<dfn>position</dfn>. By default, the panner is centered at full width.
</p>
<p>
- The stereo panner assumes that the signals
- you wish to distribute are either uncorrelated (i.e. totally
- independent), or that they contain a stereo image which is
- <dfn>mono-compatible</dfn>, such as a co-incident microphone recording, or a
+ The stereo panner assumes that the signals to distribute are either uncorrelated
+ (i.e. totally independent), or that they contain a stereo image which is
+ <dfn>mono-compatible</dfn>, such as a co-incident microphone recording, or a
sound stage that has been created with pan pots.<sup><a href="#caveat">*</a></sup>
</p>
<p class="note">
With the default values it is not possible to alter the position,
since the width is already spread entirely across both outputs. To
- alter the position, you must first reduce the width.
+ alter the position, the width must first be reduced.
</p>
<h2>Stereo Panner User Interface</h2>
-<img src="/images/stereo-panner-annotated.png" alt=""/>
+<figure class="left">
+ <img src="/images/stereo-panner.png" alt="The Stereo Panner">
+ <figcaption>
+ The Stereo Panner
+ </figcaption>
+</figure>
+
<p>
The <dfn>panner user interface</dfn> consists of three elements, divided between
- the top and bottom half. Click and/or drag in the top half to
- control position; click and/or drag in the bottom half to control
+ the top and bottom half. Clicking and/or dragging in the top half
+ controls position; clicking and/or dragging in the bottom half controls
width (see below for details).
</p>
<p>
center of the stereo image is relative to the left and right
edges. When this is the middle of the panner, the stereo image is
centered between the left and right outputs. When it all the way to
- the left, the stereo image collapses to just the left speaker.
+ the left, the stereo image collapses to just the left speaker.
</p>
<p>
- In the bottom half are two signal indicators, one marked "L" and the
- other "R". The distance between these two shows the width of the
+ In the bottom half are two signal indicators, one marked <kbd class="menu">L</kbd> and the
+ other <kbd class="menu">R</kbd>. The distance between these two shows the width of the
stereo image. If the width is reduced to zero, there will only be a
- single signal indicator marked "M" (for mono), whose color will
- change to indicate the special state.
+ single signal indicator marked <kbd class="menu">M</kbd> (for mono), whose color will
+ change to indicate this special state.
</p>
<p>
It is possible to invert the outputs (see below) so that whatever
would have gone to the right channel goes to the left and vice
versa. When this happens, the entire movable part of the panner
- changes color to indicate clearly that this is the case.
+ changes color to indicate clearly that this is the case.
</p>
<h3>Position vs. L/R</h3>
<p>
Although the implementation of the panner uses the "position"
- parameter, when the user interface displays it numerically, it shows
- a pair of numbers that will be familiar to most audio engineers.
+ parameter, when the user interface displays it numerically, it shows
+ a pair of numbers that will be familiar to most audio engineers.
</p>
-<table>
+<table class="nodl">
<tr><th>Position</th><th>L/R</th><th>English</th></tr>
<tr><td>0</td><td>L=50% R=50%</td><td>signal image is midway between
left and right speakers</td></tr>
-
<tr><td>-1</td><td>L=100% R=0%</td><td>signal image is entirely
at the left speaker</td></tr>
-
<tr><td>1</td><td>L=0% R=100%</td><td>signal image is entirely
at the right speaker</td></tr>
</table>
<p>
One way to remember this sort of convention is that the middle of the
- USA is not Kansas, but "Los Angeles: 50% New York: 50%".
+ USA is not Kansas, but "Los Angeles: 50% New York: 50%".
</p>
<h3>Examples In Use</h3>
-<table>
+<table class="nodl">
<tr><th>Appearance</th><th>Settings</th></tr>
<tr><td><img src="/images/stereo-panner.png"></td><td>Width=100%,
L=50 R=50</td></tr>
<p>
Mouse operations in the upper half of the panner adjust the position
- parameter, constrained by the current width setting.
+ parameter, constrained by the current width setting.
</p>
<p>
Mouse operations in the lower half of the panner adjust the width
- parameter, constrained by the current position setting.
+ parameter, constrained by the current position setting.
</p>
<p>
- To change the position smoothly, press the right button and drag
- within the top half of the panner, then release. The position will
- be limited by the current width setting. <em>Note: you do not need
+ The position can be changed smoothly, by pressing the right button and dragging
+ within the top half of the panner, then releasing. The position will
+ be limited by the current width setting. <em>Note: it is not necessary
to grab the position indicator in order to drag.</em>
</p>
<p>
- To change the width smoothly, press the right button and drag
- within the lower half of the panner, then release. The width will be
- limited by the current position setting. <em>Note: you do not need to
- grab the L/R indicators in order to drag.</em>
+ The width can also be changed smoothly, by pressing the right button and dragging
+ within the lower half of the panner, then releasing. The width will be
+ limited by the current position setting. <em>Note: it is not necessary
+ to grab the L/R indicators in order to drag.</em>
</p>
-<dl class="faq">
+<table class="dl">
-<dt>Reset to defaults</dt>
-<dd>Click <kbd class="mod3 mouse">right</kbd></dd>
+<tr><th>Reset to defaults</th>
+<td>Click <kbd class="mod3 mouse">right</kbd></td></tr>
-<dt>Change to hard left</dt>
-<dd>Double click <kbd class="mod2 mouse">right</kbd> in the upper left half
- of the panner</dd>
+<tr><th>Change to hard left</th>
+<td>Double click <kbd class="mod2 mouse">right</kbd> in the upper left half
+ of the panner</td></tr>
-<dt>Change to a hard right</dt>
-<dd>Double click <kbd class="mod2 mouse">right</kbd> in the upper right half
- of the panner</dd>
+<tr><th>Change to a hard right</th>
+<td>Double click <kbd class="mod2 mouse">right</kbd> in the upper right half
+ of the panner</td></tr>
-<dt>Move position as far left as possible, given width</dt>
-<dd>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> in the upper left half of the
- panner</dd>
+<tr><th>Move position as far left as possible, given width</th>
+<td>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> in the upper left half of the
+ panner</td></tr>
-<dt>Move position as far right as possible, given width</dt>
-<dd>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> in the upper right half of the
- panner</dd>
+<tr><th>Move position as far right as possible, given width</th>
+<td>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> in the upper right half of the
+ panner</td></tr>
-<dt>Set the position to center</dt>
-<dd>Click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> in the upper middle of the panner</dd>
+<tr><th>Set the position to center</th>
+<td>Click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> in the upper middle of the panner</td></tr>
-<dt>Reset to maximum possible width</dt>
-<dd>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> on the lower left side</dd>
+<tr><th>Reset to maximum possible width</th>
+<td>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> on the lower left side</td></tr>
-<dt>Invert (flip channel assignments)</dt>
-<dd>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> on the lower right side</dd>
+<tr><th>Invert (flip channel assignments)</th>
+<td>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> on the lower right side</td></tr>
-<dt>Set width to 0°</dt>
-<dd>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> in the lower middle</dd>
-</dl>
+<tr><th>Set width to 0°</th>
+<td>Double click <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> in the lower middle</td></tr>
+</table>
<h4>Keyboard bindings</h4>
keybindings are available to operate on that panner:
</p>
-<dl>
- <dt><kbd>↑</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1">↑</kbd></dt>
- <dd>increase width by 1° / 5°</dd>
- <dt><kbd>↓</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1">↓</kbd></dt>
- <dd>decrease width by 1° / 5°</dd>
- <dt><kbd>←</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1">←</kbd></dt>
- <dd>move position 1° / 5° to the left</dd>
- <dt><kbd>→</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1">→</kbd></dt>
- <dd>move position 1° / 5° to the right</dd>
- <dt><kbd>0</kbd></dt>
- <dd>reset position to center</dd>
- <dt><kbd class="mod2">↑</kbd></dt>
- <dd>reset width to full (100%)</dd>
-</dl>
+<table class="dl">
+ <tr><th><kbd>↑</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1">↑</kbd></th>
+ <td>increase width by 1° / 5°</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd>↓</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1">↓</kbd></th>
+ <td>decrease width by 1° / 5°</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd>←</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1">←</kbd></th>
+ <td>move position 1° / 5° to the left</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd>→</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1">→</kbd></th>
+ <td>move position 1° / 5° to the right</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd>0</kbd></th>
+ <td>reset position to center</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd class="mod2">↑</kbd></th>
+ <td>reset width to full (100%)</td></tr>
+</table>
<h4>Using the scroll wheel/touch scroll</h4>
wheel may be used as follows:
</p>
-<dl>
- <dt><kbd class="mouse">⇐</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇐</kbd></dt>
- <dd>increase width by 1° / 5°</dd>
- <dt><kbd class="mouse">⇒</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇒</kbd></dt>
- <dd>decrease width by 1° / 5°</dd>
- <dt><kbd class="mouse">⇑</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇑</kbd></dt>
- <dd>move position 1° / 5° to the left</dd>
- <dt><kbd class="mouse">⇓</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇓</kbd></dt>
- <dd>move position 1° / 5°to the right</dd>
-</dl>
+<table class="dl">
+ <tr><th><kbd class="mouse">⇐</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇐</kbd></th>
+ <td>increase width by 1° / 5°</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd class="mouse">⇒</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇒</kbd></th>
+ <td>decrease width by 1° / 5°</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd class="mouse">⇑</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇑</kbd></th>
+ <td>move position 1° / 5° to the left</td></tr>
+ <tr><th><kbd class="mouse">⇓</kbd> / <kbd class="mod1 mouse">⇓</kbd></th>
+ <td>move position 1° / 5°to the right</td></tr>
+</table>
<h2><a name="caveat"></a>Stereo panning caveats</h2>
<p class="warning">
The stereo panner will introduce unwanted side effects on
material that includes a time difference between the channels, such
-as A/B, ORTF or NOS microphone recordings, or delay-panned mixes.<br />
-When you reduce the with, you are effectively summing two highly
-correlated signals with a delay, which will cause <dfn>comb filtering</dfn>.
+as A/B, ORTF or NOS microphone recordings, or delay-panned mixes.<br>
+When the width is reduced, two highly correlated signals with a delay are
+effectively summed, which will cause <dfn>comb filtering</dfn>.
</p>
-<p>
-Let's take a closer look at what happens when you record a source at 45° to the
-right side with an ORTF stereo microphone array and then manipulate the width.
+<p>
+Let's take a closer look at what happens when a source is recorded at 45° to the
+right side with an ORTF stereo microphone array and then the width manipulated.
</p>
<p>
For testing, we apply a <dfn>pink noise</dfn> signal to both inputs of an Ardour stereo
-bus with the stereo panner, and feed the bus output to a two-channel analyser.
+bus with the stereo panner, and feed the bus output to a two-channel analyser.
Since pink noise contains equal energy per octave, the expected readout is a
straight line, which would indicate that our signal chain does not color the
sound:
</p>
-<img src="/images/stereo-panner-with-ORTF-fullwidth.png" />
+
+<figure class="center">
+ <img src="/images/stereo-panner-with-ORTF-fullwidth.png" alt="Stereo panner
+ with ORTF fullwidth">
+ <figcaption>Stereo panner with ORTF full width</figcaption>
+</figure>
+
<p>
-To simulate an ORTF, we use Robin Gareus' stereo balance
-control LV2 to set the level difference and time delay. Ignore the Trim/Gain
-— its purpose is just to align the test signal with the 0dB line of the
-analyser.
+ An ORTF is simulated using Robin Gareus' stereo balance control LV2 to set the
+ level difference and time delay. The Trim/Gain can be ignored—its purpose
+ is just to align the test signal with the 0dB line of the analyser.
</p>
-<p>
-Recall that an <dfn>ORTF</dfn> microphone pair consists of two cardioids spaced 17 cm
-apart, with an opening angle of 110°.
-For a far source at 45° to the right, the time difference between the capsules
-is 350 μs or approximately 15 samples at 44.1 kHz. The level difference
-due to the directivity of the microphones is about 7.5 dB (indicated by the
-distance between the blue and red lines in the analyser).
+
+<p>
+ An <dfn>ORTF</dfn> microphone pair consists of two cardioids spaced 17 cm
+ apart, with an opening angle of 110°. For a far source at 45° to the
+ right, the time difference between the capsules is 350 μs or
+ approximately 15 samples at 44.1 kHz. The level difference due to the
+ directivity of the microphones is about 7.5 dB (indicated by the distance
+ between the blue and red lines in the analyser).
</p>
<p>
-Now for the interesting part: if we reduce the width of the signal to 50%,
-the time-delayed signals will be combined in the panner. Observe what
-happens to the frequency response of the left and right outputs:
+ Now for the interesting part: if the width of the signal is reduced to 50%,
+ the time-delayed signals will be combined in the panner. What happens to the
+ frequency response of the left and right outputs is shown in the following
+ picture:
</p>
-<img src="/images/stereo-panner-with-ORTF-halfwidth.png" />
+
+<figure class="center">
+ <img src="/images/stereo-panner-with-ORTF-halfwidth.png" alt="Stereo panner
+ with ORTF halfwidth">
+ <figcaption>Stereo panner with ORTF half width</figcaption>
+</figure>
+
<p>
-You may argue that all spaced microphone recordings will undergo comb
-filtering later, when the two channels recombine in the air between the speakers.
-Perceptually however, there is a huge of difference: our hearing system is
-very good at eliminating comb filters in the real world, where their component
-signals are spatially separated. But once you combine them
-inside your signal chain, this spatial separation is lost and the brain will
-no longer be able to sort out the timbral mess. As usual, you
-get to keep the pieces.
+ It can be argued that all spaced microphone recordings will undergo comb
+ filtering later, when the two channels recombine in the air between the
+ speakers. Perceptually however, there is a huge difference: our hearing
+ system is very good at eliminating comb filters in the real world, where their
+ component signals are spatially separated. But once they are combined inside
+ a signal chain, this spatial separation is lost and the brain will no
+ longer be able to sort out the timbral mess.
</p>
<p class="note">
-Depending on your material and on how much you need to manipulate the width,
-some degree of comb filtering may be acceptable. Then again, it may not. Listen
-carefully for artefacts if you manipulate unknown stereo signals — many
-orchestra sample libraries for example do contain time-delay components.
+ Depending on the material and on how much the width needs to be manipulated,
+ some degree of comb filtering may be acceptable. Then again, it may not.
+ It is advised to listen carefully for artefacts when manipulating unknown stereo
+ signals—many orchestra sample libraries for example do contain
+ time-delay components.
</p>
-
-
-
projects / ardour-manual / blobdiff