Rhythm right, Lead left?

[outbreak525]

Someone once told me that your left ear is able to pick up melody better than your right, which is able to pick up rhythm more easily.
Does this hold true when deciding which guitarist should occupy which speaker?
Lead Left, Rhythm Right.
(I also found it kinda cute how the letters match up )
What do you guys do?

 

[Trevoire520]

Rhythmn left and right, lead up the middle. Stops the stereo image from being lopsided.

 

[Harry Hughes]

Rhythmn left and right, lead up the middle. Stops the stereo image from being lopsided.

+1
OP, you'll find this is the general consensus around here

 

[kernelxsanders]

all rhythms should be dual tracked 100% L/R, with leads in the middle. or if there are harmonized leads, i usually pan the lower/higher harmony L/R 80%, usually bringing the volume down a couple db

 

[ChrisTanakaCanwell]

Try it!

 

[luismars]

Yes and no, try to listen AC/DC sharing an earbud with a friend: one will miss the leads

 

[Morgan C]

Yeah go for it. Any live album with two guitarists is gonna be mixed this way (except maybe not with leads always left) so if you go for a live feel I'm sure it'd work.

 

[Wyldechyld]

Rhythmn left and right, lead up the middle. Stops the stereo image from being lopsided.

+1

 

[Star Ark]

Nothing wrong with a lop sided stereo image for some sections of songs IMO.
I find it interesting to be pulled to one side for a while during a song and then return to a balanced image.

 

[LeSedna]

I've noticed I can hear better with my left ear. Since then, I always place my main lead guitar in the left ear when I have to harmonize, or if I have to choose a side. I don't know why, but I distinguish more details with my left ear, as much as I pick more detail from my right eye when I wanna get closer to an object.

 

[AEL89]

Everyone here will tell you dual-tracked rhythm guitars (hard panned of course) with leads in the middle. Hey! Make sure you use a 5150 into a Mesa cab while you're there, regardless of the genre!

I've done stuff where I'll pan the rhythm as little as 35/40 one side and the lead a similar amount the other way. Sometimes I'll use a stereo chorus on the bass and pan it 30 either side if the middle feels sparse (blend it to the point where it just thickens the centre slightly... you can barely hear it but it works great). Other times I'll give a section a really mono-feel - this can give an awesome vibe, especially if its trashy and raw. There isn't such thing as "lopsided stereo image" in my opinion. Just make sure it works in mono and you're good.

EDIT: sometimes its cool to use different length delays/verbs on different sides for some widening of the leads if there's only 1 rhythm and 1 lead. Just fuck around and don't take "rhythms hard-panned, leads centred" to be the golden rule... even though it can work perfectly in some cases

 

[Plankis]

If we talk a bit broader than metlulz there is some truth to it. Higher pitched instruments tends to be placed on the left side.

Orchestra: http://library.thinkquest.org/22673/orchestra.html
Violins, flutes, horns are all on the left side while cellos, oboes, trombones are on the right side.

Choirs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Choir#Arrangements_on_stage
Sopranos are on the left side and altos on the right side. Bass is next to sopranos but I guess it gets too muddy without the separation.

 

[DanLights]

that's like old rock bands that had single tracked guitar on one side and the keyboards on the other. Try it out, but I recommend dual tracking all rhythms in case it doesn't turn out as nice as you thought and then you have to call in the guitarists to re-record, or worse, copy-paste the guitar track (now that IS a no-no)

 

[ApeScaleConflict]

I don't use any RULE of panning with leads. I usually pan the lead very mildly right or left, like 8-15%. Usually when i do this i have more than one lead on the song so i find an own place for each one, none is placed on top of eachother.

EDIT: I only make exeptions with clean or acoustic instruments.

 

[DullElysium]

I get confused if the lead is panned to the right So if it's that kind of a lead that really doesn't need panning in the middle for overall beefiness I'd say pan it left. But it does make your songs more powerful if lead is in the middle and rhythms are l/r.

 

[JeffTD]

Am I the only one who pans leads based on what cymbal is being played? If it's a hat, I'll go slightly left (assuming drummers perspective). If it's a ride or right-hand crash, I'll go slightly right. Keeps the stereo image centered from an "overall" standpoint, since I find putting solos in the middle to be a bit boring.

With harmonization I almost exclusively run the harmony track on the right side, for whatever reason. Most albums I listen to have it worked out this way, oddly enough.

 

[Morgan C]

Am I the only one who pans leads based on what cymbal is being played? If it's a hat, I'll go slightly left (assuming drummers perspective). If it's a ride or right-hand crash, I'll go slightly right. Keeps the stereo image centered from an "overall" standpoint, since I find putting solos in the middle to be a bit boring.

With harmonization I almost exclusively run the harmony track on the right side, for whatever reason. Most albums I listen to have it worked out this way, oddly enough.

Solo leads/vocals I always go down the middle, but any harmonising leads or synths or whatever, I do exactly what you do. Helps keep everything balanced, so you can have a lead going, while a loud synth/whatever is playing offcenter without it feeling like its tilting to one side.