Palm Muting and recording

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gawkman

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I'm recording some heavy metal songs that have lots of heavy distorted palm muting. The problem I get is that I want that good full bassy ring from the mute, but when I kill the sound (muting w/ the left hand), sometimes I get this nasty bass overtone that rears it's ugly head and creates unnecessary peaks. If I turn down the lows, it stops but then I loose the full sound of the palm mute. Anyone know what I'm talking about? Any suggestions?
 
I have an interesting setup, but it comes down to using a good multiple tracking program and recording on my computer. The program I use (Magix V2000 Deluxe) is well featured, and his has a panable frequency filter that can let you select and push/reduce any frequency that's a whole number (you can push 257hz if you want). Perhaps it would help if I just knew what specific frequency tends to cause that bassy overtone, and what specific frequency makes those chugs resonate so wonderfully. I use a Peavey Renown400 w/ a DOD Death Metal Distortion pedal that sounds great (which I've miked w/ various good cardoid mikes), and I've even tried going staight out of the headphone output of a good practice amp, but always come out with the same problem. Perhaps there's just a fine line that must be found and walked?
 
Dude...
I think your gonna have to cut your lows and rely somewhat on the bass guitar to push the low end...
Check out some of my tunes and see if I have a sound like you want... live, I push lots of low end, but for recording purposes, you dont need as much as you think...
Let the bass do its job... Give the kickdrum some room... You can cut ALL of your low freqs on the guitar and still have a mega-chunky sound...

www.mp3.com/Mofocult
 
Hey, that's good advice, then when the guitar plays a riff one time by itself, when the bass joins in it gives that in your face hit as well. Thanks!
 
I agree 100% with S8N. I've found that a great heavy sound coming out of your amp is usually not going to sound that great on tape. I went back and listened to some tool and heavier music that I like...the heavy sound really comes from a combination of guitar, bass, and the kick...not the guitar alone.

Slackmaster 2000
 
if your right handed and your muting with the left hand that might be a problem.... mute down at the bridge, not on the opposite end.
 
I have a similar problem recording with just my acoustic guitar. Palm muting creates unnecessary peaks, even distortion at times. But when I cut down the lows I lose the full sound you need for a single acoustic guitar backing up vocals. Maybe I should mic it instead? (all I have is one unidirectional mic - an Audio-Technic Pro 4L) Any suggestions?
 
I find that when I run into this problem with the low end leaking through on the mutes its usually beause the distortion level is too high.

You guys are deffinitly right that a great metal sound from ure amp is not the same when recording.

Use the Metallica album And Justice For All... as an instance. Theres like no bass and kick drums showing through at all in that album but the palm muted guitars are like a brick wall right in front of your face. If you listen closely and read interveiws with them Hatfeild says that they backed all the way off the distortion to the point were it wouldnt work at all live. It just wasnt distorted enough but on tape it sounded heavey as shit.\

Just my 2 cents :)
 
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