Bah Humbug to the whole thing about "from the audience perspective".

Unless you're actually on the stage with the musicians, everything tends to be mixed mono or pretty dang close from the audience perspective..... unless you're at a Pink Floyd show.

I mix things this way.

For fullness and space, I mix two close to exactly the same acoustic guitar tracks panned 100% R&L. Sounds like mono with space. I was going to say sounds like mono with a stereo feel but I know that would blow some of your minds. huh? What?

Other things tend to be 30% or so one way or the other with something on the other side to balance it out so it doesn't sound off center.

And yes, using your example of fiddle at 30% one side and mandolin 30% the other side.... when one of them gets a solo, yes, bring it to the center, and turn it up a few dB.... nothing drastic, just enough so it cuts through, and drop the other thing out totally for that solo. Or, in addition to dropping the other out, bring in something totally different, like maybe a piano centered but lower so you don't have an empty space where something used to be. It's fun to experiment with that. The whole point is to have the solo instrument be in the spotlight for the solo, then, you want to pan it back after the solo.

That's also a great place to bring in something totally new. Or to have a dynamic change in the song. Just think out of the box and be creative.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 05/08/17 03:27 PM.
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