Set channel strip pan or balance positions in MainStage

You can separate sounds by positioning audio and instruments in the stereo mix from left to right. The Pan (short for panorama) knob defines whether an instrument is placed on the left, right, or center of the stereo field. You can set the pan position for each track in a project. MainStage includes several different pan modes. Which options are available depends on the type of channel strip:

Pan: This is the default pan mode for mono channel strips. The Panner determines the position of a signal in the stereo image. At the center pan position, the channel strip sends equal amounts of the signal to both sides of the stereo image. If you were to increase the pan position on the left side and decrease it on the right, the sound would move to the left.
Stereo Pan: The Stereo Pan knob is only available on stereo channel strips. It is similar to having two pan knobs, allowing you to place the position of the left and right signals individually in the stereo field.
Balance: This is the default pan mode for stereo channel strips. It differs from Stereo Pan in that it controls the relative levels of two signals (Left and Right) at their outputs.

Mono channel strips have a Pan knob by default. Stereo channel strips have a Balance knob by default.

Select a channel strip’s pan mode

In MainStage, Control-click the Pan knob, then choose a panner from the shortcut menu.

Set a channel strip’s pan or balance position

In MainStage, do one of the following:

Drag the channel strip’s Pan or Balance knob horizontally or vertically.
Option-click the Pan knob to return it to the center position.
Hold down Shift while you drag the knob to change the pan position in finer increments.

Adjust a channel strip’s Stereo Pan settings

In MainStage:

To adjust the stereo spread of one channel of the stereo field without affecting the other channel, drag that channel’s white handle. For example, if you want to narrow the stereo field of the left channel without affecting the right channel, drag the white handle of the left channel vertically closer to the center position.
To invert the right and left channels, Command-click anywhere inside the Stereo Pan knob or ring. The signal ring changes color from green to orange (or back again).
To widen or narrow the stereo spread range, drag the green or orange ring vertically.
To adjust the center position of the stereo field, drag the center of the Stereo Pan knob vertically.
To reset the stereo spread and center position to their initial values, Option-click anywhere inside the Stereo Pan knob or ring.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: PDF

MainStage Instruments: PDF

MainStage Effects: PDF

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