Understanding LEFT and RIGHT in Audio Effects - Panorama in Movie Edit Pro

Madgix wrote on 3/23/2015, 1:46 PM

I am importing sound effects into Movie Edit Pro 2015 Plus and trying to position them in different areas of the stereo field.

To do this I have been keyframing with the Panorama Slider that can be found in Audio Effects.

When I slide it fully to the LEFT (and get the number ZERO) the sound plays on the far RIGHT.

When I slide it fully to the RIGHT the figure is 100 and the sound plays on the extreme LEFT.

I find this pushing left to go right and pushing right to go left completely illogical and the REVERSE of what I would expect, therefore I would like to know if this is the NORMAL, DEFAULT program behaviour or if, instead, I might have accidentally flipped a setting.

Comments

Scenestealer wrote on 3/23/2015, 4:26 PM

Works the same here in MEP2014 so must be how it is. I agree "it is illogical Captain".

Madgix wrote on 3/23/2015, 4:34 PM

Thanks for your answer. I'll carry on with my editing - not doubting my (pointy) ears.

cpc000cpc wrote on 3/23/2015, 4:36 PM

Madix,

Might it be simply that you have your speaker positions swapped? Do you get the behavior you expect when listening through headphones, which I'd assume are 'hard wired' to a standard left/right positions?

Sorry I can't do any checking here as my stereo system is currently unavailable. :-(

Regards,

Carl

Madgix wrote on 3/23/2015, 4:52 PM

Hi Carl

I'm using a laptop and only ever edit via headphones. I'm getting "normal" left/right responses from the audio editing software that I have open at the same time as Movie Edit Pro so I don't think it's a soundcard/hardware issue.

If Scenestealer is experiencing the same as me it's probably the program's default - unless we have both unknowingly activated some sort of audio mirroring/reversing and are, therefore, in a minority.

Scenestealer wrote on 3/23/2015, 4:54 PM

Hi Carl

Speakers test correctly according to the Win Playback Configure test here.

Maybe it is my Dyslexia........K.O.

Peter

browj2 wrote on 3/24/2015, 12:40 AM

Hi,

I'm left-handed and deaf in my left ear, so I have an advantage. If you're on my left, I can't hear you, and if you're on my right, I'm ignoring you.

The slider works correctly, it's just a bad design. A knob would have been better. Here is how it works.

Get the audio onto a separate track. Turn on track curves if not already on. Set the panorama slider to 0 and set a keyframe. Move along the timeline and move the slider to 100, and a kf will be set. Look at the curve on the track. Tilt your head to the right. Now the beginning of the timeline is at the bottom (your chin), the 0 point is at the right or the bottom of the track and 100 is at the left, or the top of the track. Thus 100 corresponds to left, not right. Here is why.
Reset the curve. Open the Mixer and turn on Automation on track 2 (or the audio track). Turn the knob to the left, press play and after a second or two, turn the knob all the way to the right. Now stop playback. Look at the curve. Left is at the top of the track, right is at the bottom, same as before.

johnebaker wrote on 3/24/2015, 8:56 AM

A bit of lateral thinking - not to mention the odd pun thrown in:-

Sounds like this is a matter of a point of view of the sound stage perspective.

From the sound sources point of view ie on the audio stage facing you, a sound placed on the left will sound / be on your right ie play in your right ear as you will be looking at the sound stage and vice versa.

John EB