Best panning practices for library music?

[GaryW]

I guess I’m old school like Art. Always use LCR on all of my tracks. The melody, if there is one is always center, as are drums and bass. For orchestral tracks I pan the way you are looking at an orchestra. Stage view on all others.

[Michael Nickolas]

Thanks Golds, another tool for the arsenal. I’ve been in audio for a long time but didn’t know about this technique or about the “debate” surrounding it. Never too old to learn…

[angopop]

From what I’ve read in audio books, there are many times when our production music may be being played back in mono and we may not be aware of it, such as: radio gets folded down to mono at a certain distance from the transmitter; cable companies transmitting in mono but advertising as stereo to save $$; cheaper stereo televisions that aren’t really in stereo.

A good reason to check your mixes in mono! I tend to keep the stereo panning on the conservative side…

[SabalSounds]

@angopop totally agreed and I’ve mostly heard my music in mono

Imo we have to do all the production tricks to get the ear of the decision maker placing the track in a show but then make sure the overall balance is rock solid in mono as it will likely be heard in mono and well below the volume of any potential onscreen dialogue.

[BrianDWatson]

This is slightly OT but I find a good trick to do for when you’re mixing for library / production music is turn the music down to the level that will probably be heard when people are talking over it (you should be able to talk in a regular voice to somebody standing next to you no problem). If something sounds abrupt or weird at a low level w/o people talking over it, it definitely will when they do.

[Art Munson]

If something sounds abrupt or weird at a low level w/o people talking over it, it definitely will when they do.

Along those lines, someone else suggested that if you can still hear the snare at that low level, the snare is too loud for music under dialog. Not saying I always do that but worth considering.

[Author]

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