Do these guitars sound too digital?

[Kämpfer]

http://snd.sc/14kNxMS

Recording my band's demo/EP thing and I'm starting to seriously consider that these guitars (amp sim) sound far too digital and its making me hate it all together.

Guitars need to be tightened up and smoothed over, and the bass is a complete mess done in one take cause this was just a test run.

Really though, what do you guys think? It's driving me crazy.

 

[prostetnic]

The guitars sound excellent to me, and they fit the style well. If you didn't tell me, I wouldn't have thought they are digital.

 

[Daybreak]

There's some hizz and fizz and frequencies that needs a real uptightening, but I don't think they sound digital. Just keep on refining those harsh frequencies and I'm sure you will have a killer mix!

 

[Vicioushead]

That double pedal part is the only thing that stuck out to me.

I'd consider changing that. The rest sounds great to my ears.

 

[Robert W]

I like this tone quite a bit. What's more, I think it's a perfect sonic fit for those types of riffs. Pretty damn impressive sounding.

 

[NecroDM]

They sound very good but I'd cut some of the harsher frequencies. What ampsim are you using? Have you tried others? Perhaps you can find one that has a more fitting tone, although this tone fits the music well.

As Vicioushead said, the fast double bass drum part sounds very mechanical and I'd also suggest to change it.

Really good mix overall.

 

[botus99]

You're concerned about the digital sounding guitars (they're fine BTW, just address the aforementioned hiss and fizz), yet have no complaints/concerns about the MIDI drums?

 

[Kämpfer]

Thanks guys. Any tips on how to handle the hiss and fizz? Not really sure what to do EQ-wise.

@botus99 I'd love to have real drums but we don't have a drummer, and even then we'd probably be recording those with an electronic kit.

 

[xXxMetalJunkiexXx]

Thanks guys. Any tips on how to handle the hiss and fizz? Not really sure what to do EQ-wise.

@botus99 I'd love to have real drums but we don't have a drummer, and even then we'd probably be recording those with an electronic kit.

You can take a very narrow EQ band, boost it high and move it in the area between 2-6Khz(depends alot) and just catch the area where it sounds very fatiguing and harsh, and cut it down slightly. You may find yourself using another band for more cutting.

Remember, when EQ'ing guitars, small cuts are better than one huge cut.

Very cool sounding guitars you got there man!

 

[Kämpfer]

That did the trick, I already had a few notches but a couple more in that region smoothed it out. Damn that's a real problem area. Thanks mate!

 

[xXxMetalJunkiexXx]

That did the trick, I already had a few notches but a couple more in that region smoothed it out. Damn that's a real problem area. Thanks mate!

No problem my friend! Beware of these frequencie areas, espescially with amp sims.

 

[TLTD]

Sometimes I make a notch around 6.8kHz and widen that band until it sounds just right. Sometimes you have to go and boost a few frequencies and cut others. A lot of tube preamps use a curve that (at least registers) as a hi pass around 100, gradually climbing to 350Hz, falling until about 2.8kHz where it spikes again, gradually falling until 4.5kHz then rolling off. Once of many, many options though. That one you can make a cabinet without an impulse but is helpful to know, sometimes trying to figure out how to move frequencies until you hear that particular sound again works (sometimes cutting the ones that are boosted if your cabinet sm is too boxy or fizzy).

You could also play around with a very popular EQ on a lot of amps just use 80Hz, 240Hz, 750Hz, 2200Hz, 6600Hz and play around cutting/boosting whatever. Sometimes that noise isn't such a problem as cutting it and dulling the sound is. Sometimes you just need to make a big fat mid scoop lol (take 750 and drop it down on all the guitars to tighten it all up).

At the moment you hear a difference is the time to stop and A/B if it's an improvement.

Great music & guitars sound really good IMHO.