Pan (Panning)

Pan (Panning)

The process of “placing” a particular sound within the stereo field. This is accomplished by controlling the balance of the signal between the left and right speakers so the ear hears the sound as coming from a particular point in the sonic space between left and right. This sonic space is sometimes called the “stereo panorama,” from which the word “panning” is derived. In surround sound, panning occurs in a 360° sound space, not just left-right.