Mixing with automation and panning.

Automation:

Automation is an important tool used in music production. Which allows you to adjust the volume in minor increments to a track throughout the song. When you are mixing a track it would be impossible to create a good accurate mix by just using the volume faders. This is because the volume of each track changes throughout the song. To counteract each instrument's fluctuations in volume you can use automation to have the volume change throughout the song for each instrument depending on where you want that instrument to sit in the mix. Likewise, automation can also be used to affect the panning of each track.

When might you use automation? For example automation may come in helpful to increase the volume for the chorus parts of the song to help the song

Panning:

Panning is used to create a larger stereo image of a track. By panning each track to a different location in the mix. You give the song more room to breathe and each track to cut through the mix. To pan a track you use the panning circle in the mixer on ‘Logic Pro X’ to set the area you want the channel to be panned too.

The most common technique used for mixing with panning is ‘LCR panning’ LCR standing for ‘Left’ ‘Center’ and ‘Right’. This is the technique used when you pan each track either hard to the right, hard to the left or keep the track perfectly central. This gives the track a wide stereo image and makes the track sound very full. When I am mixing for a band, like the one I am doing my recording with I like to also include half pans, meaning I pan most of the tracks either hard left or right and some I pan halfway to the right or left. This is because I am mixing lots of different instruments and vocals and when you only use LCR panning it can sound muddy and confusing. This is a technique that works for me and for the tracks that I am mixing but is different depending on the band or artist you are working with.

JWJ