Bringing out Heavy Metal Guitars in the Mix

B

bloodmeridian

New member
Hey guys, I'm new here. I play the guitars for a Death Metal band called Blood Meridian.
I've got a Focusrite 18i6 Audio Interface, a Yamaha HS50M Studio Monitors, a POD X3 Live and an ESP AX 260 Guitar.

I have been trying to get a decent mix out of my setup but, I'm unable to do so...
I think the Guitars get too fuzzy sometimes, or low on volume. Sometimes, the guitars sound way behind and lacks that Death Metal Punch. Could you suggest me some eqs or techniques that would help me achieve the tone that I desire?

I use the Diamond Plate 2001 amp of the POD X3 live and Impulse Responses for the Cabinet Simulation.


The attached track has 4 guitar tracks, 2 panned to extreme and the other 2 panned to 70-70. Also, the guitars and bass tracks are completely unmixed. I just did the levels so that everything kinna sounds in place and also nothing is clipping.


Could someone help?
Thanks :)
 

Attachments

  • Butchers Demo (Levels).mp3
    6.4 MB · Views: 70
Well first of all, pan them out from the middle. You say two of them are 70-70? I'm not hearing that.

Also, are they 4 distinct tracks? Or did you copy and paste?

Try it with just two seperate take rhythm tracks panned wide to each side first. Then layer in additional tracks. Don't copy-paste. That usually does nothing at best and sound bad at worst. Record each track as it's own take.
 
Ofcourse its not Copy Pasted!
Each of the guitar tracks are distinct.

One panned at extreme left, other panned at extreme right, one panned on 70% left and the last one to 70% right :)
 
On that note, I just saw when I play the guitars, the sound is coming from both the speakers?

Is it because i grouped all the guitar tracks to a stereo channel?

HELP :'(
 
bloodmeridian said:
Ofcourse its not Copy Pasted!
Click to expand...
Lol. Don't get defensive now. The copy-paste thing is all-too-common in here and it usually results in disaster. That's why I asked. :D


bloodmeridian said:
One panned at extreme left, other panned at extreme right, one panned on 70% left and the last one to 70% right :)
Click to expand...

You did something very wrong then or my monitors are fucked. I'm hearing the overdriven guitars only coming from the middle.
 
Greg_L said:
You did something very wrong then or my monitors are fucked. I'm hearing the overdriven guitars only coming from the middle.
Click to expand...

Well, now when i check it out, I'm getting the same thing.... any ideas why this is happening?
Wonder why i didnt notice this earlier though :'(
 
bloodmeridian said:
Well, now when i check it out, I'm getting the same thing.... any ideas why this is happening?
Wonder why i didnt notice this earlier though :'(
Click to expand...

Lol. Good question. Go back to the drawing board and see why your guitars are only coming up the middle. You done did sumthin wrong.
 
Just out of curioisty did you do the panning on your POD ?? or In your Daw ???

Becasue you can pan left or right as much as you want on those POD X3's they are still going to come in mono and up the middle in your DAW. And even then depending on how the X3 is configured, like on mine, if i pan to the right tho closer to the far right i go the lower the db's get. And 100% to the right the signal is gone.

Might want to look into that?
 
Greg_L said:
How did you not hear that the guitars are only up the middle anyway?
Click to expand...

I am guessing he is using head phones and direct monitoring with the POD, with his panning set up on the POD, in which case if he is using the dual tone shit, he is going to hear everything mixed how he wants it in his headphones, but his Daw is capturing everything a centre. He has the track armed for POD Left channel ...

This is my partially educated guess.
 
Atom Bomb said:
Just out of curioisty did you do the panning on your POD ?? or In your Daw ???

Becasue you can pan left or right as much as you want on those POD X3's they are still going to come in mono and up the middle in your DAW. And even then depending on how the X3 is configured, like on mine, if i pan to the right tho closer to the far right i go the lower the db's get. And 100% to the right the signal is gone.

Might want to look into that?
Click to expand...



Im panning from the DAW bro. On the tracks, only left channel is being active... but output comes from the middle! Driving me crazy! I'm trying to do some research, didnt get lucky till now. Any suggestions?
 
Atom Bomb said:
I am guessing he is using head phones and direct monitoring with the POD, with his panning set up on the POD, in which case if he is using the dual tone shit, he is going to hear everything mixed how he wants it in his headphones, but his Daw is capturing everything a centre. He has the track armed for POD Left channel ...

This is my partially educated guess.
Click to expand...

Oh no... I pan in the DAW... Just cant figure out where im going wrong
 
Fixed it! :D

It was a combined problem in my Audio Interface's Mix Control s/w and the vst cab simulation that i am using for distorted guitars.

The Output of the main daw was set to Mono, I did it to Stereo, and the Clean guitars were fixed :P

I just noticed that there is a pan option in the Cab simulation vst as well that nullifies the pan option of a particular channel.



So basically i fixed it!



Now, for the original question. How do i get a decent mix out?

Also comment on the overall recording, drum sound etc. Critics are welcomed!

Thanks guys :)
 

Attachments

  • Butchers Demo (Levels) II.mp3
    6.4 MB · Views: 25
bloodmeridian said:
Fixed it! :D

It was a combined problem in my Audio Interface's Mix Control s/w and the vst cab simulation that i am using for distorted guitars.

The Output of the main daw was set to Mono, I did it to Stereo, and the Clean guitars were fixed :P

I just noticed that there is a pan option in the Cab simulation vst as well that nullifies the pan option of a particular channel.



So basically i fixed it!



Now, for the original question. How do i get a decent mix out?

Also comment on the overall recording, drum sound etc. Critics are welcomed!

Thanks guys :)
Click to expand...

Lol. Way better.

You need to post this in the MP3 clinic to get mix advice. The mix is pretty muddy and the fake drums sound like a typewriter.
 
hahahahaha the guitars and bass are completely unmixed... maybe a few filters would help there ^_^

Drumsss!! ahhhh!!! no matter what i do i cant get a real drum sound :'(



Thanks a ton guys! Helped me rectify my mistakes before something went seriously wrong!

off to mp3 clinic :)
 
Yeah a very mono sounding Mix.
I think the guitars have potential if panned. :)

Post a new version please.
 
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