Can't get a decent lead sound

[IronFlippy]

In an attempt to further my recording skills (or lack thereof), I'm doing a quick (as in song length) metal mix. I figured getting a good metal sound would be the hardest thing to accomplish, due to all the processing that goes into it to make it "brutal". I've got what I think is a nice fat rhythm sound (hopefully I'm not torn apart here), but no matter what I do to the lead track, it always sounds terrible. I put this in the recording techniques section because I believe the problem lies in the initial recording process.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that I don't actually play metal, I don't have the right amps and whatnot, so I'm using a modeler DI'd in, and then adding impulse reverb to get speaker emulation. Bass is also DI'd. Ignore the drums for now, they're going to be replaced. I'm just using them to get an idea for what the mix sounds like as a whole.

I have four tracks of rhythm, two through a "Peavey" panned hard left and right, two through a "Marshall" panned 50% L/R (not actually those amps, but that modeler setting). All were tracked separately, no copy and paste. All I've added was a bit of EQ. The lead track is through the "Peavey" model and panned center. Right now I have it going to the same EQ bus as the rhythm, but it doesn't sound right. I've tried EQing it opposite the rhythm for contrast, adding reverb, delay, compression, but I can't seem to get a decent sound.

Any leads? I can post the file without drums if it helps, just let me know. I'm at a loss as to where I should go from here. Thanks!

http://www.lightningmp3.com/live/file.php?fid=8933

 

[metalhead28]

I actually think that the lead tone is better than the rhythm tone.
It's rather boomy and murky. The bad thing is, if you get more bite and midrange in your rhythm sound, it might be even harder to make the lead guitar stand out.

The first thing I would do is a generous cut centered around 200hz on that rhythm sound until it starts to clear up a bit. Of course, that's just my opinion.....

I read something one time (actually several times) that has really stuck and worked for me. "Treat the lead guitar like a vocal" .
You're usually doing similar things with EQ, you might use alot more compression than you ever would on rhythm guitars, and of course the occasional reverb or delay. I would certainly not eq them along with the rhythm tracks.

I record leads (in a metal context at least) with quite a bit of gain, and more midrange from the amp. I back off the gain for rhythm guitars, so right off the bat there is a different timbre to the sound that makes the leads stand out. Something tells me that this would sound better with alot more gain.

 

[IronFlippy]

thanks a ton metalhead, maybe I just need to get things into perspective. I think the rhythm guitars were recorded with too much gain anyway, I'll see what I can do.

I've heard the same thing, treat lead guitars like a vocal. Except I'm terrible at mixing vocals, so it doesn't help me much, haha. Live and learn.

Thanks again, I'll work on it a bit tonight, maybe even out that drum track a bit, the kik is all over the place.