Panning guitar varieties

Uncle Junior

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Jun 24, 2009
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Ok, let's hit it! :headbang:


I was listening to this:


No, if I recall most of you guys including me pan the quad-tracked tracks like, let's say this:

LEFT:
G1 T1 100%
G2 T2 75%

RIGHT:
G1 T3 75%
G2 T4 100%


But in this song (upper link) I hear only guitar on the right in the beggining.
Does that mean that the song is panned like this:

LEFT:
G1 T1 100%
G1 T2 75%

RIGHT:
G2 T3 75%
G2 T4 100%

So each guitar is on it's own side.

What say you folks?
 
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actually i pretty much always pan the different guitars to their own side, like the second way you posted.

so basically it's like Gtr1 hard left, Gtr 2 hard right, and then the second track of Gtr 1 panned like 85% left, 3db or so lower in volume....same thing for Gtr2.
the advantage imho is that it still sounds like "a band" playing in front of you, i.e. there are two distinct guitar tracks, but each one got a support track so to speak that makes the sound fuller overall.
 
I'm a total noob but in my short mixing experience i found that panning guitars in the second way sounds a bit more old school...
 
I'd say guitar 1 should be on the left and guitar 2 on the right no matter how many tracks. Putting both guitars on both sides makes a big mess and kills the whole left/right thing.

Also, just because it sounds like 1 guitar going at a point in a song doesn't mean that's how its set up the whole song. 3 guitar tracks could be muted for that passage.
 
It depends, as many have said, the second method posted definitely gives a more "live band" feel, but sometimes you want to go for the more polished modern studio kind of sound so if that´s the case go for the first method. Personally, for most metal stuff, putting Gt1 on one side and gt2 on the other sounds better

... and the award for Most Topics Started In A Single Day goes to.....

(SSD programmed drum roll.........)

lol yeah
 
I usually go one guitar aside.

Here's another question. What about drum panning? Do you guys mix as if the listener is the drummer or audience? I like to mix as if the listener is the drummer, I reckon it involves the listener more in the music, if they notice that is.
 
I usually go one guitar aside.

Here's another question. What about drum panning? Do you guys mix as if the listener is the drummer or audience? I like to mix as if the listener is the drummer, I reckon it involves the listener more in the music, if they notice that is.

I prefer mixes panned as if I'm in the audience watching the band. Guitarist on left stage panned left, right handed drummer has hats on the right, floor toms on the left. In general anyway. The other way is better for air drumming along, but doesn't feel right to me even after being in bands and playing guitar and drums.