Alternative stereo techniques for synthesizer-based music?

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DoctoralHermit
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Joined: 13 Dec 2017

07 Feb 2019

In stereo sound, acoustic instruments lend themselves well to approaches based on stage position. However, without "instruments" in a lot of analog synthesis type stuff, I'm curious about alternative stereo techniques. "Ping-ponging" is popular, which as far as I know pans according to an LFO or envelope. I think another interesting alternative approach is to separate frequency bands by stereo. What other techniques are there?

WongoTheSane
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07 Feb 2019

Pan the reverb to the opposite side. If the instrument is to the right, pan the reverb to the left, and vice-versa.

Another trick I'm using is to route the instrument to two different busses, pan one full left with a chorus, pan the other full right with a phaser, for instance. If you don't overdo the effects, it gives a nice big stereo effect.

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diminished
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07 Feb 2019

Doubling. Play the same thing (or a musical "answer to one phrase) but with slightly different effects or settings or detune or whatever. One panned hard left, one right, or some variation of that.
Making use of the Haas effect. Then counter it with volume settings.
EQ mid boost for presence, or the opposite for an instrument further away.
Chopping and reversing reverb tails.
Beat repetition effects with polyrythmic patterns left and right.
Binaural beats when using headphones.

I would not differentiate between acoustic and synthetic instruments though, because the stage will always be there, whether it's an actual stage or a virtual one like the speakers or headphones you're listening with.
:reason: Most recent track: resentment (synthwave) || Others: on my YouTube channel •ᴗ•

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Loque
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07 Feb 2019

I always dream of a cool RE that does the "positioning" for me, where i can plug-in a Reverb, Delay, Filter of choice to simulate binaural and accustic stuff.

Until this is available, i need to do it on my own:
* Up/Down works good with LP/HP/BP
* Left/Right works great with binaural panning, panning, monoing or widening, sometimes phase rotation
* Front/Behind phase rotation, widening, phase inversion combined with filter/EQ
* Near/Far works good with reverbs, small stereo width in source for far "objects", wider for nearer "objects", spreaded for in-da-face!. Reverbs+EQ+damping and the right echo/slap-backs define the rooms size and your position: A close object in a large room has a defined dry with a slapback and reverb. A far object in a large room has short slap back, less dry signal more reverb. The position in the room defines the left/right offset of the slapback/predelays.
* Loudness is important for position

Yea, and now give me that in a simple interface with 3D positioning and breakouts for the reverb, delay, lpf, hpf, ... Please...i would pay for it...if it is not more than 100 bucks.
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diminished
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07 Feb 2019

Loque wrote:
07 Feb 2019
I always dream of a cool RE that does the "positioning" for me, where i can plug-in a Reverb, Delay, Filter of choice to simulate binaural and accustic stuff.

Until this is available, i need to do it on my own:
* Up/Down works good with LP/HP/BP
* Left/Right works great with binaural panning, panning, monoing or widening, sometimes phase rotation
* Front/Behind phase rotation, widening, phase inversion combined with filter/EQ
* Near/Far works good with reverbs, small stereo width in source for far "objects", wider for nearer "objects", spreaded for in-da-face!. Reverbs+EQ+damping and the right echo/slap-backs define the rooms size and your position: A close object in a large room has a defined dry with a slapback and reverb. A far object in a large room has short slap back, less dry signal more reverb. The position in the room defines the left/right offset of the slapback/predelays.
* Loudness is important for position

Yea, and now give me that in a simple interface with 3D positioning and breakouts for the reverb, delay, lpf, hpf, ... Please...i would pay for it...if it is not more than 100 bucks.
Not exactly what you're describing because VST, but there is this neat and free Sennheiser plugin called AMBEO Orbit. Combined with Tokyo Dawn's Proximity you get a lot of bang for your zero bucks.
:reason: Most recent track: resentment (synthwave) || Others: on my YouTube channel •ᴗ•

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bitley
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07 Feb 2019

Ever since the dawning of pop there's been loads of panning going on, placement is totally important and non existing on some home demos which makes them sound like home demos. Study Beatles, Abba...

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Zac
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08 Feb 2019

With modern synths such as Antidote etc they have spread or unison functions for the oscillators due to their layering. This is my main way of filling the stereo field these days. I can set a wide spread for a pad but narrow for a bass. And use a splitter to apply different spreads for spectral regions of the same instrument.

So without any panning i can have a narrow bass in the middle, a lead with medium spread outside that and then a pad wide outside everything with big spread. And with some spectrum EQing, not too much overlap.

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demt
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08 Feb 2019

erm duplicate and offset channeles by 1odd ms then apply effects. bother rateing9/10
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