Session Drummer 3, Toms and the Width Control

Author
ston
Max Output Level: -71 dBFS
  • Total Posts : 965
  • Joined: 2008/03/04 12:28:40
  • Status: offline
2013/09/15 08:27:11 (permalink)

Session Drummer 3, Toms and the Width Control

Can somebody explain to me why the width control in SD3 affects the stereo positioning of toms?  No other drum instruments are affected by this control in this manner, just toms.
 
I was trying to work out why the low toms were so far right in the stereo field with the pan set to centre.  I thought it was just a 'very asymmetrical' wave file, but then I tweaked the width control and the panning altered.
 
Seems odd to me (?)
 
 
#1

7 Replies Related Threads

    Grem
    Max Output Level: -19.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 5562
    • Joined: 2005/06/28 09:26:32
    • Location: Baton Rouge Area
    • Status: offline
    Re: Session Drummer 3, Toms and the Width Control 2013/09/15 08:38:36 (permalink)
    I just started SD3 and the width control doesn't act that way on this PC. In the mixer section I made sure all three toms were panned center. Then i turned the width control and only heard what appeared to me to be a "father away" fx. No panning at all.

    Grem

    Michael
     
    Music PC
    i7 2600K; 64gb Ram; 3 256gb SSD, System, Samples, Audio; 1TB & 2TB Project Storage; 2TB system BkUp; RME FireFace 400; Win 10 Pro 64; CWbBL 64, 
    Home PC
    AMD FX 6300; 8gb Ram; 256 SSD sys; 2TB audio/samples; Realtek WASAPI; Win 10 Home 64; CWbBL 64 
    Surface Pro 3
    Win 10  i7 8gb RAM; CWbBL 64
    #2
    ston
    Max Output Level: -71 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 965
    • Joined: 2008/03/04 12:28:40
    • Status: offline
    Re: Session Drummer 3, Toms and the Width Control 2013/09/15 12:18:00 (permalink)
    Hmm, might depend on the kit perhaps?  I'm using Sonic Reality's Classic Rock Kit.
     
    I'm having some odd panning related issues today.  In addition to the issue in SD3, I'm becoming convinced that the Windows 7's kernel mixer is wired up the wrong way 'round internally (left <-> right).
     
    I've mixed down a track where the aforementioned toms are more to the right than the left.  On the master bus if I pan right, the sound goes right and visa-versa as you'd expect.  If I play the mixed-down wave file inside Sonar, same thing; pan right and the sound goes right, toms are on the right.  If I play this file in e.g. Media Player, or the mp3 I've created from it, the opposite is true.  This is through the same soundcard interface, routing via Sonar so I can play with panning etc.  Sonar is still panning right to right, but now the toms are in the left field.  If I play using media player through the MOBO's built in soundcard, I have to switch the RCA connectors the wrong way round for right panning to go right and the toms to be in the right channel. 
     
    The only explanation I can think of is that Windows has its left and right the wrong way 'round.  I'm going to play the mp3 file on a few independent devices to corroborate this.
    #3
    konradh
    Max Output Level: -42 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 3325
    • Joined: 2006/01/16 16:07:06
    • Status: offline
    Re: Session Drummer 3, Toms and the Width Control 2013/09/15 15:42:00 (permalink)
    In general, what is the purpose of the width control?

    Konrad
    Current album and more: http://www.themightykonrad.com/

    Sonar X1d Producer. V-Studio 700. PC: Intel i7 CPU 3.07GHz, 12 GB RAM. Win 7 64-bit. RealGuitar, RealStrat, RealLPC, Ivory II, Vienna Symphonic, Hollywood Strings, Electr6ity, Acoustic Legends, FabFour, Scarbee Rick/J-Bass/P-Bass, Kontakt 5. NI Session Guitar. Boldersounds, Noisefirm. EZ Drummer 2. EZ Mix. Melodyne Assist. Guitar Rig 4. Tyros 2, JV-1080, Kurzweil PC2R, TC Helicon VoiceWorks+. Rode NT2a, EV RE20. Presonus Eureka.  Rokit 6s. 
    #4
    b rock
    Max Output Level: 0 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 8717
    • Joined: 2003/12/07 20:31:48
    • Location: Anytown (South of Miami), U.S.A.
    • Status: offline
    Re: Session Drummer 3, Toms and the Width Control 2013/09/15 16:04:57 (permalink)
    In general, what is the purpose of the width control?

    I did a tutorial about five years back that focused on stereo oscillators.  It might help with the explanation of Width.
    Wide Load - Stereo Wavetables in Rapture 1.1/LE
    #5
    ston
    Max Output Level: -71 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 965
    • Joined: 2008/03/04 12:28:40
    • Status: offline
    Re: Session Drummer 3, Toms and the Width Control 2013/09/16 04:50:56 (permalink)
    b rock
    In general, what is the purpose of the width control?

    I did a tutorial about five years back that focused on stereo oscillators.  It might help with the explanation of Width.
    Wide Load - Stereo Wavetables in Rapture 1.1/LE


    Thanks, that was an interesting read and explains what was happening in Session Drummer:
     
    "Session Drummer adds a negative Width range, from -100%, through 0%, then up to 100%.  Negative values progressively swap the left and right channels of the stereo file, flipping the apparent perspective."
     
    I think my hunch that the toms sample wave file is asymmetric was correct; with width 100% and pan central, the low toms appear more in the right channel.  With width 0%, the low toms wave file is mono'd so they appear central.  With width -100%, the wave file is flipped so the toms appear more in the left channel.
     
    Cool
    #6
    soens
    Max Output Level: -23.5 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 5154
    • Joined: 2005/09/16 03:19:55
    • Location: Location: Location
    • Status: offline
    Re: Session Drummer 3, Toms and the Width Control 2013/09/16 04:57:30 (permalink)
    "Toms and the Width Control"
     
    I just don't get these new fangled band names...
     

    #7
    konradh
    Max Output Level: -42 dBFS
    • Total Posts : 3325
    • Joined: 2006/01/16 16:07:06
    • Status: offline
    Re: Session Drummer 3, Toms and the Width Control 2013/09/16 11:10:13 (permalink)
    Thanks for all the great information.  Just one follow-up question:
     
    In general, what is the purpose of the width control?
     


    Konrad
    Current album and more: http://www.themightykonrad.com/

    Sonar X1d Producer. V-Studio 700. PC: Intel i7 CPU 3.07GHz, 12 GB RAM. Win 7 64-bit. RealGuitar, RealStrat, RealLPC, Ivory II, Vienna Symphonic, Hollywood Strings, Electr6ity, Acoustic Legends, FabFour, Scarbee Rick/J-Bass/P-Bass, Kontakt 5. NI Session Guitar. Boldersounds, Noisefirm. EZ Drummer 2. EZ Mix. Melodyne Assist. Guitar Rig 4. Tyros 2, JV-1080, Kurzweil PC2R, TC Helicon VoiceWorks+. Rode NT2a, EV RE20. Presonus Eureka.  Rokit 6s. 
    #8
    Jump to:
    © 2025 APG vNext Commercial Version 5.1