Pan, width and auto-pan
Stereo audio has two channels, left and right. Where a sound appears to come from depends on how loud it is in each channel. This tool gives you three ways to change that picture, and all of them run in your browser while you listen. Your file is not uploaded.
- Pan moves the whole sound towards the left or right. At the centre both channels are equal; fully left, the right speaker is silent.
- Width changes the distance between left and right. At 0% the file becomes mono, with everything in the centre. At 100% it is unchanged. Above 100% the differences between the channels are made stronger, so the sound spreads wider than the speakers.
- Auto-pan moves the sound from left to right and back again automatically. The speed sets how fast it travels, and the depth how far.
Practical uses
| Problem or goal | What to do |
|---|---|
| Recording only in one ear | set width to 0% to make it mono, so both sides play it |
| Two guests on separate channels | use width 0% to put both voices in the centre |
| Narrow, small-sounding music | raise width to 120–140% |
| Harsh, too wide stereo on headphones | lower width to 70–80% |
| Place an instrument in a mix | pan it 20–40% left or right |
| Movement or a tremolo-like effect | auto-pan at a slow speed |
Care with wide settings
Very high width values can create a problem called phase cancellation: when the file is played in mono, for example on a phone speaker or a smart speaker, parts of the sound partly cancel and become thin or quiet. If your audio will be heard on such devices, keep the width below about 150% and check it at 0% to hear the mono version. Bass sounds best near the centre, so heavy widening on bass-rich music can make the low end weaker.
How panning sounds natural
A simple panner that just turns one channel down makes the sound quieter in the middle of its movement. Good panners use a "constant power" curve, so the sound keeps the same loudness at every position. This is why a sound panned 30% left still feels as loud as in the centre. For auto-pan, slow speeds of 0.1–0.5 Hz give a gentle, wide movement that suits ambient music and pads. Speeds of 2–6 Hz make a fast left-right flutter, a classic effect on electric piano and guitar in older recordings. Very fast auto-pan on headphones can be tiring, so use it on a short part rather than a whole song.
Related effects
For a sound that circles all the way around your head on headphones, use 8D / 3D audio, which uses a head model rather than simple left-right balance. To make a recording feel more spacious without changing its position, add a little reverb or chorus.