Ever Gain L and R differently?
I've been looking at mastering consoles and noticed most of them have separate left and right input gain controls (and some have separate left and right output gain controls as well). Seems like a weird thing to do as it would tilt any content panned center to the left channel or the right channel depending on which is gained more. Well aware that this is an extremely rare thing to do but am wondering if any of you have ever even worked on a mix that you felt benefited from gaining the left and right channel differently. Thanks.
Quite often, actually. A lot of older mixes are skewed because of an imbalanced 2 buss on an analog console. I will make the offset and check in mono to insure those elements that should be dead center are dead center. Switching back and forth, there should be no movement in things like a lead vocal (for instance). Then I check for an even sound stage and work from there.
Sure. Not every day, but all mastering consoles should have this ability.
Just like separate L/R EQ, when you need it, you need it.
DC
Yes, as Mark said.
Also several times I have "remixed" at bit during Mastering, when I thought for instance that an acoustic guitar on the left during an intro should be louder than an electric piano on the right, or during a breakdown when let's say a sound effect on the right seems a bit buried, etc.
Of course you have to be extremely careful and timely.
all the time
_m
Quite often, actually. A lot of older mixes are skewed because of an imbalanced 2 buss on an analog console. I will make the offset and check in mono to insure those elements that should be dead center are dead center. Switching back and forth, there should be no movement in things like a lead vocal (for instance). Then I check for an even sound stage and work from there.
-mgwilder
So essentially you are correcting an already skewed L/R balance from an imbalanced 2-bus or analog console by gaining L or R differently. Makes total sense. I guess this has never come up for me but admittedly I've been hesitant to change L and R balance at all do to skewing what is (suppose to be) panned dead center to either the L or R channel. Moving forward I'll be less tentative about inspecting if center is actually center or if L/R adjustment are needed to correct stereo image offsets in the analog mixing stage.
Also several times I have "remixed" at bit during Mastering, when I thought for instance that an acoustic guitar on the left during an intro should be louder than an electric piano on the right, or during a breakdown when let's say a sound effect on the right seems a bit buried, etc.
-compasspnt
I've done this once before via automated digital gain. Similar situation to the first scenario you mentioned (intro with two hard panned instruments).
Thanks for the responses thus far!
I've seen bigger problems with this recently than back in vinyl daze. We were pretty anal about accurate centering back then but today's young engineers often don't realize how much slop is common in console pan pots.
A lot of work is being done on consoles wherein the overall quality of mechanical components is nowhere near what it was once upon a time.
Cheap, though.
A lot of work is being done on consoles wherein the overall quality of mechanical components is nowhere near what it was once upon a time.
Cheap, though.
-hank_alrich
It's not uncommon for the faders on a cheap modern analogue console to differ by 10% (about 1dB) at the same position, sometimes more.
My steps are . 3 db Increments
I do more level tweaking then Eqing that is to say the eq happens very quickly
I will be tweaking the level until I am happy and often redo a pass if I am not
JT
Yep. Also usually checking against mono for center placement.
I don't always center vocals, bass or bass drums.
I usually do. But not always.
Yes, I might have put the word "center" in quotes.
It's an ear thing for sure.
JT
When I'm working on a reissue and I'm comparing against a pressing, L/R balance (and EQ) becomes overly apparent. I always check each mix in mono for a few reasons, one being a centered image. Others being phase anomolies as well as accurately centering myself within the listening position.
I always check each mix in mono for a few reasons, one being a centered image. Others being phase anomolies as well as accurately centering myself within the listening position.
-mgwilder
Perfectly stated.
yes and yes.
i can do .25dB steps L/R
This topic made me think of adding L/R controls to my chain.
Right at this moment I'm using different L/R settings on the EQ. Absolutely needed on this track. Can't imagine living with stereo ganged EQ's only.
