Most of the orchestral samples have been pre-positioned in the libraries we use. So they sound naturally to the left (the violins for example) or naturally to the right (the cellos for example). But what if you want to reposition the instrument? Well, in this video I show you a simple trick to reposition the instrument in the best way you can. Not by using panning, but by actually swapping the entire signal from one side to another.
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Reposition an instrument in the right way
Sometimes you want to change the natural position of an instrument. For example, when you have a lot going on at one side of the orchestra. This could give you some trouble with balance and clarity.
In case of orchestral instruments coming out a pre-positioned library, doing some panning alone won’t be sufficient enough. Moreover, panning alone will harm your mix! It will make it sound blurry.
When repositioning an instrument you want to swap the entire signal. Meaning, you want to adjust the timing of the sound too which is included in the recording. You need to do that so our ears can pinpoint the location of the instrument.
A little bit more detail: it’s all about timing
So let me explain in more detail. When an instrument is positioned at the left side of the stage, the signal of the sound will hit your left ear a bit sooner than the right ear. We’re talking micro seconds here. But it’s important for us to get a feeling of location of the instrument.
Swapping the entire signal with a plugin like I show you in the video, is the correct way to go. After swapping it you can apply some panning to create a little bit more width in your mix if needed.
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