Don’t Make THIS Panning Mistake in Ableton

[@Synthperv]

how can it be that if I have a kick that is mono already, then put a utility with mono mode on it an it is still stereo. Like when I pan it to the center it is mono only ? Man I mixed wrong for 8 years

[@DistinctMastering]

If the kick is mono already then no need to use a utility. True mono would be taking one side. The mono button sums the sides together therefore introducing potential phase cancellation.

[@Synthperv]

@@DistinctMastering But if I take a mono Kick and put it in a Sampler, it is 50L and 50R instead of being in the center. Would you take a utility with mono or would you pan each side to the center to make it mono? What is better and why ? Thanks in advance mate

[@Magic_carpet666]

Didn't know that one, but tbh just don't use LCR mixing and pull the knob back a touch so you still retain stereo information.

[@DistinctMastering]

Yes kind of a hidden secret!

[@tresamacooladen]

whats the difference between a mono track and a sum of the stereo track?

[@DistinctMastering]

A mono track would be one side of the stereo track. Either Left or Right. A summed track is Left + Right, you could introduce phase cancellation with a sum. In the mono situation you are removing one side completely.

[@laserquant]

This is true, and you have already proposed a solution. However, this is a particular problem regarding stereo channels, which are two channels in one strip. My analog mixer from 2001 handles the stereo channel panning exactly like Ableton. So, I consider this traditional. I suggest being careful with the word traditional. I was unaware of it because I only use pan stereo channels slightly. Thus, thank you for your video.

[@DistinctMastering]

That would truly depend on how the console or mixer handles it but to be truly sure you could split the stereo lines into two mono lines and hard pan left and right respectively. That’s how you’d plug into a console with no stereo lines.

[@laserquant]

@@DistinctMastering Yes, I agree. I do not had a problem with that. However, you made me awere of something and this was the aim of your video. Thanks. Stay tuned!

[@analogueak]

Ok. So bottom line is right click and choose stereo split mode

[@DistinctMastering]

I prefer it, but I would save that to your track preferences so it always loads that way

[@analogueak]

@@DistinctMastering very cool. Thanks!

[@noahgrose7988]

Super helpful, thanks so much🙏🏼 I was going crazy wondering where half of my sound went everytime I’d pan a stereo track

[@DistinctMastering]

Glad it helped!

[@blairromable]

my boy right here

[@DistinctMastering]

Happy to help!

[@davidscanlan]

Never knew this, and now that I do, it might actually help with some creative choices. Thank you!

[@DistinctMastering]

Happy to help!

[@djnickhodgkins]

I didn't follow you (. What's wrong with taking out signal if you pan away from it? Isnt' that the whole idea? Clearly I'm missing something...

[@DistinctMastering]

I'm not sure I understand your question. But in short... the regular single pan knob doesn’t actually pan stereo sounds, it just turns the L or R channels up or down. It's ok for mono sounds. If you want to truly pan a stereo sound, you need split stereo panning. That allows you to pan both channels of the signal as if they were two mono tracks.