Recording multiple guitar tracks with PC and Line 6 POD

[icedink]

Hello - I'm new here, so forgive me if this topic has been beaten to death in the past.

I'm using a POD and Cakewalk recording software. Here's my problem - I'm trying to stack multiple tracks of orchestrated guitars on a recording (a la Steve Vai, Brian May) and am experiencing difficulty with muddyness in the mixdown. I've tried keeping the FX to a minimum, dinking with EQ & panning, but have had no luck.

Are there any particular pointers anyone has that might help me out? Specific EQ settings or no-nos I should be aware of? THANKS!

 

[MrLip]

I guess boosting ( or cutting? ) different freq's for each guitar and panning are about all you can do. (at least, that's all that comes to mind)

Are you using the same guitar/amp for the tracks? If not, then try using different sounding guitars/amps.

Cutting bass freqs might reduce mud as well (that is, if what *you* mean by 'mud' is the same thing that *I* think of when I hear 'mud'.

 

[Coyote]

Along with using different amp models and keeping the effects to a minimum, I'd also try turning down your distortion. When you put several tracks of medium distorted guitar (crunchy, not saturated) together, they can produce real punch. Sometimes less is more.
Rock On

 

[pglewis]

If you have a LOT of guitars doing the ol' "pile-on" it can get muddy on ya. Especially if you have bass and other stuff wanting to put out sound in the lows and low-mids.

The first thing I'd suggest is don't try to EQ the guitars too much while soloed. The same tones that sound great on a couple of tracks by themselves might mud up the overall mix. I'm amazed at the EQ settings I end up with on guitars at times when I solo 'em... UGLY! But it cuts through and let's 'em sit better with everything else, sometimes.

In your situation, I often roll-off the lows quite a bit with a low shelf. Sometimes I'll take the shelf as far as 400Hz to clear up that section for kick, bass, and some of the vocs. I find myself boosting distorted guitars in the 600-800 range fairly often, too. Not the prettiest thing naked, but in context it works sometimes.

I think it's good to think "cut" as much as it is to think "boost". I also think it's good to pick different frequecies to boost on different tracks. If all my guitar tracks have a boost in the same place, then I just end up with a bulge there and no definition. Once again, everything has to compete to be heard in a small range of frequencies.

 

[morphyx]

pglewis gave good advice. I had the same problem with POD to Cubase VST, and wound up experimenting with eq'ing the guitars. also, I copy the file to another track somtimes, and pan them opposite, then eq and/or effect them differently. that can bring a part out too.

 

[virtual.ray]

Bridge pickup

I'd like to add that you'll get better articulation of the notes by using the bridge pickup alone on all the tracks that are playing similar parts.Fresh strings and a high quality cable never hurt a recording,either.