Pan and Stereo Width

Pan decides where a track sits left to right.

Stereo width decides how wide its image spreads.

Together they shape the horizontal space of a mix, giving each part room instead of stacking everything in the center. This page grounds the controls in libsonare's PannerProcessor and StereoWidthProcessor; for the basics see Mixing Basics.

Pan position

Pan moves a track between hard left and hard right. Spreading parts across the field lets each breathe and reduces masking. But "pan" hides two separate decisions — how a position maps to the channels, and how loud the center is — and libsonare exposes both.

Pan mode: how position maps to channels

A pan mode chooses the mapping:

• A true pan moves a mono source across the field.
• A balance control turns one side of a stereo track down rather than repositioning it.
• Independent L/R positioning places each side separately.

Choosing the right mode matters most for stereo sources: a true-pan applied to an already-stereo track can collapse its image, where a balance keeps it intact.

Pan law: keeping loudness steady as you pan

When a source pans from center to a side, its perceived loudness can jump unless compensated. Pan law sets how much the center is attenuated relative to the sides (common laws are around −3 dB or −4.5 dB at center) so a part does not get louder or quieter simply because you moved it. Match the pan law to your monitoring and summing expectations.

Stereo width

Stereo width narrows or widens the image, usually by adjusting the side signal (left-minus-right) relative to the mid signal.

Widening adds spaciousness, but it can create mono compatibility problems. Too much side energy can weaken or cancel when summed to mono.

Narrowing tightens focus and improves mono robustness. Width belongs late in the strip, after pan, so it acts on the already placed signal.

How libsonare models pan and width

Pan is a PannerProcessor configured by PanMode (true pan / balance / independent) and PanLaw (center attenuation), placed after the fader in the strip. Stereo width is a StereoWidthProcessor operating on the mid/side representation, late in the signal order so it acts on the panned signal. Both are parameter-smoothed for click-free moves and feed the post-fader GoniometerBuffer so the resulting image can be metered. The placement matches the fixed strip order described in Channel Strip.

Related: Mixing Basics, Channel Strip, Mono Compatibility, Automation and Metering