Reversed panning...

[lukievan]

side thought - sometimes it's refreshing/illuminating to listen to a mix-in-progress with the panning reversed.

[ashcat_lt]

What other decisions do you make in mixing that you wouldn't mind someone ruining? What if they summed the whole mix to mono? Would you say something? Would it "matter"?

Look, I was just curious! I guess it would be a big deal to you, but it certainly is not the same thing as any of the rest of what you've mentioned here. All the relative levels and positioning are the same, just swapped L to R. Do you suppose anybody else cares whether you meant to have the hi-hat on the left and they're hearing it on the right?

So many things downstream from the mix process could cause this. What if I put my earbuds in the wrong ears? Is your mix going to fall apart?

To be fair, I personally do prefer to hear certain things in certain general places across the stereo spectrum. No hard and fast rules, of course, but I do find myself making similar choices in many different mixes. It probably would freak me out if I sent it off to somebody else and it came back swapped. Luckily I'm not in a position where I have to worry about that.

I do agree, though, that sometimes swapping the L/R can offer a new perspective and might even show certain deficiencies that you've missed because of certain "expectations" which are fulfilled with a given panning scheme. Even just turning your chair around so that the monitors are behind you and on opposite sides can be interesting.

[chris harris]

Look, I was just curious! I guess it would be a big deal to you, but it certainly is not the same thing as any of the rest of what you've mentioned here. All the relative levels and positioning are the same, just swapped L to R. Do you suppose anybody else cares whether you meant to have the hi-hat on the left and they're hearing it on the right?

If that's the criteria for what should or should not matter to us, then we're in real trouble. My guess is, if I took your mix, and changed all kinds of things about it, most people wouldn't notice or care. But, you would.

So many things downstream from the mix process could cause this. What if I put my earbuds in the wrong ears? Is your mix going to fall apart?

To be fair, I personally do prefer to hear certain things in certain general places across the stereo spectrum. No hard and fast rules, of course, but I do find myself making similar choices in many different mixes. It probably would freak me out if I sent it off to somebody else and it came back swapped. Luckily I'm not in a position where I have to worry about that.

Yeah, I've been very outspoken about the ridiculousness of trying to dictate HOW people will enjoy your music, once it's out in the world. You have no control at that point. But, right up until it's released, I expect the mix/master to be exactly as I intended.

I do agree, though, that sometimes swapping the L/R can offer a new perspective and might even show certain deficiencies that you've missed because of certain "expectations" which are fulfilled with a given panning scheme. Even just turning your chair around so that the monitors are behind you and on opposite sides can be interesting.

definitely.

[ashcat_lt]

Maybe I was drunk when I read your replies, but they came across kind of harsh - like I'm a total idiot for even asking.

Seems like part of an ME's traditional job is to adjust the stereo width and balance of the mix. That would piss me off quite a bit more than a simple left-right swap with all the relative levels and panning staying the same!

So, subatomic's opinionin is that this is a big deal. Anybody else got an opinion?

[chris harris]

Maybe I was drunk when I read your replies, but they came across kind of harsh - like I'm a total idiot for even asking.

I didn't mean to imply that you're an idiot. I just thought it was surprising that anyone would ask if it mattered. You said yourself that it would freak you out if this happened to you. I'd be shocked if anyone around here said it's not a big deal. I mean, it's obviously an easy fix. But, it's still a fix that I think anyone would want to make sure and do.

[Gregg Juke]

I think it's a big deal.

Stereo width is only the purview of the ME if you designate such. Otherwise, it's overall EQ, volume matching, sequencing and fades, and
compression/"loudness."

Many ME's will do _way_ too much. Reversing the panning falls into that category, in my book.

GJ

[MoreSpaceEcho]

i agree. i think a lot of ME's do too much as well. why, who knows, but that's a different thread.

anyway, everyone has bad days/makes mistakes or whatever, but if the ME had the channels flipped and didn't notice...to me that indicates that they did rather little comparing of their work with the source mixes. and yeah, *sometimes* it's better to not a/b with the source mixes too much (if they're really fucked eq-wise, for example) but in general you kind of want to make sure you're not ruining people's work.

so yeah, if it was me, i'd be pretty embarrassed for making such a mistake. but it is the sort of thing that can be fixed in 2 seconds.