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Harsh in volume? Cut gain? Limit? Lower track volume?
Or harsh in sound? EQ yes. Or cabinet.

But how did you record? Plugged in or mic? Plugged in usually is more harsh. The right Cabinet does a lot then.
 
What guitar model? Sometimes certain guitars (e.g. a Strat) will have "ice pick" frequencies by nature. You can tame them by lowering the pickups sometimes, using the neck pickup, changing the pot, or just rolling back the volume knob a hair. If you use amp sims, they can introduce those frequencies for whatever reason, so just choose a sim that doesn't have it. After the fact, the only thing I know if is surgical EQ.
 
What guitar model? Sometimes certain guitars (e.g. a Strat) will have "ice pick" frequencies by nature. You can tame them by lowering the pickups sometimes, using the neck pickup, changing the pot, or just rolling back the volume knob a hair. If you use amp sims, they can introduce those frequencies for whatever reason, so just choose a sim that doesn't have it. After the fact, the only thing I know if is surgical EQ.

Agree on this, just kicking your volume knob back a little helps tremendously. If those are mic'ed guitars, you may want to find a different position for the mic. All I am hearing is low-mid mud with no life in them(at least on the main one)
 
If those are mic'ed guitars, you may want to find a different position for the mic. All I am hearing is low-mid mud with no life in them(at least on the main one)

Exactly.

Which guitars were you asking about? The rhythm guitar in the beginning or those harmonized leads toward the end? I'm not hearing an excessive amount of harshness either way, but that rhythm guitar tone just isn't too attractive. If you like it, fine. If not, don't waste your time trying to fix it. Just retrack.

Keep in mind, the harshness you hear in guitars may be coming from something else in your mix. Excessive compression, limiting, and volume boosting on the master bus are prime offenders. It's epidemic in home recording, heavier genres especially.

I know what Nola is talking about, that ice-picky frequency that some guitars have. As somebody who uses a very bright, ash bodied Tele in almost every mix, it's an issue that I'm well aware of. But I'm not particularly hearing it here.
 
I want to do this. Gibson PPAT 500K pots look like a great choice from what I've researched.

Many times just rolling off some treble with the tone knob has almost the exact same effect as changing a pot.
Humbuckers almost never have ice pick/shrill frequencies.

I just had a chance to listen to the file today. I don't hear any harsh frequencies. I do hear scooped mids and an "underwater" sound. To me it sounds like too much ambience and mid scooping.
 
D.I.: Focusrite Scarlett

Still the question: Plugged in the amp in your focusrite? Or recorded with mic in front of the amp?

Plugged in alway's misses the room warmth, with flat and harsh sound as result. Try recording with mic once. This tempers the (high) sound and gets the mids more. You'll be surpriced about the nice sound you get. ;)
It's all about the good original sound you record. Not about trying to make something good from a bad recorded sound.

https://www.google.nl/search?q=reco...8KjTAhVMZFAKHba-BskQ_AUIBygC&biw=1379&bih=771

TRY IT!! And then we talk again. :thumbs up:
 
Here's a frequency spectrum analysis of just the guitars:


This doesn't say much. Won't help. You need "room" in your sound.

I don't have a suitable amp for recording, unfortunately.

To bad. Sorry. Perhaps trying to get one?
Modelling amps (cheaper amps) are great for home recording electrical guitar. Aren't that expensive if buy used, and you don't need 'stage power'. Must be possible under $50.

D.I.: guitar plugged directly into focusrite. Amp sim used: VH 5150 w/ SM57 off-axis.

At least we/i know were the harsh sound came from.
In this case: Try a nice Cabinet plugin to get "room". That will help.
Perhaps others can advice some good ones.

Or you can try the combination of Compression and EQ together, but that will not reach what a good cabinet plugin will do.
 
Can you dial down the treble/presence? On either the amp/sim or guitar. And then roll off some of the low-low end.
 
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