Helang
by Native Instruments

How Helang uses EQ, panning, and
Ozone Imager for stereo balance

Stereo width plays a huge role in shaping a mix, but getting it right is a balancing act. Widening a track too much can make it sound thin, hollow, or even messy on different playback systems. On the other hand, keeping everything too narrow can make a mix feel lifeless. Finding that sweet spot – where elements feel spacious without losing clarity – takes experience and a strong understanding of stereo-imaging techniques.

Few producers understand this better than Helang. Fresh off the release of her Flashback EP on HE.SHE.THEY. Records, the Chinese-American house, and techno artist continues to push sonic boundaries with her bold, high-energy productions.

A major part of her process comes from Ozone Imager, a tool she’s used extensively to fine-tune the stereo balance across her mixes. From using the Width and Stereoize sliders to shape her midrange and high-end, to leveraging Antiphase Prevention to maintain mono compatibility, Helang approaches stereo width with precision.

In this interview, Helang shares her approach to stereo imaging, from how she builds width at the mixing stage to how she refines it in mastering. She also breaks down how Ozone’s tools help her achieve a controlled yet spacious stereo image, giving her tracks the depth and movement that define her latest release.

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With her latest release gaining traction and support from industry heavyweights, Helang’s insight into stereo width goes beyond technical precision – it’s about making music that feels immersive, powerful, and unapologetically authentic.

And try some of Helang’s tips using Ozone Imager, a free stereo imaging plugin that can adjust stereo image with simple controls and incredible sound.

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When you’re mixing, how do you decide how wide a track should feel without overdoing it?

To decide how wide a track should feel while mixing without overdoing it, I focus on using panning strategically to create a sense of space, prioritize keeping crucial elements like vocals centered, and regularly check my mix in mono to ensure it doesn’t lose clarity when collapsed to a single channel; essentially, I use stereo width to enhance the sound, but don’t sacrifice the overall balance and intelligibility of my mix by spreading everything too far apart.

Pro tip from Helang: Don’t make it too wide when experimenting because it may sound annoying in headphones. Don’t widen low-frequency sounds too much. It may sometimes sound interesting in genres like ambient but also may have a bubbly sound (that’s why single band versions are not very useful… many rounds have all the frequency spectrum) you might try to make bands with patcher and EQs, use linear phase EQ for that.

What’s your philosophy on stereo width? Do you shape it early in the mix, or is it more of a mastering decision?

I primarily shape stereo width early in the mix by strategically panning individual instruments and using stereo effects on specific elements – all while reserving subtle adjustments for mastering and fine-tuning the overall stereo image to ensure mono compatibility. I prefer this instead of drastically widening everything at the mastering stage; the key is to create a balanced stereo field where essential elements remain centered and focused.

Pro tip from Helang: Recognize the width and stereo slider uses. The “Width” slider does not mess with mono information in any way – it just widens the existing stereo image. The “Stereoize” slider spreads mono information across the stereo field, creating a “false stereo” effect from it.

This is going to mess with anything that’s panned dead center in your mix – like the kick and bass – which is probably not desirable.

What’s your approach to using Ozone’s Imager on individual elements versus applying it on the master?

When using Ozone Imager, you can apply it to individual elements to control the width of specific sounds or to the master to adjust the stereo width of the entire mix.

Four things to look out for when using ozone on the master:

  1. Adjust the stereo width on the entire master
  2. Minimize drawbacks by using Antiphase Prevention to avoid mono compatibility issues
  3. Recover sides by adding back side-channel information to the mid-channel when reducing width
  4. Visualize by using the Vectorscope and Correlation Meter to identify mono compatibility issues

How do you ensure your mix stays mono-compatible while still feeling wide on stereo systems?

To maintain a wide stereo image while ensuring my mix remains mono-compatible, I focus on panning instruments strategically, keeping critical elements like vocals and bass centered, avoid extreme panning, use stereo widening effects sparingly and carefully, and regularly check my mix in mono to identify potential issues with phase cancellation; essentially, prioritize a balanced stereo image where not all elements are pushed to the extreme left or right.

Pro tip from Helang: Make sure your bass is centered and you can add a bit of width to the higher frequencies if you feel you need it.

Do you think today’s streaming platforms and modern playback systems have changed the way producers approach stereo width?

I don’t think so. In my opinion, it is probably us who are adding more stereo-width than we realize, and probably have a lot of non-mono elements, etc., overall making it pretty thin and hollow.

Many samples and presets on VSTs have a good amount of width that only actually ‘sounds good’ in isolation.

For example, a lot of sampled kicks you can get online are stereo and have a weird spread to them (I just mono them). I’m still figuring it out, and I’m not a pro, but having primarily mono elements and getting our width through tasteful panning, delay, and reverb is the way. Maybe we’d have one or two broad elements, but nothing is if everything is wide.

If you were giving advice to a producer who struggles with flat, narrow mixes, what’s the first thing you’d tell them?

The perception of stereo width comes from the arrangement and composition of the sounds within that arrangement. The more contrast you have between the sound(s) on the left and the sound(s) on the right, the “wider” it is going to be perceived as being.

To me, A “flat” mix sounds like it may be a different issue altogether.

Mixes can sound flat because they’re boring, poorly arranged, over-compressed/over-mixed, etc. Depth is a combination of making sure there is sufficient contrast between elements in all of: Frequency, volume, imaging, ambiance.

Pro tip from Helang: Beyond the tips already given: always make sure you use a band to keep the sub in mono, you generally don’t want kicks/bass/whatever all over the place.

Start getting a wide sound in your music

A huge thank you to Helang for breaking down her approach to stereo width and sharing how she fine-tunes the balance between space and clarity in her mixes. Her insights into Ozone’s Imager – from using the Width and Stereoize sliders to keeping bass elements locked in the center – highlight how stereo shaping is just as much about control as it is about expansion.

What stood out most was her focus on intentional width rather than just making a track sound “bigger.” She ensures that her mixes translate well across different systems by prioritizing mono compatibility, strategically panning, and leveraging tools like Antiphase Prevention and dynamic EQ.

Her approach proves that width isn’t about pushing everything to the edges but about creating contrast and depth where it matters.

Whether you’re refining your own stereo width or looking for inspiration, Helang’s process is a masterclass in balancing precision with creative expression.

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