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Mixing

Stereo Width

Stereo width describes how much of the stereo field a sound occupies, from fully mono (center) to fully wide (hard left/right). In EDM, stereo width is used to create depth and space—supersaws and pads are pushed wide, while kick drums and bass remain mono for club compatibility.

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Stereo width is created through several techniques: panning individual layers to different positions, using unison detune on synthesizers, applying stereo widening plugins, or using mid-side processing to enhance or reduce the side channel independently of the mono center.

A key principle in EDM mixing is keeping low frequencies mono. Bass energy below 200 Hz is non-directional and causes phase cancellation problems when played in mono (clubs, phone speakers). Keeping kick and bass centered preserves punch and prevents mud.

The upper frequencies—supersaws, pads, hi-hats, and effects—benefit from wide stereo treatment to create the sense of space that makes EDM feel large and immersive on a system. Tools like iZotope Imager, Ozone's Stereo Widener, or FL Studio's Fruity Stereo Enhancer let you control width by frequency band.

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