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Originally Posted by messiahwannabe  i feel like this guy's asking a legit question (though perhaps english is his second language?) and i wouldn't mind hearing a few pro opinions on this subject as well. |
It's a totally legit question; likewise, "LCR only" is a totally legit answer. More pro's mix this way than you might imagine.
Try to understand there are many ways to get elements placed anywhere in the field you want and still have all your pan knobs L, C, or R. One of my favorites for stereo sources: pan your left track L, and your right track C. Now jockey those faders around up and down and notice how the use of level creates panning as well. If you need it skewed more to the right side of the mix, pan one track C and the other R. This is old school "true stereo panning".
LCR does a great job of maintaining openness in a mix because it tends to keep the space around the critical center elements more open. Mixes also sound wider, which may or may not be a good thing. Wide often equates as lush, but it just as often equates as less punchy or focused. Mixes need contrast to be interesting: if everything's wide, nothing has drama.
Personally, I've backed away from militant LCR in the past year, mostly because I'm recording more acoustic instruments in true stereo. For those, I find 'pinpoint panning' to be lovely because you not only play with the width and focus, you get to tailor the depth and touchability as well. On a pair of well-placed overheads, there's a point when you pull the pan knobs inward and it stops sounding like a huge recording and it starts looking like an actual, solid little version of your room floating between the speakers. Pan too far in and it collapses, which can also be a good thing because mono drums rock. But that touchable little room, it's a hell of an effect for spacious, acoustic arrangements.
Anyway, you guys with 4 or 5 'stereo' synths, you may want to try just tossing one side on most or all of those sounds and working with the mono tracks. If you want more drama, pick one, pick the biggest, and use a different synth with a slightly different but similar sound playing the identical part, and pan *that* opposite. The effect is massive, way more massive than a single sound that's been 'stereo-ized' by effects.
Gregory Scott - ubk
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