it's an "easy tool" but sometimes you need that extra spicy flavour than what you usually use

Mine go to are

-Melda productions Autopan

-Waves Brauermotion which is more than a LR panner, so very spicy

-Waves MondoMod

-PanMan by SoundToys


I also like the stock one in Cubase, basic and efficient
But lately it seems that I need something (for me) new for extra inspiration

Any advice? Which one is your favorite autopanner and why?

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PEOPLE SAID:
-the ancient free Cableguys Pancake 2
LINK

-Cableguys Shaperbox3
LINK

-kilohearts multipass

-Devious Machines Infiltrator 2

-Pecheneg Tremolo

-I looooove GoodHertz TremControl
LINK

-Auburn Sounds Panagement 2. it isn't just an auto-pan
LINK

-Arturia Rotary CLS-222

-Audiority Tube-Modulator

-Stereo Savage by Credland Audio

-PanOscillator freebie
LINK

-Autopan Terry West freebie
LINK

-Sound Particles Energy Panner and Brightness Panner

-

 

Last edited: Jan 25, 2024

Mixing, MondoMod for more than just auto-pan. For production work, still using the ancient free Pancake 2 because I already got used to it and will intuitively load it if I think the track needs autopanning. CPU is only 0.1% and it works. One preset saved my 10 go-to patterns that I like. so it's easy. Shaperbox3 too sometimes if it needs more than just auto-pan.

 

Used to swear by PanMod, but since I moved to Bitwig I use its native modulators cause they blow everything short of Eurorack out of the water.

Bitwig modulators > Ghz Panpot (spectral mode) has been a favorite of mine for subtle yet impactful movements.

 

Using automation curves direct from DAW is a nice option too.
Studio One and other serious DAWs are providing sine, ramp, square ... curves with quantize too.

But if i want to go "plugin", i use kilohearts multipass, Devious Machines Infiltrator 2 (they do a lot more).

For complex panning, i prefer complex plugins to add "more" in the same plugin.

For regular auto panning, i use DAWs curves OR integrated plugins
Like this :

 

I tend to go for Ableton's built-in Auto Pan, it's adjustable enough from subtle to full-on tremolo stutter, but I don't use autopanning on it's own. Great when coupled with a mod effect set to subtle stereo FX with different rates/shapes on each for some spatial weirdness.

@triggerflipper Ooh, need to try those out. I've been slowly trying to figure out Bitwig, though it's still early days. I like the global controller settings, but I'm still working out the full integration with my NI Kontrol keyboard. I take it you know https://www.mossgrabers.de/Software/Bitwig/Bitwig.html ? That's what I'm trying to sort out.

 

Pecheneg Tremolo

 

I looooove GoodHertz TremControl for that! Actually a lot of their plugins are delightful as width/depth management tools

 

thank you all! many interesting things to discover, I will give a spin to ShaperBox, GoodHertz and Pecheneg for sure.

 

GoodHertz TremControl is a BEAST
LINK

it seems that doesnt have the mix knob maybe because it would be phasey, but anyhow I open these kind of plugins in Patchwork so I can mix and fine tweak. It can act like a dirty autopan or a clean leslie, it's very very interesting. Thats what I needed for new inspiration about my paning movements.

 

Cableguys PanCake. Free and straightforward!

 

try Auburn Sounds Panagement 2. it isn't just an auto-pan, but if you are looking for something like that, you probably will like it.

 

I just move my head around.

 

ok but it's phasey

 

ableton's default, but if it's some fx/sound design/something specific then i already have cableguys' shaperbox which is a multitool i use almost everytime (module: pan, obviously)

 

forgot to add, I'm using a lot of Arturia Rotary CLS-222, I found that the rotary fx which is basically panning can be cool sometimes to create depth. Opened a project that had a few instances plus the Audiority Tube-Modulator and they remind me of this thread. Used it on some mellow dark piano parts it sounds awesome with just some of the FX blended on the background to give bigger room perception.

 

My go-to is Stereo Savage by Credland Audio, cause it can pan mid channel *only*. Labelled "rotate", super useful for many stereo sounds.

 

PanOscillator https://vst.saschart.com/panoscillator_enhance_stereo_signal
Autopan Terry west https://plugins4free.com/plugin/1739/
Both good freebies

 

My go to's are much pretty the same as yours although I just use Pancake for normal auto L to R panning.

But recently I have been trying the Panners from Sound Particles Energy Panner and Brightness Panner. But I have been leaning more towards Energy Panner because it uses the intensity of a sound to control its movement when panning its pretty neat!

 

Last edited: Jan 24, 2024

I used to like Waves Brauer and Auburn Panagement, but it's way more convenient to simply use automation items generation in Reaper directly