Musical staging
From TheStudentWiki
Music Production Analysis Index
The idea of musical staging suggests that when we listen to a recording in stereo or in surround, the placement of the instruments creates an image in our minds of the performance. In simple terms, the drums may be placed in the center of the stage, the piano to the right and the bass to the left. Different mixes create different staging.
The analogy can be as complex or simple as you wish it to be. David Gibson has created a graphical representation of the staging in recordings and this can be explored on his web pages. Go to Visuals of Mixes.
There are various ways that this idea can be interpreted using simple graphic editors. While graphic editors may lack some of the flexibility offered by Gibson's animated visualisations, some representation of the visual staging may provide a useful way of analysing the mix.
References
Gibson, David. 2005. The art of mixing : a visual guide to recording, engineering, and production. Boston, Mass: Thomson
Music Production Analysis Index
