I think you’re confused about the whole basis of the concept - and you’re overthinking this.
Here:
Vaughn, this whole thing is VERY simple. When I mix shit, most of my panners are left, center or right. How does it still sound good at the end of the mix??? OBVIOUSLY I’m using a balanced stereo image for many sources. Easy as that. Done. End of story.
I don’t even think about this when I’m doing it. I don’t sit down and make a conscious effort to do a ‘LCR mix’. I don’t force myself to go hard LRC… stuff just ends up there because it does and it works.
You’re REALLY overcomplicating this.
This couldn’t be more correct. There is no sense whatsoever in debating semantics here. Vaughn, just call it something else like Boz said earlier. This has nothing to do with cancelation, mono translation, stereo aspect, phase. This is way overcomplicating things. We’re upwards of 40 posts here still discussing if whether we agree if there is a proper name for the way a group of panner are sitting on your mixer.
That’s not what I was trying to imply. It’s also possible that I didn’t follow the entire thread into a different tangent. I’m just saying that what you are describing is not “LCR Mixing,” at least not in my book (I’m perfectly willing to admit that my book is wrong). What you are describing is what I would call “mixing.”
The way I understand it, LCR mixing is intended to be a specific technique that creates a specific sound and workflow.
From my perspective, this thread is like having a thread entitled “peanut butter and jelly sandwich” and everybody is describing how they make their roast beef sandwich.
Ha, Thats fair enough, I have to admit that I found myself wondering if (what I was doing) might actually be called something different.
Its more like a 3:1 style mic placement idea across all of the drums in stereo pairs.
I have been calling it LCR, but maybe it isnt. Im just recording a left image and a right image or a center image.
I do it because I cant hear what is going to tape. The last thing I want is a phasey drum mix, or the snare drum off to one side. I will do the same thing with the instruments if I can.