![]() ![]() So, again, it's not about maximizing the differences between the left and right mix. In fact, we can utilize phase correlation meters to objectively measure the differences between the waveforms of the left and right channels of a stereo mix.Ī phase correlation meter's scale spans continuously from -1 to +1 (or from 180º to 0º).Īt +1, we have 100% correlation between the channels (they are exactly the same).Īt 0, we have the “widest permissible left/right divergence” or the widest permissible stereo image.Īt -1, our left and right channels are completely out of phase and will completely cancel each other out. It's about having a strong centre image while also having differences between the left and right channels to give directionality to certain tracks within the mix (instruments, vocals and effects). So, a strong sense of width in a mix is really about contrast. Think of headphones as the easiest way to achieve such playback, where the left driver is right beside the left ear and the right driver is right beside the right ear. In stereo mixes, we have a left and a right channel, which, when played back in an optimal setup, will coincide with our left and right ears. Stereo mixes (and surround sound formats) take advantage of our natural response to directional sound by utilizing multiple channels of audio for playback. I should mention that this is true so long as the wavelength is shorter than the distance between our ears, where our brains can sufficiently process differences in the waveform phase - this is why low frequencies are practically omnidirectional. We can hear sound sources coming from all directions within 3-dimensional space, whereas stereo mixes only approximate such directionality using two distinct channels. Of course, our auditory systems are much more nuanced than stereo mixes. Sound waves that hit both ears at exactly the same time are generally perceived as being neither left nor right but rather directly ahead, above, behind, beneath, etc. The timing differences can be very small and still perceivable, while longer timing differences are generally heard as distinct echoes (40 ms or more, in most cases). Any small differences in timing/phase as a sound wave reaches our ears will allow our brains to localize the sound's direction relative to our location.Ī sound wave that reaches the left ear first will naturally be perceived as being to the left, while a sound wave that reaches the right ear first will naturally be perceived as being to the right. ![]() Having two ears allows us to localize sound in our environment. In this article, we'll discuss stereo width in greater detail and uncover the strategies worth employing to enhance the perceived width in our mixes.īefore getting to the strategies, let's uncover what width is.īegin with our natural auditory system the human body (like many other animals) is designed with two ears. Contrasting panning of tracks and effects.The sense of width can be enhanced in the following ways: The stereo mix, as a whole, has a width dimension dependent on the differences between the left and right channels. What is width in a mix, and how do I increase it? Width refers to the perceived locational and directional differences of sound sources (tracks) within the mix. If you're wondering how to not only make your mixes wider but also enhance the entire stereo field between the left and right extremes, you've come to the right place. Dimensionality is a sign of a strong mix, and in stereo mixes, width is perhaps the obvious dimension we want to get right.
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