
Otherwise the mix will sound hollow, muddy, and cause listening fatigue.įrequency imbalances are extra problematic because they can create masking. Your mix needs balance across the frequency range. One of the biggest challenges for wide stereo images is frequency balance issues.

It might seem bizarre, but mixing in mono is an excellent place to start for getting a wider mix. In this article, you’ll learn 7 quick and easy Tips that will widen your stereo images and bust your mixes outta’ the box. This article will focus on stereo image techniques during the mixing stage-specifically for getting that massive, extra-wide sound.

You can’t think about one dimension without considering the others as well-they all interact to create the total stereo image.Ī massive stereo image is also dependent on good stereo mic’ing techniques. But you need to consider all the dimensions to create the widest possible stereo image. The depth of your mix depends on how you use time-based effects like reverb and delay to create a deep or shallow image. Width is achievable in many ways (more on this below), but one of the most important keys for width is panning. Width is how your sounds move from one side of the mix (or speakers) to the other. Height is achieved with the proper use of levels and EQs. The height of your mix refers to how high your mix sounds. Just like the real 3D world, your stereo image has three dimensions: Height Stereo image is the perceived spatial locations of sound sources within an audio signal.įor example: When you’re listening to an amazing piece of music that paints a crystal clear picture of which instruments are playing and where they are in relation to you: that’s good stereo image. So use these 7 tips and go wide with your mix!īut before we start, a few basics… What is stereo image? In this guide you’ll learn how to expand your mixes and build the acoustic space that makes good tracks great (and professional).

So how do you add that extra dimension that takes your mix from 2D to 3D? In fact, your stereo image is so important we even named our company after it: L and R, LANDR… Get it? Learning how expand the dimensions of your stereo image and take it from 2D to 3D, is the only way to get that kind of mix. The qualities that transport your listener out of their seat and INTO your music. Without a strong stereo image, your mix will struggle to achieve the expansive and immersive qualities that mixing and mastering strive for. Let’s face it, most mixes don’t jump out of the speaker.
