mixing solo artist

[ruebarb]

I've recorded seven songs for a friend. I used 3 mics...2 on the acoustic and one on vocal. Due to circumstances, the vocal mic also picks up a good chunk of guitar. It's almost to the point where I leave the vocal mic up and just bring the guitar mics up 60-70 percent to add some depth, but not much more volume.

Now, while trying to mix, I'm having two conflicting trains of thought.

1. Pan the two guitar mics Hard Left and Right...Let the one with the vocal in the middle fill space and get nice stereo imaging

2. Put the guitars real close to the middle and let it be almost a mono with some slight imaging.

I've noticed in my car stereo that mixes with technique #1 don't sound quite right...almost give me a headache...maybe slightly out of phase...I don't know...and I suspect in mono the guitars would overblow stuff.

Since this is a single sound source, would you pan the guitar mics or let everything stay close to the center...This will be for sale, but it's more of a DIY - not a professional manufacturing run.

RB

 

[LI Slim]

Are you mixing digitally, you know, on your PC using mixing software? If so, I have had some success with the following:

(I track my acoustic guitar and vocal separately, but the principle is the same) I am doubling the guitar track (which you've already done at the recording stage), and panning them about 80% left and right. I use different effects, like more low eq on one and more high eg on the other, or compression on one and not on the other. I create a slight delay, say 20 ms. This seems to fatten the sound without creating phase problems (Of course, if you are still getting them, you can try shorter or longer delays).

 

[ruebarb]

I think the problem is the middle

It's not a problem to have a stereo input and split the guitars...I've done that on two songs, and it sounds great...

The problem is when you add the vocal mic to that, with it's bleed-thru 3rd guitar track...I used balanced and in phase mics for the guitar and they just don't work so hot when the vocal mic is in there too.

But it's mostly mixed down, and the one track really burning my balls is getting the mono treatment, so I'll survive...thanks anyway