Requirements
VST Host
Windows or Mac Operating System

The Panipulator is a super simple free VST plugin the has totally changed the way that I mix. At first you may say “That's it?” but after you understand it, you'll change your tune.

What does the Panipulator Do?
The Panipulator allows you to flip the panning of a stereo signal, switch to mono, or flip the phase of any side of a stereo signal.

Swap Panning
Most stereo reverb and delay plugins maintain the panning of the track you send to them. If you have a guitar panned hard left, the delay will also be panned hard left. The Panipulator allows you to send the delay to the other side. The possibilities of keeping the dry track on one side and the effects on the other are immense. It's something I use on each and every mix.

I cover numerous tricks with the Panipulator in Killer Home Recording, but if you have any questions on how to use the Panipulator, just ask on the Audio Engineering Forum here at RecordingReview.com.

Mono
I start EVERY mix in mono. Why? Because panning can let an engineer get lazy. If frequencies fight in mono, it's a good sign the mix isn't ready for stereo. This is a “higher tolerance” way of forcing us to trim out the fat. It's kinda like moving in with a girl and being forced to decide between your fishing poles and your wrenches.

This whole mono thing can be a pain in certain recording software. So just toss on the Panipulator, hit the mono button to check it and when you are done remove the plugin.

Polarity Flip
This one isn't always as important, but if for some reason you happened to record a stereo track with the polarity flipped or maybe the mics out of phase, the left and right polarity flip options may save you. Drum overheads could be one possibility. (Of course, if you made your drums sound good in mono while tracking, they should have no problem with this phase business).

Download Panipulator 1.0 VST for PC

Download Panipulator 1.0 VST for Mac

Credits
Development by Aradaz maker of numerous free vst plugins
Graphics by Midknight