Quickie Guide to Mixing #24

In a previous series of tech tips, we discussed using the Sony Oxford Transient Modulator to bring drums forward in a submix for clarity. This tip deals with clarity of another fashion; that is how to pan drums (that aren’t fighting for space) for clarity. Let’s assume that the drums are miked in the usual configuration; a pair of overheads and separate mics on the kick, hi-hat, snare, and toms. First, pan the overheads hard left and right. Next, listen for the position of each drum as it occurs in the stereo soundstage and then pan each separate drum so that they are in the exact position they occupy in the soundstage; i.e. hi-hat slightly left of snare, toms to the right, and etc. Because the individual drums occupy the same sonic space as they do in the overheads, this will yield the greatest amount of clarity. Otherwise, if you pan them elsewhere, you’re actually creating a separate stereo pan for each instrument, which occupies more of the sound field, and therefore clutters it. Despite this, some engineers will pan toms more dramatically for added fun-factor.