Share Your Double-Tracked Guitar Method

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scottmd06

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I'm curious to see the approach other people use when recording guitar parts twice, and then hard panning one track left and hard panning the other track right. I've experimented with a few different methods and I'd like your suggestions as well as feedback.

I typically record one track at a desired gain and eq and then record the second with a little more mid-range eq and less gain. I've even used a completely different guitar for the second track to see how it turns out..

Another method I've tried is having all of the reverb return from each guitar panned to the opposite channel.. Not much reverb, but enough to give the illusion of each track panned 90% to their respected channel and hearing the reverb on the other side only..

Also, I've heard of recording the guitar three times, one panned hard left, one panned hard right and one dead center.. This seems strange to me because the center needs so much room for kick, snare, bass, vocals and so on, so why clog it up with another guitar layer??

Let me know how you feel about these methods and what you like to do and some suggestions for me to try out..
 
Record the guitar twice and hard pan.

For me, it really is just that simple. The more a like the two tracks, the bigger they will sound. The more they are different, the more they just sound like two separate parts.
 
Generally I'd record a darker tone for 2 takes, and pan a brighter tone for 2
takes. For the difference in tones it's generally just moving the mic closer
or further from the center of the cone.

I'd pan one dark hard left and one brighter hard right. The other go about
50% left and right. Short room reverb. Gives a fairly big sound. Although I
haven't experimented much.
 
I'm kinda in the same boat.

record the same part twice, usually with different guitars, amps or at least different settings, EQ etc but the panning really kinda depends on what sounds best.
Sometimes hard L/R but usually not.
 
I usually just go with two tracks panned left and right, not necessarily hard left and right, just whatever seems to sound best for the situation. I often like to incorporate some kind of "difference" between the two, be it a different pedal if using distortion, or even a different pickup on my guitar. I tend to keep the mic in the same position in front of my amp to avoid the vagaries of phase issues.

Matt
 
I record two distorted tracks and pan hard left and hard right. Usually record a third track and put it dead center. Fills out the spectrum a bit.
 
RAMI said:
What phase issues can you have if you're only using one mic????
Click to expand...
if recording on a hard surface with the mic back, a first order floor reflection may be noticed.


OP, your question seems more centered around mixing than tracking.
 
That's an interesting question to ask. On the whole, I don't have a set rule. Many times I end up doing the same part twice, picking one and mixing it louder than the other. That way, there's a fatter sound and a semblance of it only being on one track. Then only the best ears can tell that it was double tracked. It isn't always necessary to hide the double track though.

For distortion, I'll do the same fuzzy part 3 or four times, sometimes with a pick, sometimes without, sometimes plugged into different amps, sometimes using amp simulators. I then bounce it down to one or two tracks, emphasizing the sounds I like best. If it is down to one track, I may copy it and add a slight delay or extra reverb to the copy. I usually don't hard pan anything. I do move the two resulting tracks pretty far to the right or left side though, equidistant to eachother.

Copying a track and moving the copy a millisecond away from the original can sometimes make for a fatter sound, but the part obviously has to be done right.
 
RAMI said:
What phase issues can you have if you're only using one mic????
Click to expand...

If I'm playing the exact same part twice and mixing the two takes together, I leave the mic in the same position. I realize that there is a "phasiness" to the result even still, since no two takes are exactly identical, but they're similar enough that they blend nicely. I've had many instances where moving the mic around arbitrarily between the two takes made for some goofy results.
 
mattdee1 said:
If I'm playing the exact same part twice and mixing the two takes together, I leave the mic in the same position. I realize that there is a "phasiness" to the result even still, since no two takes are exactly identical, but they're similar enough that they blend nicely. I've had many instances where moving the mic around arbitrarily between the two takes made for some goofy results.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm....I buy the hard floor argument. But I've never heard of, or heard for myself, phasing being an issue with double-tracking something. I'm not saying you're wrong, if you say you've witnessed it. I just never experienced it or heard of anyone else experiencing this.
 
I normally record with two different guitars, normally different amp set ups (Pod, Vamp or softamp)...say a sharp lead sound for one side and more of a mid range rumbler for the other, I'll play almost exactly the same maybe just a slight variation on some of the licks on the lead amp every now and then..pan hard left/right, and then record some palm mutes in the centre


sounds great in practice.... but I still need more hours under my belt to get it right...
 
mattdee1 said:
If I'm playing the exact same part twice and mixing the two takes together, I leave the mic in the same position. I realize that there is a "phasiness" to the result even still, since no two takes are exactly identical, but they're similar enough that they blend nicely. I've had many instances where moving the mic around arbitrarily between the two takes made for some goofy results.
Click to expand...

no. two signals must be phase coherent in order for "Phasiness" to occur. two performances do not result in phase coherence.

two mics on a single source captures two signals that are phase coherent.
 
Sonixx said:
no. two signals must be phase coherent in order for "Phasiness" to occur. two performances do not result in phase coherence.

two mics on a single source captures two signals that are phase coherent.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought. Not that I could have actually articulated as well, but I was aware of the general "truth" of it.:cool:
 
Lately I've really liked the sound of dual miking a cab - an SM57 and an RSM-5. Double track as tightly as possible. Then I blend the two mics for one track, and pan them together. Then blend the other two, and pan them opposite the first 2 tracks.

The 57 gives very nice presence, and the RSM gives it some balls and warmth.
 
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