Help on guitar tones

andrushkiwt

andrushkiwt

Well-known member
Hey everyone,

Who wants to take a listen to some of my originals and give suggestions for improving the guitar tones to help the mix overall? It usually passes over well with average listener types, but I and some other peeps with sharper ears can tell that the guitars can be a little better sounding. Looking forward to feedback. Here's the link:

https://soundcloud.com/andrushkiwt/must-have

thanks!
 
You don't need to keep posting the same link all over the forum. That kind of thing will get you banned and ignored by other users.

You already posted it in the MP3 Clinic a few hours ago, be patient, people will chime in. You didn't need to post it here and in the Marketing Forum too.
 
Mr Clean said:
You don't need to keep posting the same link all over the forum. That kind of thing will get you banned and ignored by other users.

You already posted it in the MP3 Clinic a few hours ago, be patient, people will chime in. You didn't need to post it here and in the Marketing Forum too.
Click to expand...

Hey, thanks for the reply. I didn't mean to disturb anyone. Actually, I posted it here since I was advised to try the "guitar tones" section but couldn't find that. So, the "mixing techniques" seemed the next most appropriate place. I've been around here for 4 months or so and do my best to follow your ways. Different users frequent different forums, and there's more than one thing I'm looking for feedback on in the track. I assure you I am not trying to spam anything, just making sure I'm putting things in the appropriate spots. Sorry I offended you. Thanks
 
And if I have the "marketing" section mistaken for a place to market your tracks, then my mistake there as well. I thought it was clear what the purpose of that forum was. Again, sorry for being mistaken .
 
andrushkiwt said:
Hey everyone,

Who wants to take a listen to some of my originals and give suggestions for improving the guitar tones to help the mix overall? It usually passes over well with average listener types, but I and some other peeps with sharper ears can tell that the guitars can be a little better sounding. Looking forward to feedback. Here's the link:

https://soundcloud.com/andrushkiwt/must-have

thanks!
Click to expand...

Hey there,

I suppose your aim is to get that kind of tone, like nirvana? The grudge type of thing?

One thing that I don't like is that I can listen to the clean strings, it's like a clean guitar is mixed with some low gain guitars.
If I were you, I would remove this clean sound (string sound in this example).

I suppose you didn't do that on purpose, I feel you didn't use layering for tha kind of tone just happened to be there, so feel free to give an extra bit of gain to get a more angrier tone.
Before experimenting with the Gain, just play with some amps first, cause each amp is created for different tones/styles.
 
Paschalis I. said:
Hey there,

I suppose your aim is to get that kind of tone, like nirvana? The grudge type of thing?

One thing that I don't like is that I can listen to the clean strings, it's like a clean guitar is mixed with some low gain guitars.
If I were you, I would remove this clean sound (string sound in this example).

I suppose you didn't do that on purpose, I feel you didn't use layering for tha kind of tone just happened to be there, so feel free to give an extra bit of gain to get a more angrier tone.
Before experimenting with the Gain, just play with some amps first, cause each amp is created for different tones/styles.
Click to expand...

Thanks for listening and for the feedback! Oddly, a few others have suggested I turn DOWN the gain on the amp, which I can understand as well. The guitar is plugged straight into the interface and runs through Ampire, an amp simulator. There are 4 guitars during the chorus, so there is a lot going on. Plus, they all have different cabs and amp models (my choice) to give some distinction between them. For example, the middle left could be a British model through an American cab, and the right might be a Boutique model through an American cab. Plus, I turn the gain down to about 4 on every guitar track. I try to EQ them all with significant cuts around 450-500 or else Its a heaping pile of mud.

I absolutely want more of a punch and chug when I'm palm muting, but I just can't find that right combination of settings or EQ.

Nirvana is, coincidentally, my all time favorite. But I think I'm looking for something in between Nirvana and 30 seconds to Mars,as far as guitar sounds.

I'll try turning the gain up and moving some high end down a bit more perhaps.

Thanks again!
 
Your guitar tones sound good I like the clean guitar mixed with the dirty. There are a few spots in the heavy sections where there is 1 guitar that I think needs to be lower as it sticks out a little bit for my taste but other than that its very good. Layering guitar tracks is a great way to make it all bigger. MIght want to turn up a few of the fills as well. Guitar tones are so subjective though. I'd say if you feel it needs something work towards it but IMHO I think you're doing great.
 
d0gmA said:
Your guitar tones sound good I like the clean guitar mixed with the dirty. There are a few spots in the heavy sections where there is 1 guitar that I think needs to be lower as it sticks out a little bit for my taste but other than that its very good. Layering guitar tracks is a great way to make it all bigger. MIght want to turn up a few of the fills as well. Guitar tones are so subjective though. I'd say if you feel it needs something work towards it but IMHO I think you're doing great.
Click to expand...

hey, thanks a lot! I'm trying to find the balance between "personal preference" and "obvious fix-up". Everyone and their mother will have an opinion on how this or that should sound, but there is also a clear line where 99% of listeners will say that something needs to be fixed. Matched against commercial stuff, I just can't compete, but I'm trying to get as close to it as possible. I'm glad you liked it, thanks again for listening.
 
As a general rule, I'd avoid blanket cutting in the 400-500Hz regions - some amps have some really nice things going on here that might help with some chunk when palm muting. In my experience if things are summing nastily then the problems are often a little lower down that it first seems (think 250-400hz and a few notches here and there work wonders).

If you're gating, then make sure the gate's aren't overcompensating and taking too much weight out of the mutes, and if you REALLY want some balls there then a bit more low end cant hurt (be careful though, check very carefully what everything else is doing under this as it can end up a mudbath).

If all the tones are doing nasty summing at 400-500hz then as a long shot I sometimes try phase reversing the whole guitar bus - occasionally it does the trick and just slots things into place.
 
Jake_JW said:
As a general rule, I'd avoid blanket cutting in the 400-500Hz regions - some amps have some really nice things going on here that might help with some chunk when palm muting. In my experience if things are summing nastily then the problems are often a little lower down that it first seems (think 250-400hz and a few notches here and there work wonders).

If you're gating, then make sure the gate's aren't overcompensating and taking too much weight out of the mutes, and if you REALLY want some balls there then a bit more low end cant hurt (be careful though, check very carefully what everything else is doing under this as it can end up a mudbath).

If all the tones are doing nasty summing at 400-500hz then as a long shot I sometimes try phase reversing the whole guitar bus - occasionally it does the trick and just slots things into place.
Click to expand...

Phase reversing is swapping pans, in a simple way? I'll look into that, thanks for that tip. No gates, barely any compression either...maybe a 2:1 on the G bus. I'll look a little lower, around 250 or so, for some crap in there. I'm just afraid of losing the grit and bite from taking out in that region. A little reassurance helps though, so thanks, I'll give it another look.
 
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