Learn how to enhance the depth of your mix with this comprehensive stereo imaging tutorial. Master the art of creating a three-dimensional sound experience by manipulating the panning and positioning of your audio elements. Implement advanced techniques to add spatial dimension and create a sense of depth in your mix. Discover the power of stereo imaging and take your productions to the next level. Follow our step-by-step guide and master the art of adding depth to your mix.

by Anders Johanson September 09, 2018 4 min read

Creating a captivating stereo panorama is a vital aspect of blending popular music. While some may have the privilege of recording in acoustically rich spaces with top-tier microphones, many of us must rely on in-the-box manipulation to craft a powerful sonic landscape, particularly when working with non-acoustic audio sources.

First and foremost, it is crucial to mention that when employing methods aimed at expanding the stereo image, it is imperative to remain mindful of the mono mix. Giving excessive priority to widening the stereo field may potentially undermine the integrity of the mono sum, which is vital for ensuring the coherence of playback on widely-used single-speaker audio devices, including public address systems, portable radios, and mobile phones. Consequently, it is advantageous to apply stereo-widening processing to your effects channels instead of your primary vocal and instrumental tracks. Thus, what are some effective techniques to consider?

Mid-Side Processing In Your Mix

If you're already getting a stereo output from your effect return (like most people's reverb, delay, and modulation effects do), one easy way to make the width stand out is by using a Mid-Sides plugin. This tool allows you to control the levels of the stereo signal's Mid component (the mono sum) and Sides component (what's left after removing the Mid Component). Voxengo offers a great freeware option for this. MSEDOne plugin that stands out is the mentioned one. Increasing the Sides level will expand the width of the stereo image in the effect channel.

reverb or delay effects to a mix. Rather than relying solely on panning or EQ techniques, manipulating stereo width can provide a more immersive and spacious sound. Implementing this technique allows sound engineers to create a sense of depth and dimension in their mixes, making them more engaging and unique. By adjusting the stereo width, sound can be positioned more precisely within the stereo field, resulting in a clearer and more defined mix. So, next time you are looking to enhance your audio production, remember the power of widening stereo and its versatile applications. reverbTo enhance the ambiance of mono recordings, you can widen the reverb channel. By doing so, you move the focus away from the center of the stereo image, preventing excessive overlap with the original mono recording. However, it is important to note that when employing Mid-Sides processing in this manner, the more Sides level you incorporate in the stereo mix, the less noticeable the effect becomes in mono.

Swap the positions of the left and right sides of an EQ, and flip it.

HTML markup. EQ pluginsLuckily, there is a more elegant way to achieve the same results. To begin, send the signal from the effects channel to a basic stereo delay with a duration of 8 milliseconds. Next, invert the polarity only for the left channel of the delay effect. If your DAW does not have a functionality for this, you can try using Flux's freeware. Stereo Tool plugin.)

Now, in the event that you dim this Now, should you weaken this Now, assuming you make this less intense Now, if you tone down this Now, imagine that you soften this delay effectWhen you add this technique to your mix, it will create comb-filtering, which is a series of evenly spaced dips in frequency. However, it will produce these dips at different frequencies for the left and right channels, resulting in a wider stereo image. The great thing about this is that you can adjust the intensity of the comb-filtering and therefore the strength of the widening effect by adjusting the level of the delay effect in the mix. One consequence of this approach is that it will subtly alter the perceived tone of the effect channel in both mono and stereo. However, if this is a concern, you can prevent it by using a Mid-Sides plugin to silence the delay effect's Mid component. Additionally, if you use a significant amount of this comb-filtering delay in the mix, you may notice that the low frequencies of your effect channel veer towards one side. This can easily be corrected by applying a high-pass filter to the delay itself if necessary.

Left And Right Pitch-Shifting

The general idea of distinguishing between the left and right channels to expand the stereo effects signal can be implemented in other ways as well. One possible approach is to utilize a pitch-shifting tool to slightly raise the pitch of the left channel and lower the pitch of the right channel by the same number of cents. Most digital audio workstation (DAW) software comes with a built-in pitch-shifter plugin capable of making such minor adjustments without introducing significant artifacts, even when working with challenging elements such as drums and percussion (which are often difficult for pitch-shifters to handle without producing undesirable digital glitches). Therefore, there is no reason not to experiment with this technique! However, it is important to note that this widening method may result in a subtle chorus-like shimmer in the mono mix due to the interplay between the pitch-shifted left and right channels when combined.

Modulating Processors

All the enlargement plans we have examined up until now are fundamentally unchanging, but there are additional opportunities by employing modulated methods instead. One of the most direct approaches is incorporating a basic stereo chorus effect to the sequence - experiment with Blue Cat's. freeware Chorus pluginIf your digital audio workstation does not have its own chorus effect, you can create one by using a delay that is modulated cyclically. However, the modulation is done in opposite ways for the left and right channels. This creates a subtle vibrato effect, with the speed and strength controlled by the Rate and Depth parameters of the chorus plugin. The pitch of the sound varies upwards on the left side and downwards on the right side. To achieve stereo widening, it is recommended to set the Rate to a slow value (less than 1Hz) and avoid increasing the Depth control too much, as it can become distracting if the pitch variation is too extreme. While this effect can suffer from similar shimmering side-effects in mono as the simple stereo pitch-shifting method mentioned earlier, the dynamic nature of these side-effects often makes them less noticeable and undesirable in practice.

Utilize Auto-pan for a Simplified Experience

Finally, a straightforward auto-panning technique can enhance the stereo effect on any effect channel. However, one must be cautious as it can be perceived as a mere gimmick of sweeping sounds from left to right. To make it more diverse and versatile, it is recommended to utilize it as a multi-band effect, allowing for various panning techniques across different frequency ranges. If you want to take your audio production to the next level, incorporating this method will undoubtedly provide a unique and captivating experience for listeners. <p>Finally, a straightforward auto-panning technique can enhance the stereo effect on any effect channel. However, one must be cautious as it can be perceived as a mere gimmick of sweeping sounds from left to right. To make it more diverse and versatile, it is recommended to utilize it as a multi-band effect, allowing for various panning techniques across different frequency ranges. If you want to take your audio production to the next level, incorporating this method will undoubtedly provide a unique and captivating experience for listeners.</p> DAWIf you do not have a multi-band auto-panner available, there is a workaround you can use by duplicating your effects channel and employing EQ to separate various frequency regions in each duplicate in order to enable independent panning.