Help on a great sounding MIX

[pitbull34]

Okay Guys I need some help?!!?!?!?! I have been recording two years with my vs 880. I have pretty much learned how to record by trial and error, I have finnally learned to control my voice, and have it sounds great! However there are a few major problems, let me start with the drums,(i'll make this a short as possable) I am recording with a drum kit in my xp 50 I use sound filters and little tweaking to make them sound just like the real thing, however when I record them after the mix is complete the drums sound a little weak, I have tried eqing and it sounds better but there is something missing!?? Then I try just to use a compresser without eq and it sounds way better but there is something still missing. I have tried no eq or comp and just raised the levels and it still is missing something!!! I have tried both at the same time and it still is not happening!!!! Help!!!!!
Now about the guitars!!!! MY mix will sound pretty good until I add those damn guitars, I have recorded direct, through an amp, direct with an amp simulator, eq, and no eq, and it just doesnt sound good either way!!! The only thing that is working right now is layering I will record two tracks seperatly with the mic then pan left and right, then I will record (again two seperate tracks left and right) direct with a low fi processer and it sounds 80% better but the mix still sounds empty what do I need to know to have a great mix? I have taken courses and I have even gotten advice from different people, I am missing just some little something but I just cant figure it out!!!!!!!

 

[metalwav]

Pitbull
Sounds like you are missing something or its right there
and you cant find it. First what kind of music are you recording, Do you like the sound that is coming out of your amp, if you are looking for that creed sound on the guitars
I put the lows at 7 or 8 and the mid at -2 and the hi at 5
on my VS and I dont pan all the way 35-30 to the left and right and just alittle more hi on the left or right
If you are doing dirct and mic you might have a phase Problem, so delay the direct by cutting and pasting it 10ms ahead, set the base center with a small room reverb
But one thing if you are playing the drums and doing the singing and the base and mixing you might need to walk away
and come back the next day, giving your ears a brake,
or you can send me some of your stuff and I can send you some of mine so we could HELP each other out what do you think
PS I just used the creed sound, I like many kinds of Music