone speaker or club PA.