Mixing distorted guitar - question about echo/slapback/reverb specifically

[KissMyRobot]

As I learn mixing, mixing distorted guitar is a bit of a blind spot for me. I can get general balance and I can get them to fit, but it still feels like they are all independent units rather than this sexy wall of sound.

I think delay/reverb (an 1/8 note gentle slapback and a little bit of feedback for instance) is the key to "smearing" things enough to fill in those gaps. Can anyone chime in with some advice or tutorials/reading for distorted guitar specifically? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

[Greg_L]

A little reverb might help. Just a little. But you know what's better for that giant wall of guitar sounds? Record more guitar tracks.

 

[Jonesey9]

Yep, more tracks, but make each one slightly different in terms of Playing style / pickups / guitars / amp / cab / Fx etc


Oh yes - you'll find for recording you'll need a LOT less distortion than what you use when playing live

 

[KissMyRobot]

Yep, more tracks, but make each one slightly different in terms of Playing style / pickups / guitars / amp / cab / Fx etc


Oh yes - you'll find for recording you'll need a LOT less distortion than what you use when playing live

I suppose I should have mentioned I am not the recording engineer or musician in these cases. Learning off rather well done stems.

 

[darscuzlo]

This is probably unconventional but I like to run my guitar clean into the reverb. I even do this on my rig. I DI the signal on my pedal board before any of the effects and dirt pedals etc, except the wah pedal. Run that through a Lexicon MX200, a clean amp and separate speakers. To my ears it keeps the presence more musical. Bear in mind I run a lush large hall verb not a slap back kind of thing.