Any tips for getting two guitar parts to line up?

[gypsyblues73]

I'm doing a track (my first non-"just-screwing-around" one), and I doubled the main riff by recording through two different mics, but I also want to do a third track "manually" through a different amp, different guitar, different sound and tone altogether, but playing the exact same part (yes, I am a glutton for punishment). Considering there's like, a 99.9 percent chance it ain't gonna line up exactly, does anyone have any editing tips or tricks they'd care to share?

 

[mjbphotos]

YOu could cut the new track into little tiny parts and shift each one as needed. Or you can leave it as is - the idea of double-tracking a guitar part is to give it some depth. If you play the same exact part with different tone, you just double up on the overall sound. You might as well just re-amp the original track.

 

[RAMI]

Just practice and double it up. It's done all the time.

I disagree that playing the same part twice is the same as re-amping. Not even close. You could even play the exact same part through the exact same set up and it will still be a nice thick double, if played tight. Playing it twice is what will make them different enough to blend nicely.

 

[davidjmaxey]

My thoughts

If you recorded the tracks to a click or even the drum part the timing is going to be reletively the same, the millisecond differences in the tracks are part of how you get that big fat sound. I personally don't think it needs to be exact.

If your trying to give the impression that the third track is the same guitar in your mix then just pan them each to a different part of the stereo mix. Say one at 9 o'clock, one at 3, and the last track some where on either side of those.

If the last track is a filler sound then pan it almost full out side say 5 o'clock. Try and keep you mix volume to where it fills the stereo field equally on both sides of the mix. Experiment and you may be pleasantly surprised. Good luck and have fun!

 

[Vhyle]

^ Yes - if there are milliseconds of timing difference between the tracks, that's honestly what will give you a fat, healthy wall of guitar riffage. If they are dead nuts exact (either copied, or played THAT perfectly, like Michael Romeo of Symphony X is capable of), then it will not sound quite as fat.

When I record multiple different riffs, I don't really sweat if they're slightly out of sync. But if there's a HUGE difference, like there's a latency problem, then ya might wanna find out what's going on.

 

[Wish]

Considering there's like, a 99.9 percent chance it ain't gonna line up exactly

The differences between the two performances are what give the sound the magic and the fatness.

Embrace the not exactly aligned tracks.

It is your friend.