thelvnguage - Raspberry Jam - Updated

[Mixinthecloud]

Panning is an easy way to get definition from a field of instruments which may be fighting for tonal space in a mix.

A pan knob merely varies the gain of an element between speakers. The louder an element, the more it will mask, and vice versa.
Gee. Thanks for the lesson. Who would have known that?

For those who pan to so-say enhance clarity or separation (which is exaggerated and unreliable in headphones due to L and R channel isolation, (disagree completely) and with nearfield monitoring to a large extent), in mono that apparent convenience vanishes and congestion and colossal masking can often be observed. That's why you always check a mix in mono.

A room acts like a mono speaker, allbeit a highly resonant one!
I guess that's why they add asymetry controls in room emulators. Where are you getting this stuff?

However, what I’m feeling here is, to coin a phrase, “Big Mono”, which isn’t engaging. It’s a sense that everyone’s up the middle pushing the phantom centre. I'm expecting a performance by a quartet in a stereo sound stage, as I would expect as an audience participant, or a music consumer with a pair of fully functional ears with binaural acuity and a kickass stereo system.
That's the trouble with expectations. Assume nothing. You'll b a happier person.

The keys for example, have a direct sound which is excessively wide and not of this world with an equally odd proximity. They feel detached from the performance space as a whole, compared say to the guitar or drums which give different cues my brain is trying to interpret and make sense of; there's ambiguity, contradiction and hence distraction.
Have you ever considered checking the polarity of your speakers. What you call distraction others call movement. With such a limited and mono selection of sources, movement is easy and an attractive solution (if you know what you are doing). It hurts that you feel I don't know what I'm doing.

Sticking to sound stage, it would also benefit from the bass guitar having the perception of being in the room. Otherwise it sounds dry as a bone, and in need of ambiance and a phase relationship with the other elements. Better integration generally in other words, and depth. I would also look at it’s attack. Here it sounds muffled and mumbling somewhat, and would benefit from better instrumental definition (an issue in mono). I’ve not explored the multi, so not sure what you are up against.
Are you sure you are commenting on my mix. Maybe you missed the bass guitar chain in the notes.

Oh, I'd turn the vocal up too
In the next mix I promise they will make your ears bleed

Nice goof on me. Haha!