3 ms·

Add drum mixes panned from the audience perspective instead of drummer perspective and you’ve got my vote.

alexjplant 3y ago
I always mix audience perspective because I usually stand in front of the drum kit when I see bands live. Do most people stand behind them? Am I doing something wrong?
- relaxing 3y ago
  I'm assuming OP is themselves a drummer.
- slim 3y ago
  yes, you are doing it wrong. drummer is not drumming from the audience perspective
  - alexjplant 3y ago
    Duly noted. Next time I mic up a speaker cab I'll stick the microphone where the guitarist's head is instead of on the speaker grill. In all seriousness this topic falls squarely into the square of "strong opinion, weakly held" as far as I'm concerned - nobody except people like us actually cares. That being said I've yet to hear a cogent argument for the contrary position... I make music for the audience, not for musicians.
    - spopejoy 3y ago
      I think a rational argument for it is that stereo panning of drumkit elements are not something you can hear from the audience, and maybe even from the stage. Can anybody even remember having the "audience" stereo experience in real life? You'd have to be standing right in front of the drumkit. Whereas drummers actually experience this panning configuration in real life, and when you're placing the mics in the mix, that's the set of ears you're trying to mimic, really because there isn't any _other_ set of ears to opine. And it's an important one because it provides the lion's share of the stereo image.
- sickcodebruh 3y ago
  Speaking as a drummer and sometimes producer, the only people likely to have strong opinions about this are drummers. All of my drummer friends agree: audience mixes make some albums unlistenable on headphones. Nobody else will notice either way, so mix drummer perspective on the off chance that the drummers listening will appreciate it. Live albums get a pass, of course. And yes, lefty drummers exist. If a lefty drummer wants their kit panned the way they hear it, that is of course fine.
InitialLastName 3y ago
How do you know the drummer isn't left-handed?

I always mix audience perspective because I usually stand in front of the drum kit when I see bands live. Do most people stand behind them? Am I doing something wrong?

relaxing 3y ago
I'm assuming OP is themselves a drummer.
slim 3y ago
yes, you are doing it wrong. drummer is not drumming from the audience perspective
- alexjplant 3y ago
  Duly noted. Next time I mic up a speaker cab I'll stick the microphone where the guitarist's head is instead of on the speaker grill. In all seriousness this topic falls squarely into the square of "strong opinion, weakly held" as far as I'm concerned - nobody except people like us actually cares. That being said I've yet to hear a cogent argument for the contrary position... I make music for the audience, not for musicians.
  - spopejoy 3y ago
    I think a rational argument for it is that stereo panning of drumkit elements are not something you can hear from the audience, and maybe even from the stage. Can anybody even remember having the "audience" stereo experience in real life? You'd have to be standing right in front of the drumkit. Whereas drummers actually experience this panning configuration in real life, and when you're placing the mics in the mix, that's the set of ears you're trying to mimic, really because there isn't any _other_ set of ears to opine. And it's an important one because it provides the lion's share of the stereo image.
sickcodebruh 3y ago
Speaking as a drummer and sometimes producer, the only people likely to have strong opinions about this are drummers. All of my drummer friends agree: audience mixes make some albums unlistenable on headphones. Nobody else will notice either way, so mix drummer perspective on the off chance that the drummers listening will appreciate it. Live albums get a pass, of course. And yes, lefty drummers exist. If a lefty drummer wants their kit panned the way they hear it, that is of course fine.

InitialLastName 3y ago

How do you know the drummer isn't left-handed?