So, when routing mono channels to DAW to record, is the panning in the BFD3 mixer for mono/stereo channels not recorded and it just gets recorded up the center, or hard left/right? Pretty sure the answer to that is yes.
Also and more importantly, in regards to the ambient mics. Does the panning setting in mono channels affect where they sit in the ambient mic channels, or are those static? Sometimes I feel like Hi Hats and Rides sound like they’re up the middle in ambient mic channels and not off to the left or right as they should be.
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From a quick look, it seems that tweaking a direct mic pan does not interfere with the Ambient channels. For me, that’s ok. The ambient channels grab the kit as it was positioned at the time of recording I think. Tweaking the width can enhance the sense of panning, the pieces start to sound further apart from eachother and are pushed more to the side they occupy.
I can see how mix and matching some kits that were recorded in different circumstances can create “misplacements”. For example, in a blank preset: load up a Ride 21 HHX Groove in the left hand crash position. Then load a Perc 8 Cym Jingle Disc in the rightmost percussion position. Solo the Amb channel. Notice how the Ride comes from juuuuust off centre right, and the jingle disc from the left. I suppose that’s how they were recorded in the real world, but the kit placement in the GUI makes us expect something different.
I don’t know how this can be handled, if it can be handled at all. This is an interesting question for @BFD_Drew.
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Panning for any channel is specific to that channel, so adjusting the pan on a direct microphone will not affect placement in the ambient microphones.
The ambient microphones are kept natural to how the audio sounded in the room. Some rooms you do get a more centralish position for the hihat, depending on how the mics and drumkits were setup. Very rarely have I ever heard a hihat lean strongly to one side or the other, when in a studio recording situation. You kinda have to construct that situation in post by using volume tricks like ducking and sidechain compression.
It’ll also depend on the drum you’re using, and the number of ambient channels you’re using. If you’re using the overheads, the rooms, and the amb3s, then you’re gonna get all those signal combining which will make the middle sound even stronger.
Throw a few mono mics into the mix, and you’ll definitely get more hihat or ride in the middle. Typically I turn off some of the channels for cymbals; usually I’ll disable the sends to any mono mics or special “crush” mic if it exists. That does help to focus the signal on the overheads for cymbals, whilst leaving those other channels specifically for shells.
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Excellent. This clears things up. Thanks.