10.6

Table Of Contents
587Logic Pro User Guide
Surround panning in the Mixer in Logic Pro
You can mixdown in several surround formats, even if your audio hardware offers only two
outputs. Because it would be difficult to mix or record in surround format without being
able to hear the result, it’s best not to select this option if you’re monitoring or mixing
through stereo speakers. All audio, instrument, and aux channel strips can be individually
set to different surround formats.
Surround panning is available when Surround is selected in the Advanced preferences
pane.
Set a channel strip’s output to surround
In Logic Pro, click-hold the channel strip’s Output slot, then choose Output > Surround
from the pop-up menu.
The Surround Panner control replaces the Pan knob. The loudspeakers are represented by
dots, and the pan position is indicated by a green dot that can be dragged.
For full details about using the surround feature, see Surround overview.
Set the surround position
In Logic Pro:
Drag the green dot in the panning field to the desired location.
Option-click the dot to reset the green dot to the front center position.
Binaural panning
Overview of binaural panning in Logic Pro
An important part of mixing audio signals is the placement of individual sound sources at
different spatial positions. Most common recording and mixing techniques simply send a
given signal at different levels to the available loudspeakers—two for stereo, or more for
quadraphonic or surround setups—to create a virtual sound stage.
This approach is somewhat flawed, however, because human beings are able to locate
sound sources at different positions with just two ears. Virtually all spatial information for
all sounds the listener hears is included in the two signals arriving at the two eardrums.
From these signals, human beings can determine characteristics such as inter-aural time,
level differences, and—based on the listening experience—information about the spatial
origin of the sounds being heard. Are they coming from in front or behind, from the left
or right, from above or below? This ability to perceive where a sound originates from is
referred to as binaural hearing.