Example Settings, OK. (Yes the Channel Tool can be automated)
I have a track that begins with 2 acoustic guitars then a vocal comes in then bass and drums about 30 sec. in.
I wanted a full sounding acoustic guitar at the beginning so I was easy on the hi pass at around 150Hz. When the vocal comes in, I also wanted it deep and rich around 400HZ and the guitars conflicted EQ wise. So there is the option to automate the guitar EQ so they thin out when the vocal arrives. It wasn't a terrible conflict, just a little fat in the low end. By the time the bass comes in however, it now was conflicting with the guitars as well, so the low end build up is reaching the boundaries of tasteful. Add to this the kick and low end of the snare and now things are too much.
The Channel tool allows you to do several things like, lower the volume in the middle or center of the sound. Alternatively you can lower the volume on the Left and Right side of the sound. These are mid side adjustments. The tool can also narrowly define the spread of a sound so you can pinpoint or fine pan with the sound coming from 80% left to 50%left that is the entire spread of the sound, on the left between the 80 and 50% panned position. This is different than just panning to say 65% to the left because some of the sound, although weaker comes out the right side and middle still. With this tool the sound is exactly in its position but the spread left to right can be narrowed. Thus my left guitar was positioned with a spread that fell between 80% left and 50% left entire spread. Nowhere in the middle or on the right.
I then put the right guitar at the opposite position with a narrow spread on the right. Now the guitars did not conflict with the voice or bass in the middle, they sounded full. Voilà , little EQ required to get a full sound and the instruments and voice did not muddy each other.
Another example is to put the channel tool on your reverb out. Turn on the mid side switch and dip the middle of the signal slightly. Now you can hear your reverb clearly on the left and right and not have it conflict with the vocal in the middle of the sound stage.
Another neat trick is Mid-Side process your entire mix which provides a wider sounding image and deeper too. I got a drum to sound like it was behind my head on the left using this technique. So the Channel tool is a very cool feature for crafting a final mix. Hope that provides a few ideas out there.
post edited by Middleman - 2008/10/25 02:14:15