MAutopan

Name: MAutopan
Author: MeldaProduction

by MeldaProduction · Modulation · Auto-panner

Not rated yet

MAutopan is a free auto-panner from MeldaProduction with an adjustable-shape oscillator and host tempo sync.

It ranges from a subtle sense of width to dramatic movement, and is free as part of MFreeFXBundle.

Best for: Keys & Synths, Guitars, Drums, Sound Design. Genres: Electronic & EDM, Pop, Ambient & Cinematic.

Keywords: auto-pan, free, wide, tempo-synced, subtle, auto-gain, mid/side, synths, backing vocals, classic, CPU-light, drums, enhancement, hi-hats, mixing, percussion, randomize, rhythmic, samples & loops, simple, sound design, pads, vocals.

What it does

MAutopan is MeldaProduction's free auto-panner, "a classic auto panner with attitude". An oscillator with an adjustable shape moves the sound across the stereo field, from a subtle natural width to fast, dramatic panning.

Shape oscillator: a continuously adjustable waveform shape, with inversion, normalisation and smoothing of sharp jumps; you can also load a sample to use as a custom pan curve.
Harmonics: add harmonics to the panning curve, each with its own volume and phase.
Host sync: locks to the project tempo, with divisions from 128/1 to 1/128 including triplets, tuplets and dotted values.
Pan law: an adjustable pan law, which a KVR reviewer singled out as something DAW auto-pan effects lack.
Stereo modes: left/right and mid/side processing, plus surround support.
Workflow: cross-fading between shape changes, a step sequencer for patterns, randomisation, auto gain compensation and full automation.

MAutopan is free, on its own or as part of MeldaProduction's MFreeFXBundle.

Source: MeldaProduction product page

When to use it

MAutopan is the pick for a free auto-panner with more control than usual. Compared with Cableguys PanCake, also free, it adds pan law control, mid/side mode, harmonics and sample-based curves. Compared with ShaperBox 3 or LFO Tool it does only panning, and has no multiband split or drawn envelopes for volume and filters, but it costs nothing. Its interface is plain, in the usual MeldaProduction style, and less visual than PanCake's.

Best for: movement and width on hi-hats, percussion, synths, arpeggios, pads and backing vocals.
Genres: electronic, EDM, trap, pop and ambient music.
Look elsewhere if: you want panning per frequency band (the paid MAutopanMB or ShaperBox 3) or a more visual editor (ShaperBox 3).
Tip: automate the dry/wet control so the panning comes and goes and doesn't sound static.

What producers say

Reviewers see it as an underrated free panner with deep controls and a plain interface.

Sonoteka called it one of the best panners around, praising the simple workflow, low CPU use, tempo sync and auto gain compensation.
KVR users rate it 5 out of 5 from a single review, which called it "outstanding" for its pan law and curve options.
Criticisms: Sonoteka found the interface unattractive, the pattern sequencer less intuitive than it could be, no stereo or phase meter, and too little documentation for the custom sample feature.

Where to buy

MeldaProduction: Free
Plugin Boutique: Free

Tutorials and reviews

Similar plugins

PanCake by Cableguys · Free auto-panner · Free
Brauer Motion by Waves · Auto-panner · $32.93
PanMan by Soundtoys · Rhythmic auto-panner · $99
Panstation 2 by Audio Damage · Auto-panner and tremolo · $39
Tremolo Panner by Harrison · Tremolo / auto-panner · $49
MOTION by Echelon Audio · Auto-pan and tremolo · $69
MAutopanMB by MeldaProduction · Multiband auto-panner · $39
TBPAMove by TBProAudio · Rhythmic filter, gain and pan modulator · $44.28
LFO Tool by Xfer Records · Volume / filter LFO · $49.95

All modulation & movement