Panning (audio)

Panning is the distribution of a sound signal (either monaural or stereophonic pairs) into a new stereo or multi-channel sound field determined by a pan control setting. A typical physical recording console has a pan control for each incoming source channel. A pan control or pan pot (short for "potentiometer") is an analog knob with a position indicator which can range continuously from the 8 o'clock when fully left to the 4 o'clock position fully right. Audio mixing software replaces pan pots with on-screen virtual knobs or sliders which function identically to the physical counterparts.