A question about processing and mixing distorted guitar

N

noiseordinance

New member
Hi there. I'm trying to figure out if there's any good secrets about how to make guitars sound big and hiss-free. Clean guitar seems to be cake, and I'm pleased with the tones I'm getting relative to drum and bass. However, distorted guitar is another beast. I'm going fairly light on the guitar tracks. Rhythm track right, rhythm track left. I record guitar into Presonus TubePre straight into interface and use Amplitube two. When the distorted guitars come in, there's just this airiness to them that I can't explain. I don't know if I should be eq'ing beyond Amplitube's EQ, compressing (i read that compression is usually unnecessary on distorted guitar), using high / low pass filters, etc.

Any pointers?
 
noiseordinance said:
Hi there. I'm trying to figure out if there's any good secrets about how to make guitars sound big and hiss-free. Clean guitar seems to be cake, and I'm pleased with the tones I'm getting relative to drum and bass. However, distorted guitar is another beast. I'm going fairly light on the guitar tracks. Rhythm track right, rhythm track left. I record guitar into Presonus TubePre straight into interface and use Amplitube two. When the distorted guitars come in, there's just this airiness to them that I can't explain. I don't know if I should be eq'ing beyond Amplitube's EQ, compressing (i read that compression is usually unnecessary on distorted guitar), using high / low pass filters, etc.

Any pointers?
Click to expand...

You can tinker around with EQ, etc. but I'd say that if you do a quick faders up mix and your immediate impression is that the guitar sound stinks, then all the post-processing trickery in the world isn't going to save it for you.

You should try mic'ing a decent-sounding guitar/amp combo instead. Personally, I've never been convinced that amp sims compare to the real deal, although some may disagree.
 
I guess I sorta feel like I experience this every time I record guitar, whether it's via amp or sim. In the case of amplitube, I'm pretty impressed with the tone I have. It's just the noise interference (I guess) that comes with recording any instrument, whether it be guitar, bass, or vocals. I wasn't sure if people use tricks to cut the noise. I like my guitar tones when they are on solo, but when all the guitar tracks combine with all other instruments, it just sounds.... odd... perhaps I will post an example in the subforum for audio clips so people can give advice, since my description is probably really vague. :)
 
Tones can really be deceiving. Alone they might sound to you as perfect, but in a mix...:(
I have always liked hot fuzzed out guitars with a sizzling high end. That is, until I hear it in a mix. I have never been one to admire that Marshall 100 watt on 10 sound alone, but you gotta agree that in a rock mix-it works.

Once frequencies from different tracks get into the mix, things can get a bit dodgy.As far as hiss, don't be afraid to cut those hi's down a bit. The best approach is to avoid them in the first place. The interface may be the source of the problem. Of course distorted guitars & amps are well known for, well, hissin' and hummin'.
 
I use amplitube metal for when i'm just jamming along and learning new songs and stuff. Yes it is a great little program but your never going to get pro sounds from it for the simple reason that it isn't a nice amp thats multi miced and multi tracked.

What you can do though, is make it more usable!

What i suggest doing is going through all of the head and cab combinations, there are a lot of bad combinations that will sound hissy in a mix.

If your still stuck, then give me a shout and we can swap some presets if you like.
 
And as a side note, maybe turn your gain down when you're tracking. Like if I normally set my gain to 8 when I'm playing live, I'll back it off to, say, around 6 for recording.
For my rhythm tracks, I'll track the same thing twice only with different pickups, amps or guitars. Pan to taste.
I try to get my tones to work In The Mix and not so they sound good solo'd.
Luck man...
 
noiseordinance said:
I guess I sorta feel like I experience this every time I record guitar, whether it's via amp or sim. In the case of amplitube, I'm pretty impressed with the tone I have. It's just the noise interference (I guess) that comes with recording any instrument, whether it be guitar, bass, or vocals. I wasn't sure if people use tricks to cut the noise. I like my guitar tones when they are on solo, but when all the guitar tracks combine with all other instruments, it just sounds.... odd... perhaps I will post an example in the subforum for audio clips so people can give advice, since my description is probably really vague. :)
Click to expand...

Try dialing in your tone while jamming to a bass/drums track, then. In solo, guitars sound awesome if you crank up the gain, treble, and bass, and scoop the hell out of the midrange, but add some bass/kick and suddenly all that low end is lost and a wash of cymbols and your highs are gone, and then there's nothing left in the midrange.
 
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