Where do guitars go in the mix?

[endertheprophet]

Hi. I'm trying to mix 2 guitars along with drums, bass, and vocals in typical modern loud/agressive punk rock music. I know this can vary based on an almost infinite number of things (actual tones of the guitars, mics used, etc) but I'm trying to find a starting point which would sound better than what I have.

One guitar is a Gibson SG into a Marshall Amp/Marshall Cab
The other is a Jackson into a Mesa Boogie/Orange Cab

What I tried to do was to squeeze the Marshall to dominate around 500-1.5k the vocals from 1.5k-4k and the mesa from 4-6k but I know the mesa sounds too harsh, and I've tried shifting things around but then the vox get buried. I'm also using only subtractive EQ. Maybe my EQ just isn't musical, its a plugin Waves Q10? This shouldn't be just bad instrumentation because I've heard this amp combo sound great on pro albums. I've got a song up in the mixing clinic but not sure if I'm aloud to post it here. Just wondering what general ballpark spots you would try to assign to these midrange instruments to get them to mesh better. BTW this issue is not too bad on my monitors (Event 20/20) but in car stereos the midrange sounds horrible.

Thanks,
Chris

 

[Ronan]

Cut the low end off the guitars and pan them hard left and right.

 

[treymonfauntre]

i think you might have tracked the guitars with way too much distortion. everything just sounds like fuzz, its not crisp and wholesome whatsoever. anyway, having those vocals buried in the mix wouldn't hurt at all i dont' think

 

[Avatar_k83]

Record the first amp with 2 mics each cab (one mic in each speker) and pan them hard left-right the tone should be not very distorted (not the one you'd really like to play, put a lot less distortion than you believe you need) and make it bassy

then Record the 2nd amp with 2 mics each cab (one in each speaker) and pan hard lef-right (maybe not totally left right, decide with you ears) the sound not much distorted and more trebly than the previous (again you dont really have to like the sound alone, but that way, it will interact with the other very good and have a good overal sound)

remember that you must use a lot less distortion than you think you need, firstly because, you most prob use too much anyway and because you'll have 2 layers of distorted guitars, you'll have more distortion at the mix

the bassy guitar, sould not be really bassy, leave these freq for the bass guitar and kick drum, and the treble guitar should be more trble than you like

you'll decide their volumes and panning using your ears, you may want the bassy guitar more loud in the mix



i sometimes use a 3rd guitar, for the parts that do not have a vocal or lead, i pan it dead center and not so loud.. again it must be a different sound, a lot less distortion than the others for more definition of the actual notes...


EASY ON THE DISTORTION, thats the secret for good guitars

and its a good idea to roll off the low end of your guitars, leave space for kick and bass

konstantine