Doubling Up Guitar Tracks

[get2sammyb]

Is this a no go? My band has two guitars, there are a lot of occassions in songs when one guitar will solo or play a lead riff, and where there is no sining. The other guitarist will usually just play power chords in this time - should I be re recording the rythmn backings in this time with different tones, or should I double up the track?

If I use two different recordings - how should I alter the tone of the guitars?

Thanks in advance.

[DAS19]

I usally will record the main rythem part twice and pan one left one right and then record the solo on another track.

[jonnyc]

Have the rythm guitarist play his part 2-4 times and pan left and right, then leave the lead tracks right up the middle, or sometimes I'll just pan the lead to one side depending on whether the band likes it or not. If your guitarists are tight enough then don't be afraid to do a few overdubs with each guy and listen for what sounds good.

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by get2sammyb

Is this a no go? My band has two guitars, there are a lot of occassions in songs when one guitar will solo or play a lead riff, and where there is no sining. The other guitarist will usually just play power chords in this time - should I be re recording the rythmn backings in this time with different tones, or should I double up the track?

If I use two different recordings - how should I alter the tone of the guitars?

Thanks in advance.

How many different amps and guitars do you have at your disposal? The easiest way is to play the same tracks 2-4 times as others have suggested, but each track through a different amp or guitar rig. try different mic positions on the speaker too.
The other way is to have them play the chords in different positions and change the pickup selector switch if you don't have a variety to work with.

[Micter]

I always double up the guitar parts, ALWAYS!

[Farview]

Left and right rhythms with the solo overdubbed.

Unfortunately that means that the guy playing the lead has to learn the rhythm part behind his solo, but no one said this was going to be easy.

[Micter]

Originally Posted by Farview

Left and right rhythms with the solo overdubbed.

Unfortunately that means that the guy playing the lead has to learn the rhythm part behind his solo, but no one said this was going to be easy.

I think you are seeing things a bit clouded! Just have the guy playing rhythm double his part. It will sound tighter and nobody has to learn anything. It's always a better idea to have one guy play both tracks.

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by Micter

I think you are seeing things a bit clouded! Just have the guy playing rhythm double his part. It will sound tighter and nobody has to learn anything. It's always a better idea to have one guy play both tracks.

It worked for Metallica for years. Kirk Hammet only played the solos.. Of course he had to learn the rhythm for the live show...

[Farview]

Originally Posted by Micter

I think you are seeing things a bit clouded! Just have the guy playing rhythm double his part. It will sound tighter and nobody has to learn anything. It's always a better idea to have one guy play both tracks.

That's assuming that both guitar players are playing the same part. That's not always the case.

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by Farview

That's assuming that both guitar players are playing the same part. That's not always the case.

Black Crows!!!

They played the same chords, different voicings.

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by Rokket

Black Crows!!!

They played the same chords, different voicings.

Originally Posted by Rokket

It worked for Metallica for years. Kirk Hammet only played the solos.. Of course he had to learn the rhythm for the live show...

Heh, I am wishy-washy....

[Farview]

Sometimes there are counter-rhythms, or harmonies or just different chord voicings. Sometimes one guy holds power chords while the other guy plays a riff.

[Dumby]

Originally Posted by DAS19

I usally will record the main rythem part twice and pan one left one right and then record the solo on another track.

+1

With the occasional pause for a beat before re-entering a section of a song.
I do it twice with slightly different tones

[noisedude]

Originally Posted by Rokket

Heh, I am wishy-washy....

Flip-flopper!!

[Robert D]

No rules here, just experiment and see what makes the best recording, AND is still reasonably reproducable on stage. I think it's safe to say that the vast majority rythem guitar tracks are doubled and panned out.

[sixways]

Originally Posted by Rokket

It worked for Metallica for years. Kirk Hammet only played the solos.. Of course he had to learn the rhythm for the live show...

I wish someone would take his wah pedal away. I used to love his stuff (disposable hero's solo was awesome as was master of puppets) but that wah grates my nerves now.

6

[get2sammyb]

I have a helluva lot of amp settings available because I am using (and really enjoying playing with) the Line 6 Toneport.

For those that don't have it (even those with sound proof rooms and a wide range of mics and amps) I really recommend it. The range of sounds you can get from the thing for the price is amazing. And with a lot of careful tweaking it can sound amazing.

So yeah - I'll go for getting my guitarist to record 2 or 4 takes, and pan them out. I'm not looking for a formula - I appreciate experimenting is the way forward - just trying to find out what and how everyone else does.

So I could say - place my mic further away from the amp and do two takes that way - pan them out wide, and then move the mic closer and do some more tracks more central. Is that the kinda thing people are doing?

Thanks,

Sammy.

[Rokket]

Originally Posted by sixways

I wish someone would take his wah pedal away. I used to love his stuff (disposable hero's solo was awesome as was master of puppets) but that wah grates my nerves now.

6

Yeah, I have to agree... It's like an old man who finds his niche in clothing and keeps wearing the same style of clothes, even though the fashion designer had been dead for 10 years... He found something that made him sound faster/better/different and it became a crutch.

[Canobliss]

Originally Posted by get2sammyb

So I could say - place my mic further away from the amp and do two takes that way - pan them out wide, and then move the mic closer and do some more tracks more central. Is that the kinda thing people are doing?

Thanks,

Sammy.

Dont forget, you can always mic close and further away at the same time and blend the tracks (as always be mindful of phase issues) Also experiment with the angle of the mic and the position relative to the speaker. Try putting one mic right in front of the grill pointed at the speaker for attack then angle one and point it off-center to get a fuller sound. Slight adjustments can make a big difference.

[Keiffer]

How you track the song can have little relationship to how it's played lived.

For sections where the rhythm should sound monolithic, maybe have one guitarist do both (or four) parts, or maybe not... there's no rules. Do what works, but egos may have to take a back seat... if that's possible.

[get2sammyb]

Haha - yeah, these guys are gonna be pissed He wants to bring his wah pedal to - that he uses all the time :'(

Anyway - how would you go about EQing the tracks... the ones hard left and right (which I wa splanning on doing with a more distant mic) - I am presuming they should be EQed differently to the more upfront guitars?

[psongman]

Hi, normally I don't like to push recording products but if you learn how to use Doubler, a Waves plugin, it is unbelievable, less being better, of course. The Acoustic Guitar setting, makes the guitar sound more acoustic and you can hear the picking better, and it adds so much more. On voices, it excels, too. I mean I used to love playing guitars over, but not over and over, and the same with vocals, but this plugin saves much time and patience and even sweetens the sound. I will try some of the mentions in the earlier posts though, as for that certain guitar sound, you need to take chances and try different methods. Over and out, psingman

[get2sammyb]

Doubler? I'm gonna go check that out.

Thanks.

[get2sammyb]

So you just played around for a couple of hours with doubling up guitar tracks and such and got something I quite like. I posted the following mix in a different topic but got no reply so I thought I'll post it here and show what I'd done. This was just two guitar tracks doubled up:

http://www.slipperynipplerock.co.uk/...seqhomerec.mp3

I thought sonically - the guitars fitted in with the mix quite well - albeit if I took another take of then guitars I would make them sound a lot less crunchy (I would also let them decay a bit better, cos I inserted silence to get rid of finger movements).

Anyway - I thought the mix lacked real sparkle - and I am trying to get somewhere near to that really bright, commercial rock mix sound. So I added in 4 more guitar tracks, panned them appropriately, added some flange (which I wish I didn't) on one track and EQed it slightly differently.

http://www.slipperynipplerock.co.uk/...ledguitars.mp3

I am much happier with the second mix, it sounds a lot wider to me, although it is a bit too bright for my liking. Any advice on what I should be doing differently? Would be greatly appreciated

Thanks.

[Simman]

Here's just one article that shows some examples on panning your doubles.

http://www.recordingwebsite.com/articles/pandouble.php