Mixing for Beginners

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kendallking

kendallking

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I am using pro tools m-powered 8 to record. I play metal/hardcore music so I am looking at getting a big sound out of my tracks, I wanna make the guitar tracks heavy and raw, I have a Sennheiser e906 and a Sm57, they are both good mics capable of picking up my cab well. What tips can anyone give me to make my sound better after the tracks have been recorded.

Thanks
 
A lot of heavier guitars in your genre, recorded commercially, use multiple takes of the same guitar piece recorded on different amps and guitars to give body and depth.

Is this what you're doing or are you trying to make a single take sound like guitar death? :D
 
i record guitar 1 then i copy and paste onto a new track, then guitar 2 and copy and paste onto a new track, will it make the difference to re-record instead of copying and pasting? i am getting a very muffled sound out of my recording how can i get a more clean and crisp tone??

thanks for the reply :)
 
Another thing you can do is...if your amp has a direct out,...
You can add a direct line recording along with the amp/cab recording.
I've gotten that HUGE sound through this process also.
It's a bit tricky,...but if it's done right, the results can be rewarding.
That's just MY opinion.
But yeah,...Metal usually has several guitar tracks like Armistice said.
 
ah that is a good idea!! i used to line in all the time before i bought the profire 2626 and my mics, the sounds was pretty crisp but lacked in body, but with a combination of both that would sound pretty nice :)
 
kendallking said:
i record guitar 1 then i copy and paste onto a new track, then guitar 2 and copy and paste onto a new track, will it make the difference to re-record instead of copying and pasting? i am getting a very muffled sound out of my recording how can i get a more clean and crisp tone??

thanks for the reply :)
Click to expand...

Copying and pasting does nothing you can't do with the pan knob, unless you affect them differently, and then you are getting into phase issues. Double tracking is the way to go.

As far as the tone, does the amp sound "muffled" on its own, or only after you record it? I find the 906 to be rather dark. The 57 has a presence peak that should brighten up the tone. How far away and off center do you mic the speaker? Directional mics will have a bass/lo-mid boost up close, so maybe back the mic off a foot or so and compare.
 
the amp sounds amazing it has the exact tone i want, once recorded it sounds like there is a blanket over the amp, i position the e906 a little to the left of the bottom left speaker, what would you recommened for positioning?? would you even recommend recording with both the e906 and Sm57 at the same time, or even to record a couple of tracks with each mic seperatly?
 
Often, people try to record distorted guitar (and I'm not saying you're falling into this trap, but worth considering...) with too much distortion, which ends up leaving a flat over-compressed, undynamic sound... easing back on the distortion and doing the multi track thing is often recommended..

There should be some good threads on this over in the Geetar forum, so wander over there and have a search... it comes up pretty often...

Where in Sydney are you? Nice day eh? Was supposed to rain... :confused:
 
i dont think its to do with the distortion because the tone is good its just muffled, i was kinda wondering if i could get some tips for mic placement or how i can edit the guitar tracks after recording to make them sound even better.

i live in castle hill urself? yeh was really hot today hey :D
 
There's no right answer to your question. Capturing the live sound of a guitar cab accurately is the holy grail of recording. There are so many variables based on your rig, your room, and your levels, you just have to experiment for days or weeks or months until you get close.

But I think there are some live tones dependent on dynamic loudness that can't be captured and reproduced on a standard sound system. I think that's why some bands sound amazing live, but can't produce a decent record to save their lives. The tone they have chosen to be mega awesome live is one that can't withstand the commercial recording and reproduction process.

You'll figure it out, but it will take time. And we can't tell you how to do it. Just experiment obsessively until you get there, and know that you will have found your magic solution until you change rooms, rigs, etc. At that point, you will have to start over and do it again.
 
kendallking said:
the amp sounds amazing it has the exact tone i want, once recorded it sounds like there is a blanket over the amp, i position the e906 a little to the left of the bottom left speaker, what would you recommened for positioning?? would you even recommend recording with both the e906 and Sm57 at the same time, or even to record a couple of tracks with each mic seperatly?
Click to expand...

If the amp sounds good you just need to figure out how to capture it accurately. Try different mic positioning. Putting the mic off center loses some highs, so maybe move it toward center. Putting the mic close boosts the low/lo-mid range so try pulling the mic out a little. Start with the mics you have then try to borrow something different if positioning isn't enough. Condensers have better transient response than dynamics giving them a crisper sound, so that may be the next step. But there are many dynamics out there that sound different from what you have. Also look into ribbon mics. Finally, you might try a close mic and a far mic, perhaps 4 to 8 feet out.
 
I read many times the advice to turn the gain down when trying to record an amp with heavy distortion. I don't mic an amp, just use a sim, so I don't have direct experience. However, the common wisdom has been if you want the heavy wall of sound, turn down the gain and record the part multiple times.

Even if you are hearing the sound you want from the amp, it doesn't record the same.

A close mic and a room mic, might help also. (Edit: I just read that Boulderguy said the same thing - sorry)

peace,
 
thanks, they are some good tips! would you also recommend recording in a smaller room as the room i am in at the moment has a really high ceiling?
 
See this old but goodyy thread about recording room shape and the golden ratio. There is a minimum room size too, so it's not about getting smaller. You just want the right shape.

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?t=110049

If you don't have a good room, then simulating a room in the box is something you can try. It's not really a valid substitue for a real room, but its good practice until you grow up and get a room.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep09/articles/sonarworkshop_0909.htm
 
kendallking said:
i live in castle hill urself? yeh was really hot today hey :D
Click to expand...

in the inner west..


Don't expect to crack this nut in a day - it usually takes some experimentation and experience, and appropriate gear... so listen to what these guys are saying and read up and apply what you learn.

I don't record really heavy guitar so I don't have much more to add by way of advice other than that you probably can't "fix it in the mix" - you need to understand what the components of the sound you want are, and record them correctly, rather than thinking there's some magical "tighten up my crappy distorted guitar sound" plug-in that will fix it.

Good luck, welcome to the boards and see ya round! :drunk:
 
whenever you think youve got your guitar sounding perfect turn the gain down around 20% before recording it...then its right


I havent read the rest...in fact I dont even know if you record a guitar..I just wanted to share a great piece of advice :)
 
In fact I didnt even read your initial post...im like flying blind in the newbie forum, who knows what advice may work :D
 
yeh i didnt expect some magic button in pro tools to fix my sound, but yeh everyones posts have been most helpful thank you every one :)
 
Most important thing:
What guitar are you using?

It would be great if you could post audio tracks to analyze your tone and sound.
 
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