Level difference: mono and hard-panned

[Aaron Smith]

Example: There is a sound panned center. If I pan that sound hard left, how many dB louder is the left speaker going to be playing that sound? I seem to remember being told that it's a 3dB level difference, but I can't remember for sure. And to take things a little deeper...let me assume for a moment that it is indeed a 3dB difference. If I have a single-tracked mono vocal going on, and then a phrase is doubled and panned hard left and right, would dropping each side 3dB from the single-tracked mono level create an evenly perceived level throughout?

 

[~BURNY~]

It depends on your daw setup but the default value is usually 3db (equal power) .If so, you shouldn't have to bother about levels in relation to panning at all. Then again, I'm not sure I understood your question.

 

[Aaron Smith]

Yeah I can see how my wording might be slightly confusing...

Double-tracking and hard L/R panning a vocal part, with both faders at zero, sounds louder than single-tracking and center panning the exact same vocal part, also with it's fader set at zero. Therefore, I can't have an entire song's vocals set at one level, if certain phrases are doubled and panned hard L/R, because those doubled phrases will be too loud. If 3dB is indeed the default value, then double tracked/hard panned vocals should be turned down 3dB from the level of a single tracked vocal, in order to make the level sound the same between the two...right?

 

[Nebulous]

Maybe if your program material is an exact copy the 3dB theory will suffice, but when you have a doubled part, the doubling might create a perceived increase above 3dB.
Just like doubling guitars makes them sound thicker and "louder/ in your face", though the copy, paste, pan technique doesn't so much.

I hope I worded that ok.

 

[~BURNY~]

The double tracked part will sound louder because it's double tracked. It's not related to the panning (as long as you're using the 3db equal power setting of course).

 

[chadsxe]

What host are you using. In most there are diffrent panning laws you can set up to meet your needs.

 

[ReliXKeepeR]

I think here the idea is not to change the pan law, but to make the levels correct. It REALLY depends on the doubled tracks, but I think usualy something about 3 db is going to do the job. But it has to be fairly easy just to listen and decide.