Stereo Pan Space
Or sometimes called 'horizontal space'. The goal is to have each instrument/voice within their own area on a natural sounding stage (any stage set-up in your mind). Just imagine how and where you'd hear each distinctive voice if the band or performer were playing on a stage right in front of you. This also includes each individual piece of the drum kit.
Subtle differences in panning can make a huge difference in relieving a crowded mix. Creating individual positions within the stereo panning scheme can add clarity to the mix because of items that may have similar frequencies.
Remember that just because an instrument/voice may appear predominantly on one side or the other within your mix, it follows that there is also a certain percentage of that voice in the other side of the mix. Know how much and where in the pan space this secondary section is.
Just be aware that you might want any stereo tracks (guitar recorded by two or three mics, L and R inputs from a stereo keyboard, etc.) to be only partially panned. For example, lets say that you want the dry tracks of a stereo guitar to appear mostly in the left side. So you might hard pan one track to the left and leave the track on the right side somewhere around the center. No rules other than to be aware of where things reside within the mix.
For this topic, we're focusing on "dry" tracks (those without effects. There will also be a discussion re: "wet" tracks, or those with effects, under the the title of
Tips for Audio Mixdown: Effects Space). But understand the difference: "Dry" tracks are those that you are working with and you are not adding any effects during the mixing process. Which of course says that "wet" tracks are those tracks which have effects that you have added during the mixing process. So, this means that if you recorded a guitar part or a keyboard while it already had effects on it, and the only tracks that you had recorded are those with effects on it, then these tracks, for the purpose of mixing, are considered "dry" tracks!
So whether we're talking about "dry" tracks or "wet" tracks, keeping an open mind about panning space is the same. The need to understand the stereo stage of instruments and voices before you, including any effects, is ultra important for the clarity of the mix. For example, a keyboard may have a stereo chorus on it. You may wish for one channel or the other of the effect to be weaker than the other. Perhaps the lead vocal will have reverb on it, but the tail of the reverb will only be sent to the right side.
See more on mix ideas for wet tracks under the title
Tips forAudio Mixdown: Effects Space.
Next up in the series is
Tips for Audio Mixing: EQ Space.
