this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2023
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Whenever I come across a song with specifically rapidly switching and ping ponging or warbling right/left effects, I get chills. But it's hard to find exactly what I mean.

The only two songs that I know of that exemplify this are:

  • Such Great Heights by The Postal Service
  • Slow Me Down by Emmy Rossum

I heard the latter song first and I'll never forget that moment I was sitting in front of the stereo and hit play, not knowing what to expect. I kept repeating the beginning of the song over and over again to hear that effect in the intro, amazed at what my ears were hearing.

There are a few more songs I've listened to that do this, but I've lost them and can't remember what they were called sadly. I've been combing through my music library but haven't found them again.

An example of songs that do NOT fit this criteria are Left and Right by Charlie Puth or Runaway by Kanye West. I don't really care that the lyrics switch ears. It doesn't provide that indescribable experience that the songs I posted above give.


I'm finding that this is such a hard thing to Google. A lot of people link to songs simply with "right left stereo effects", but I'm looking for something more specific as in the above. I'm specifically looking for rapid right left switching effects, and NOT just instruments occasionally played in a different ear.

My genre of choice is pop/EDM and modern pop, but I'm open to others. Thanks all, I'd really appreciate it.


Edit: Sorry I haven't been keeping up with the responses, guys. There are so many songs to wade through. Thanks!

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Pink Floyd's song interstellar overdrive has a section near the end where they throw the pan back and forth, and slowly pan a drumroll around your head in a cool way. Highly recommend headphones. It's psychedelic rock, so not one of the genres you mentioned, but its a fun one.

https://youtu.be/4o2sA0vpA-4?si=q148uI7W3-cIZRAP

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (2 children)

This is a good example of what I'm looking for, thanks! I wish it were easier to search for this. Searching for "stereo" or "panning" in Google just doesn't cut it and instead usually yields slowly panning songs.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

This track is off their first album 'Piper at the Gates of Dawn' which was with their original front man Syd Barret, who was really out there. So the album is weird, and is probably an acquired taste, but pretty much every track has some weird panning stuff going on, just not as extreme as interstellar overdrive.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Try search ping-pong delay (pedal)

[–] [email protected] 7 points 11 months ago

There's that one instrumental part of a whole lotta love by Zeppelin

[–] [email protected] 6 points 11 months ago (1 children)

You might have luck with searching for panning, or stereo panning. I found this playlist after a quick search, the first track seems to maybe fit the vibe? And one of the songs you listed is on here as well.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3vJv5V2obnr3OrNeqadPdb

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

The problem is thatthe majority of these songs aren't what I'm looking for. That's what I mean when I said I'm having a hard time googling it. I come up with playlists like you've linked

Most songs that have a stereo panning effect do it very slowly. Or they simply put some lyrics or instruments in a different ear. Check out the Elvis song in that list to see what I mean. When I Google it, that comprises a majority of the songs that pop up.

What I'm looking for is not instrument separation or a slow pan effect. I am specifically looking for a rapid ping pong stereo effect. The first song in that playlist does a decent job of what I'm describing, but the vast majority of them do not.

Edit: This user on Reddit is describing exactly what I am referring to, but unfortunately didn't get many responses. https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/3m36lg/songs_that_pan_left_and_right_quickly/

[–] [email protected] 5 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Try search for “frisson” there used to be a whole community on the other place I’m pretty sure.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisson

It’s not specific to the panning effect in music you describe but it does cover the result of you hearing that.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Well that was an interesting rabbit hole

[–] [email protected] 4 points 11 months ago

You can also try adding “binaural” in your searches but you’ll get mostly ASMR stuff

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Pantera - Domination. Probably not your cup of tea, but it does pan the guitars like you describe. Towards the end, at least.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago (1 children)

The 2022 remaster of Tomorrow Never Knows by The Beatles (spotify) has lots of sounds that pan left and right, but they may not be the kind of "rapid panning" that you are talking about.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Yeah, it's easy to Google and simply find songs with stereo separation, but I'm specifically looking for a rapid switching effect. It seems to be hard to Google. I decided tmthat it's best for me to start a playlist of these sorts of songs as I stumble into them because I guess it'll just have to happen organically over time unfortunately. Searching reveals stuff like you describe instead of what I'm looking for.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago

Look into "binaural" music.

Here's something in EDM that I think may be close to what you mean... https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RvMNQun_ugI

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 0 points 11 months ago

By Nine Inch Nails. Good pull!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

The main synth melody in Nine Inch Nails's "Ringfinger" has this kind of effect.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

@dingus Are You Shivering by Coil. Weird as heck.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Like "Sunglasses at Night", Corey Hart?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Since you're into EDM and that's most of what Iisten to... I'll add to the list and see if it helps.

Some/most of these are kinda limited in the use of the effect. And maybe my hearing sucks too, even with headphones lol (forgive me if I get it wrong)

  • Wind in Your Face - Giuseppe Ottaviani
  • As You Are - Armin Van Buuren
  • Shadows - Allan Watts
  • Spiral - Estiva
  • With You - G. Ottaviani
  • Namaqua - Protoculture
  • Follow the Waves - Kyau & Albert (Heard Right Remix)
  • Sky - Estiva
  • Far Behind - Nils Hoffman
  • Sun In Your Eyes - Above & Beyond (Spencer Brown Remix)
  • Awestruck - Alex Wright
  • Forever - Farius
  • Lightmare - DYRM, Evan Henzi
  • Secrets - Hausman
  • My Love - Florence + The Machine (MEDUZA Remix)
  • Run To You - Ocata
  • Came Here For Love - My Friend
  • Pattern Recognition - Grum
  • Darkest Light - Myon, Alissa Feudo (gardenstate Remix)
  • Paradise - Alex M.O.R.P.H.
  • Parachute - Rodg, Manu Zain
  • La Nuit - Maarten de Jong (Frank Spector Remix)
  • Found - Matt Fax, Estiva
  • Healing - Mhammed El Alami
  • State of Mind - Armin Van Buuren, ALBA
[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Kinda fun fact: Opus No. 1 by Tim Carleton (the default Cisco CallManager waiting music) has this.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Yes! Seriously, listen to it on stereo speakers. It's a shame phone calls aren't in stereo. This song is actually good.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

Fast stereo ping-pong panning.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

Maybe try the intro to Keller Williams - Freeker By the Speaker

[–] [email protected] 2 points 9 months ago

Lucid Dreams by Franz Ferdinand, around the 4:30 mark starts a section that you might enjoy.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

In Your Head by G Jones should fit your request pretty well. I think he uses rapid panning in some of his other songs too, but I haven't dug real deep into his catalog

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Baciphilous (sic) Bouncing Ball - Aphex Twin. Not poppy, but cool use of stereo to make a sound that floats around your head .

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Exactly what I was going to recommend. Good choice.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Thank you! And good tastes to you! That song has a special, permanent place in my head from a good LSD trip a long time ago..

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Soulmate-mac miller

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

“Mush Mushi” by Infected Mushroom

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Hypnotic - Vanic x Zella Day

It's only in the intro but I think it exactly fits what you're looking for. The next one is hip-hop and it's the rapping that's switching but maybe others will like it:

Right On - Xzibit

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Rift ft Jenn Lucas by Singularity does it for me. Absolutely makes my head happy during ketamine treatments.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

How about If You're Here by Cornelius?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I don't know, but I want to make sure @[email protected] sees this, as I think they would be interested, and may have some suggestions.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Hot Chip - Shake A Fist has a pretty good one in the start and a bit later in the chorus.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)
[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Probably not what you're looking for as its not rapid, but Meant to Live by Switchfoot has some really nice panning for the intro. It's by far my favorite part of the song.