Mixing Rhythm Guitars & Solos

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PlasticMoonRain

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I've seen a lot written that layered rhythm guitars should be mixed hard left and right, and I guess if you listen to enough records, that sounds pretty much on the mark.

But what about solos? How do you mix them to stand out in a mix, as far as panning, reverb and any other effects for taste?

What do you like to do?


THANKS.


Drew
 
Solos are great because you can usually get away with tracking more distortion than the rhythym guitars.

If I want the solo to sound like the rhythym guitar suddenly got "louder", I start with my basic tone and usually turn up the distortion a touch, turn up the midrange slightly, and pan it slightly off center.

Turning up the midrange just the right amount can often times save you from having to do a fade when the solo comes in, especially since a solo usually doesn't have to compete with a vocal. Its a great way to have a natural change in dynamic, which is what all good mixes do well.

As always- use them ears!
 
I dont like panning very hard left and right with my rhythm guitars because it tends to really thin out the sound. i usually do 75% to the left and right if i do them in stereo as a general rule. anyone else do this too?

i also like to put the solo right in the middle because its the lead instrument at the time in the song and should get the same attention as the vocals did.
 
I split the guitars 50% left and right with the solo centered. Harmony solo parts go about 25% left and right.

On Led Zep "Over the Hills and Far Away" the solo pans back and forth. Listening to it in headphones makes some people queasy.
 
To be honest, lately I've been getting away from layering rythm guitars in the stereo-typical left/right format. I'm really starting to enjoy the sound of a single guitar playing the song all the way through, including the solo. To me it just sounds so much more real.

I stick it either left or right about 50% or so, and then pan a slapback delay about 50% the other direction for balance. I'll also balance out the mix by panning background vox or certain percussion on the other side.

For the solo I pan the guitar towards the center just a touch and beef up the mids with a pedal.

This is the classic Ted Templeman/Van Halen approach. It also works well when recording stripped down rockabilly/ raw w/ attitude/ punk stuff. For metal or whatever it may sound too sparse, but I'm diggin' it...

A
 
For the song in my signature line, I had two rhythym parts, one electric through an RP50 and one acoustic-electric, both recorded direct. I panned these about 10 and 2. The solo was centered.

The real sound Aaron mentions is cool because it gives it a live feel. The layering and panning gives the soundstage richness.
 
Rickson Gracie said:
I dont like panning very hard left and right with my rhythm guitars because it tends to really thin out the sound. i usually do 75% to the left and right if i do them in stereo as a general rule. anyone else do this too?
Click to expand...

I rarely pan the same signal hard left and right, might as well keep it in the center and turn it up 3db.

If I choose to pan the same signal (double) L&R, it'll be L75%, R25% or something like that.
 
PlasticMoonRain said:
I've seen a lot written that layered rhythm guitars should be mixed hard left and right, and I guess if you listen to enough records, that sounds pretty much on the mark.

But what about solos? How do you mix them to stand out in a mix, as far as panning, reverb and any other effects for taste?

What do you like to do?


THANKS.


Drew
Click to expand...


Well, the great thing about solos is that they usually just naturally have there own space in the frequency spectrum, particularly in rock and roll. To paraphrase Strong Bad:

You got your basic rhythm guitars, you know, the kind that go; jug jigga jug jigga jug jigga jug jigga jug jigga JAH JAH, jigidy jug jigga jug jigga jug jigga jug jigga JAH JAH.

and then you got the lead guitar mashing your fingers together way up high on the tiny strings like; Meedley, Meedley, Meedley, Meedley, Meedley, Meedley, Meedley, Meedley, Meedley, Meedley, MEEEEHHHHHH!


"And the dragon comes in the NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!"


At any rate, they tend to not run into one another TOO much, so it should only take some subtle EQ to give them there own sonic space.

Strongbad plays guitar


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