Annual tip: Remember to set Pan law

Thank you panup

Is Pan law a project setting or a general SONAR setting?  If it's saved with the project you will have to edit all your project templates.  Since each new project will get whatever is setup in the template you start with.  This is true for all the per-project settings in SONAR.  If you want to change any of these you have to fix every template you use.  But I'm not sure Driver Settings is like that.  Anyone know for sure?

So which pan law is everyone using and why?

It's both, actually. I record voice and guitar in mono, but they typically end up being stereo tracks because of added signal processing.

Anderton
Here's an article that tells what you need to know about pan laws, which pan law I've chosen, and why. I'm sure you'll find Figure 3 interesting, which shows how different panning laws affect signal level when panned to one side or in mono. 

Thank you Craig
 
I'm probably a bit long in the tooth now to take all that on board. Old dog, new tricks and all that.
 
I don't think it will bother me too much... I'm not a pro, never will be. In fact, for what I do, it's debatable whether I should even be using Sonar Platinum, when Artist would suffice.
 
I work solely on my own, nowadays, and only swap stems as either stereo or mono wave files for the infrequent collaborations. I will never be porting my projects over to another DAW. I do record audio, as either mono or stereo, depending on the source (I've got a couple of guitars, a modular synth and a couple of VA synths) but most of my work is done with VST instruments. The genre I am currently exploring is minimal/ambient I often let some of my VST effects take care of my panning needs (stereo delay for instance).
 
I saw the other topic about summing to mono to check the mix and I understand that we should ensure that a mix works in mono as well as stereo. But this is something else that I don't do. I always assume that my work is going to be listened to on headphones, mainly because of the genre and also because it is something I have been doing myself for many years, regardless of genre.
 
So, given all that, I don't think that panning law is something that I should worry too much about. BUT, I will certainly consider trying your default choice, just because you know what you are doing, and I certainly don't.
 
Cheers, and thanks again,
 
andy

Great article.  By the way, I am quite surprised to learn that Sonar does NOT default to -3 center.

Caa2
 
In other words, if you select the *correct* "pan law" you will not hear it working.
See what I did there?
 

 
So in other, other words would you say, or are you saying, there should not be big level difference, at same listening position if switching between mono and stereo output? i.e., pan law choice should help make it easier to balance your mix to sound "OK" for both stereo and mono listening? (but possibly not perfect for either?).
 
Would you not somehow be compromising the stereo fx/quality possible by mixing something to sound "OK"  in both mono and stereo, particularly when intended to be heard with stereo fx?
 
Would one law apply better to, static/set panned positions, and one more to dynamic/automated panning fx?, i.e., moving a sound from left to right? (which for example wouldn't be appreciated listening in mono)  
 
I still tend to think, one way or another, you dont necessarily want something panned to sound the same level as something centred, so will be adjusting fader levels anyways, perhaps in some ways it may be nice if you could actually set the dB "law" level yourself than use these set values? (or I guess this would somehow be the same using the 0 balanced setting, and using fader to determine the law?)
 
Are there similar principles that apply in surround mixing? (I haven't yet done any, so may be a dumb question, LOL)
 
Cheers 
 

A good stereo example to me is Van Halen I.  .
Or Jimi Hendrix, Purple Haze.