Multichannel Tracks that Show of a Center Channel Speaker

[coolerking101]

I'm curious what tracks/albums folks here might recommend that they feel specifically make great use of the center channel? It certainly seems that most multichannel mixes simply put the vocals in the center, but I'm wondering if there are some favorite tracks or albums that you feel really stand out due to how well they use the center channel. I'm upgrading my center channel speaker in the next few weeks and want to celebrate the purchase when it comes in.

 

[stoopid]

Since what you say is (in my experience as well) definitely true, I'd suggest flipping the script and think of an artist in your collection that has impeccable vocals and engineering. Use that as the benchmark/test piece. Especially since that's what will be playing the most in the center, so how vocals sound is really most of what should matter.

 

[sjcorne]

The Bob Clearmountain 5.1 mix of Bob Marley's Legend might be a good one to try. It utilizes the center speaker not only for vocals, but also the bass guitar, kick drum, percussion, and other 'main' elements.

 

[ar surround]

The Bob Clearmountain 5.1 mix of Bob Marley's Legend might be a good one to try. It utilizes the center speaker not only for vocals, but also the bass guitar, kick drum, percussion, and other 'main' elements.

I guess that those listeners with small center channel speakers would have those elements mostly rerouted to their subwoofer? I'm also assuming that Bob puts those elements in the mains as well?

 

[sjcorne]

I'm also assuming that Bob puts those elements in the mains as well?

Not really, they're pretty much isolated in that one speaker.

 

[coolerking101]

The Bob Clearmountain 5.1 mix of Bob Marley's Legend might be a good one to try. It utilizes the center speaker not only for vocals, but also the bass guitar, kick drum, percussion, and other 'main' elements.

I own this, though I'm not a huge Marley fan, so it doesn't get a lot of play. I'll give it a re-listen!

 

[marpow]

I have quite a few of Acoustic Sounds 3-Channel Stereo.
They are good listens, and the center channel in the mix is not vocals only.
I think best way to describe them is a super phantom center.
Some that I have are now out of print.

Maybe purchase one just to fulfill your audio quest.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

The Who Quadrophenia 2014 5.1 mix.
Listening now to Drowned, Entwistle's bass is prominent under Daltrey vocal.

I'm delighted when I get more than vocals in the center channel, but need to keep a note pad handy to jot down more examples as I run across them.

In my experience, you can forget about any mix by Steven Wilson, he doesn't believe in it.
Totally committed to the "cinema dialog center speaker" philosophy of surround mixing for music.

I understand it, but don't appreciate it, because I'm fortunate to have a full-range center speaker.

 

[sjcorne]

In my experience, you can forget about any mix by Steven Wilson, he doesn't believe in it.
Totally committed to the "cinema dialog center speaker" philosophy of surround mixing for music

There are definitely mixes he’s done with elements other than the vocal in the center speaker. Ultravox’s “We Came To Dance” from Quartet could be a good one for the OP, it’s got the bass synth(?) isolated in the center along with Midge Ure’s voice.

 

[Mr. Afternoon]

I think there aren't a lot of multichannel tracks with complex center speaker usage simply because most people do not have center channels that are of the same caliber as their fronts...

I actually personally have rerouted some elements OUT of the center channel to other speakers to provide a more stable or cohesive image, which is usually the goal, I think. For example, I do believe I changed the routing of the bass synth near the ending of "Optical Hunting" from "The Golden Bonana" on the SACD. On the SACD it appears in the front channels. On the DVD-A it appears in the center.

I used to treat all speakers equally and put whatever the hell I felt like in the center. For example, on "wise save" from toad's album "what an actor you are" I routed the kick drum exclusively to the center. Why? Why not?

Later on I realized that creating a cohesive sound image is kinda...important? LOL. So it's affected the way I use the center channel, because using the center appropriately can be very tricky in my experience. I assume this is what a lot of other 5.1 mixing engineers struggle with. Sometimes I'll put an element in the center and it might work great in theory but in practice it might skew the image inappropriately.

Initially, in Track 2 of what I'm currently working on, I had this deep, pounding bass exclusively in the center, but then realized that it was just like...making the center way too prominent and skewing the image weirdly and such. So, I 'redistributed' that element to the mains with a bit of bleed-in to the rears, and it worked a lot better. On Track 6, I have this deeper guitar that comes in the center, and the only way it really works is being in the center, because it needs that accentuation that a center can provide. So, with it being in the center, it stands out, but is still buried the amount I want it to be. One thing I've noticed I consistently flip-flop on is putting the snare of a drumset in the center...it seems that it's really dependent on the placements and elements of the rest of the song for whether it works or not.

My rules for center channel mixing NOW is to just do what makes sense? IDK, I don't really have a defined ruleset but I can feel when something won't work. Some tracks will have only reverb in the center. Other tracks will have synths, vocals, drums, etc. It's like with rear speakers. Sometimes the music only calls for lighter elements in the rears. Other times, put the damn drumset back there!

Although, I guess I've gotten slightly off-topic, as @coolerking101 is looking for recommendations. I recall Bonnie 'Prince' Billy's "The Letting Go" having some heavy bass in the center along with vocals and some guitars...

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Maybe a release that's mostly instrumental is low-hanging fruit, but:

Frank Zappa - Waka / Wazoo
5.1 & Atmos mix by Erich Gobel & Karma Auger

Exemplary use of center channel - bass & drums firmly anchored there, with lead instruments rotating through over the top.
The few tracks with vocals tend to spread them all around, rather than isolate C.

Aynsley Dunbar full surround drum solo at the end of Waka / Jawaka (32:17-33:00) guaranteed to give your speaker a workout from the kick drum.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

The Bob Clearmountain 5.1 mix of Bob Marley's Legend might be a good one to try. It utilizes the center speaker not only for vocals, but also the bass guitar, kick drum, percussion, and other 'main' elements.

All the Clearmountain mixes for the four blu rays from The Band are that way, as well.
Listening now to the self-titled brown album, Rag Mama Rag has tuba Ctr with drums & voc.

Greg Penny mix of the Mick Ronson guitar bonus track that opens Madman Across The Water:
The Ronson guitar solo includes blasts from the center as it pans around the sound field.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

Peter Gabriel I/O (the individual track) - kick drum & guitar
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here, Animals

A couple of mix engineers who are members here can generally be counted on to make full use of the center channel.
@ryan de topanga - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Greatest Hits, etc.
@Stephen W Tayler - Van Der Graf Generator Charisma Years, Hawkwind Space Ritual & Days of the Underground, etc.

 

[Stephen W Tayler]

A couple of mix engineers who are members here can generally be counted on to make full use of the center channel.
@ryan de topanga - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Greatest Hits, etc.
@Stephen W Tayler - Van Der Graf Generator Charisma Years, Hawkwind Space Ritual & Days of the Underground, etc.

I tend to use the centre channel to focus the front centre image by sharing it with the front L and R for things such as the main voice, bass drum and snare and bass - but never for isolation. It's mainly to try and maintain the central position even if you are listening off centre....

 

[barfle]

I have a recording of “Peter and the Wolf” that has the narration only in the center speaker. Which meant that it didn’t work well with my old quad 4.0 setup.

It was probably one of my bigger inspirations to go 5.1.

 

[SmcAustin]

I think there aren't a lot of multichannel tracks with complex center speaker usage simply because most people do not have center channels that are of the same caliber as their fronts...

I don't claim it to be a reference as such, but I immediately decided to replace my modest Pioneer center speaker, entirely adequate for dialogue, upon hearing the Caravan In the Land of Grey and Pink opening trombone solo.

 

[jimfisheye]

Ideally all speakers should match so any phantom panned elements are consistent. Sure, there are stereotype mixes for center channel use. (stereotype? surroundtype?) And there may be some mixes that cater to allowing use of a unique center speaker. But a mix intended for any standard nominal sound system will be most 1:1 on a matched system.

But you know what really helps a center channel work well?
Not having a wire break on the f'in tweeter driver!!

You know what makes your mixes more consistent?
Not having that connection to the tweeter driver intermittently cutting out over 4 or 5 days!

You know what's annoying?
Running test tone calibration tests to check if there's a problem with one of the speakers and having the little bastard perform flawlessly during said tests!

Finally caught it on the 3rd try.

But I digress.

 

[~dave~~wave~]

@coolerking101 Do you have Apple Music streaming?

The Beatles - Revolver - Love To You ~ full-range sitar, tabla & baya (Indian percussion) in center channel

 

[~dave~~wave~]

 

[bookofsaturdays]

There are definitely mixes he’s done with elements other than the vocal in the center speaker. Ultravox’s “We Came To Dance” from Quartet could be a good one for the OP, it’s got the bass synth(?) isolated in the center along with Midge Ure’s voice.

His 5.1 mix of Closer To The Heart is another example. Pretty much no vocal at all in the center. I believe it’s only really used for Alex’s guitar solo.