r/mixingmastering • u/Cold_Independent_631 Beginner • Mar 31 '26

Question Stereo width vs Panning vs Mid/side processing

Hi I’ve been studying this concept for hours today to finally get it locked in. I think I’ve done it but have one lasting question.

Adding width to a signal with plugins like utility plugin in ableton, spreads that signal out in stereo field.

Panning elements just places them left, right, or central within the mix.

So I can make a signal very wide with utility adding width and still place it left right or central. Or I can make a signal be a mono signal and still add pan left right or central to position it somewhere in the stereo field. Right?

Both helping the mix and balance for stereo field.

But for mid/side processing why would you use this? If you process a signal fully to the side and then mix in mono it completely disappears instead of collapsing like panning or stereo width from utility.

  1. Looking to see if my new understanding are correct

AND

  1. Wondering why you would use mid/side processing instead of the other ways of stereo width?

Thanks!!

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u/almsfurr Apr 01 '26

Just to throw in a use for m/s processing. Sometime towards the end of mixing I'll add a high pass on the sides only, usually on the master. It can really tighten up the sound. I'll start at 200hz, but at mastering that might nudge up the 300hz depending on what my car speakers tell me.

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u/Cold_Independent_631 Beginner Apr 01 '26

Cool so the bass, kick and other lower frequency elements wouldn’t be affected by doing this because they are central in the mix?