Beefy guitar concern

[bluedaffy]

So to get a thick guitar sound for a good hard rock feel I used the old trick of recording the rhythm guitar part, go back to the beginning and then recorded the same thing again. I panned these hard left and right, and I love the beef it gives the guitar. The only beef that I have with that method is when I sum to mono it doesn't cancel out, but it is very far back in the mix. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to one of the tracks to maybe keep this from happening to that extreme?

Info about the tracks:
- I didn't change anything or turn any knobs when recording the 2 tracks. Same guitar, same amp, same mic and placement.
- Both of the tracks are treated with the same processing, I didn't have to apply any eq shaping because the captured sound was what I was looking for, but they both have the same hi-pass filter applied.

 

[Greg_L]

- I didn't change anything or turn any knobs when recording the 2 tracks. Same guitar, same amp, same mic and placement.
.

Don't do that. Change something. Anything. Mic, speaker, guitar, amp settings, change something. Easiest is different guitar or amp settings.

 

[miroslav]

Yeah...I would change up something....but what you are experienceing is maybe the pan law in action. Depending on DAW or how it's set on yours, the difference coud be -3dB to -6dB going from L/R stereo...to center/mono....
...and if most of your mix elements were centered, except for the hard-panned guitars....then the pan law will affect them the most.

 

[guitarplayr82]

Yeah I'd say it's normal when you have the L and R guitars from the same exact source. Try this: find some of your favorite recordings that have double tracked guitars and listen to them in mono - see what happens to the panned guitars.

 

[bluedaffy]

Would applying different eq, reamping, or something else inside the mix work or help? Or will I have to rerecord to remedy this? both are "doable" but the first option would be much easier due to the fact that my guitar and rig are 3 hours from me.

 

[Greg_L]

Would applying different eq, reamping, or something else inside the mix work or help? Or will I have to rerecord to remedy this? both are "doable" but the first option would be much easier due to the fact that my guitar and rig are 3 hours from me.

Unless you have the raw direct signal, reamping is not going to work well. Different EQ might do something, but it would probably have to be pretty drastic. I wouldn't go for either of those options.

Since you have two distinct takes already, and you're not just copying and pasting one take, sliding one a few ms one way or the other could possibly give the illusion of better separation.

The pan law that Miro mentioned could also be in play here.

But really, why are you summing to mono anyway?

 

[bluedaffy]

I knew someone would ask The only reason I was summing to mono was because I would like it to work well. I know that not much these days is mono, or played back in mono, but it's just one of those things that would make me sleep better. Is it something I shouldn't worry about all together?

 

[Greg_L]

I knew someone would ask The only reason I was summing to mono was because I would like it to work well. I know that not much these days is mono, or played back in mono, but it's just one of those things that would make me sleep better. Is it something I shouldn't worry about all together?

I would say no, don't worry about it. A stereo mix and a mono mix are two different animals. A stereo mix technically should sound decent in mono, but it doesn't have to be perfect.

 

[RAMI]

I would say no, don't worry about it. A stereo mix and a mono mix are two different animals. A stereo mix technically should sound decent in mono, but it doesn't have to be perfect.

Yeah.

If you were doing a mono mix, you'd probably not have doubled that guitar. Nothing wrong with checking in mono to make sure there aren't drastic phase cancellations, but don't let the mono mix form your stereo mix decisions.

I agree with the guys about changing something, whether it's a different pick-up, mic, mic position, etc....What might be happening is that your playing is so tight, and the sounds are so similar, that you might acutally be getting slight phase cancellation. Play worse!

 

[miroslav]

I'll third that.....

Mono is...well, not that significant in my *mixing* decisions. Yeah, check for phase issues, and maybe just a quick peak as to how it sound in mono....but I've never changed anything dramatically 'cuz of how it sounded in mono.

I know some guys swear buy mixing in mono as a starting point for their stereo mix...I just never found it to be all that rewarding, 'cuz as soon as I flipped to stereo, I would change the mix around to how I wanted it in stereo.
To me, the two mixes are substantially different.