Panning for Orchestra's

[davidagates]

Hi there,

This may seem like a slightly dumb question, but do people pan their instruments in orchestral arrangements?

I have a piece of card on my desk that shows the location of all the elements of an orchestra and where they sit, but I've submitted a track in the past and the return feedback was in regards to the panning.

Is their an industry standard or is it just what sounds good?

Cheers,

Dave

[superkons]

Most orchestral libraries are recorded "in situ", so all instruments will sit in a very precise position, i.e., 1st violins to the left, celli/basses to the right, etc.
It is ok to slightly pan the instruments farther down the side they are already placed to widen the stereo field.
Also, some modern composers like to reposition the basses dead centre, and the 2nd violins all to the right, for example, to achieve a specific sound.

[davidagates]

Thank you, that was largely my thinking, but you never know the code of conduct (so to speak) unless you ask. There are certain "rules" that unless you're utterly concrete with can really trip you up. Appreciate it.

[cosmicdolphin]

If anything I tend to bring them a bit more central

[davidagates]

If anything I tend to bring them a bit more central

See this is the thing, it's quite hard to know what to do for the best sometimes. I was listening to the Beatles the other day and I realised the kick was to the left. It felt all kinds of wrong but then I though, well, it's not harmed them. That being said I just wanted to make sure in case there is a bar where people listening to music in libraries will go "the brass is in the wrong section, in the bin with that".

[telefunkin]

I might be entirely wrong on this and I hope someone will correct me if so, but I try to get L-R balance in the mix. I don't see the point in sticking to orchestral panning unless I'm working on a full orchestral piece. The smaller the orchestra (or the fewer part of one that I use), the less that strict orchestral positioning matters to me. If a fiddle player joined my rock band I wouldn't necessarily make them stand to my right (although I would still want to keep the drummer at the back.....further back, with the trumpet player! ).

[gitanosoy]

Watch Dennis Sands videos on panning, EQ and which reverbs and how to use them video. After I applied these methods on my BBC free orchestra and it sounded way better and realistic. He was also on one of the TAXI TV episodes "How to mix orchestrals "

[davidagates]

Watch Dennis Sands videos on panning, EQ and which reverbs and how to use them video. After I applied these methods on my BBC free orchestra and it sounded way better and realistic. He was also on one of the TAXI TV episodes "How to mix orchestrals "

I'll do just that, sounds right up my street.

Thanks for the recommendation.

[davidagates]

I might be entirely wrong on this and I hope someone will correct me if so, but I try to get L-R balance in the mix. I don't see the point in sticking to orchestral panning unless I'm working on a full orchestral piece. The smaller the orchestra (or the fewer part of one that I use), the less that strict orchestral positioning matters to me. If a fiddle player joined my rock band I wouldn't necessarily make them stand to my right (although I would still want to keep the drummer at the back.....further back, with the trumpet player! ).

"I cast thee back drummer, back twixt the trumpets"

[CTWF]

If anything I tend to bring them a bit more central

See this is the thing, it's quite hard to know what to do for the best sometimes. I was listening to the Beatles the other day and I realised the kick was to the left. It felt all kinds of wrong but then I though, well, it's not harmed them. That being said I just wanted to make sure in case there is a bar where people listening to music in libraries will go "the brass is in the wrong section, in the bin with that".

Panning in the 60s was little-flying-mammal-excrement crazy!