Correlation meter: read it without mixing by number
Correlation describes channel similarity. Use it to investigate changes you hear, not to force every section toward one reading.
Diagnosis
- Observe the meter across time, not one frozen value.
- Check the same section in mono.
- Bypass stereo processors one at a time to find the source that changes the reading.
Decision
- Treat sustained negative correlation as a reason to inspect.
- Preserve intentional width when mono translation remains acceptable.
- Document before and after when a fix changes the image.
Measurement boundary
The meter cannot tell you whether a stereo effect is artistically useful.
Common failure: Narrowing every source until the meter looks safe can erase the arrangement's spatial design.