Mixing drums - Audience perspective or player?

[ihate100bees]

ok... I have a question and I'd like to see how many differ on this. I have always panned a full kit of drums, as if I am behind them as a player. I'm currently working with someone who takes the audience perspective... what do you think? Is their a "standard"? I always thought my way was it. Am I wrong? Otherwise in a video of a performance, yes, I would pan as if I am in the crowd. Thanks.

[JFreak]

Leftie or normal drummer? You decide which sounds better. If it is supposed to ne live, then audience perspective.

[BScout]

There's never been an agreement on this. But I'll ask the simple question of a drummer (as I would a piano player)... who are you playing for: an audience of one (yourself) or the actual audience?

Or, to put it more bluntly, is the trumpet player's perspective of an orchestra the correct one or the conductor's?

[albee1952]

I almost always pan from the audience perspective, but honestly doubt it really matters, except to us

[JFreak]

Leftie drummer's audience perspective is same as normal drummer's own perspective. So it does not matter. Unless you are mixing live, and the audience mics have drum bleed.

[cwsand]

Assuming a right-handed drummer, I used to always mix drummer's perspective. Probably because when I recorded myself playing drums I wanted it panned that way. But now I tend to think of the mix as a stage and pan the drums as the audience would hear them. I can't ever remember a client requesting it one way or the other so it really doesn't matter IMHO.

[albee1952]

Originally Posted by JFreak

Leftie or normal drummer? You decide which sounds better. If it is supposed to ne live, then audience perspective.

Is there anything normal about drummers?

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by albee1952

Is there anything normal about drummers?

They usually can count to four