Getting rid of the annoying highend in guitars

[Shaun Werle]

Especially with guitars in Pod, You push the drive to get enough sustain and punch but you get these really annoying sizzle, I mean i throw a Low pass at 12k but it's not enough. If i low pass at 10k it sounds cloudy as hell, anyone have any similar problems like this?
Where do you guys find yourself making necessary eq cuts and notches
I know every time it's slightly different but i would appreciate a ball park answer if you happen to know any Thanks

Also getting your guitars to sit right in the mix! Mine are either to loud or too low. Volume wise and Frequency wise. I feel like my guitars get stacked with the kick snare and vocals, It's aggravating.

http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?q=hi&songID=10225455

Pretty recent. I like it, but i think it could be better

 

[kernelxsanders]

wow man, that actually sounds really good to me. but in an attempt to help you, try low passing somewhere between 10-12k? if 10k makes it cloudy and 12k doesnt cut it (pun not intended lol) then try to compromise somewhere in the middle.

are you still using podfarm and SSD?

 

[Shaun Werle]

wow man, that actually sounds really good to me. but in an attempt to help you, try low passing somewhere between 10-12k? if 10k makes it cloudy and 12k doesnt cut it (pun not intended lol) then try to compromise somewhere in the middle.

are you still using podfarm and SSD?

Yeah dude, Believe me I have tried to meet in the middle. 12k is a must, I think i will have to make some thin Q cuts in the high end,

And yes.

 

[JeffEstrada]

Haha are you sure you linked us to the right mix? That mix sounded REALLY good. Good job on it.

Well usually, if I have a sharp tone I try one of these two:
- I make a narrow cut at 4k to take away the hissing.
or
-I put Waves Puigtec EQP1A on the track, I set the high frequency to either 12 or 16kHz and then just play around with the boost and attenuation until I take away some of the harshness. I always attenuate first and boost second.

I hope this helps out in some way .

 

[pikachu69]

Surgical cuts (especially when using a sim) in the highs round the 4k mark is a must. There was a thread about this recently. Most people ( including myself) seemed to agree that a few cuts were necessary to tame some fizz. I find it especially true when it comes to recto sims for some reason.
I would not be afraid to drop that lpf to at least 10k. I normally go as low as 8k.

 

[JeffEstrada]

Can you give us more info on the overheads please? and maybe how you processed them, I would REALLY appreciate it, it would help out a lot!

 

[Jormyn]

I usually low-pass until the fizz is gone, gently boost everything that's left from 2k and up to brighten things up again, and fiddle with a notch around 4k like the chaps above. It's not perfect, but usually works out well for me.

 

[Robert W]

Surgical cuts (especially when using a sim) in the highs round the 4k mark is a must. There was a thread about this recently. Most people ( including myself) seemed to agree that a few cuts were necessary to tame some fizz. I find it especially true when it comes to recto sims for some reason.
I would not be afraid to drop that lpf to at least 10k. I normally go as low as 8k.

What about 7 and 8 string guitars? Do you find that you set your low/high passes any differently on them?

 

[Peludismo]

Well, you said it but a parametric with hi Q could do the work, also try using a multiband compresor for that area, sometimes it works, but i would use a low pass at 12KHz and a parametric with a cut of 3 or 4 dBs in that particular area that's bothering you.

 

[mmmb]

4k is the sucker for me, if i work with pod or amp sims i always cut around 4k (bell, not low pass)

Try using multiband comps if eq doesnt work.

Also use automation since it depends on the stuff you are playing. If you are pumping the low strings in a "in your face" riff is one thing and if you are playing open chords is another.
It also depends on guitar pickups. Emgs are quite piercing in the upper freqs.

you can also smooth the highs with tape saturation

hope i helped.

 

[pikachu69]

What about 7 and 8 string guitars? Do you find that you set your low/high passes any differently on them?

Not always no as it is still the balance between the other instruments that dictates my filters. Something with a lower string may need a slightly lower HPF (85 - 100) but the LPF stays the same for me. It gives a darker sound when soloed but blends better overall and allows space for drum and vocal 'air' to cut through and give them presence which helps to keep them more up front. I found I had to use less verb on everything once I dropped my LPF to 8k, also helping to keep everything up front with the guitars.

 

[Sonic75]

Get rid of the annoying fizz and then give back some highend with a great eq!

 

[Shaun Werle]

Can you give us more info on the overheads please? and maybe how you processed them, I would REALLY appreciate it, it would help out a lot!

two spaced pair overheads, one hi hat and a room mic all doing justice.

High Pass anywhere from 400-600hz can't remember. Room mic cut and compressed to shit, Overhead pairs compressed with 1176 plug in and than limited light (l1) to even it out a little more. There may be a little reverb on the cymbals but i am not sure if it was bypassed or not, either way the reverb would be barely noticeable at all

 

[Shaun Werle]

I usually low-pass until the fizz is gone, gently boost everything that's left from 2k and up to brighten things up again, and fiddle with a notch around 4k like the chaps above. It's not perfect, but usually works out well for me.

Thanks man I'll try it out!

Well, you said it but a parametric with hi Q could do the work, also try using a multiband compresor for that area, sometimes it works, but i would use a low pass at 12KHz and a parametric with a cut of 3 or 4 dBs in that particular area that's bothering you.

Multiband compressor. would c4 work? it's like a multiband eq, compressor/everything. I use c4 to tam some of the low end but it's tricky.

4k is the sucker for me, if i work with pod or amp sims i always cut around 4k (bell, not low pass)

Try using multiband comps if eq doesnt work.

Also use automation since it depends on the stuff you are playing. If you are pumping the low strings in a "in your face" riff is one thing and if you are playing open chords is another.
It also depends on guitar pickups. Emgs are quite piercing in the upper freqs.

you can also smooth the highs with tape saturation

hope i helped.

Man you gave me a lot of options to work with thanks man!

 

[WITHINMYHANDS]

4k trick is the way with podfarm

 

[tekkentool]

I actually Cut above about 8-9 Khz on my guitars.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

I always try to get the best sound at the source. Still some post processing will be required, such as a HPF which I only use for removing sub bass noise, not shaping the tone for metal, pop/rock I do use the HPF for shaping the tone but my method for that is pretty advanced and is irrelevant to thins thread. I run my LPF at about 12K give or take, I usually land around 10K and I use a very shallow Q, like 3dB/octave or the lowest that eq can go. That leaves you with a darker tone, however you haven't removed all of the highs which prevents the upper mids from getting harsh when you pull some of the highs off. In order to restore some natural brightness back and pull some harshness off at the same time, I cut a bit at about 4K again usually a shallow slope (Q) but I like to boost the frequency sweep it around to find the offending frequency with a steep Q and then cut it anywhere from 1-3dB, then I increase the Q to where the tone sounds the most natural.

Listening to the mix posted in the OP I think that the guitars need to be brought up, but need to have the 4K area pulled a little. Also the bass guitar needs to be brought up in the mix, I can't hear it, that will help a lot pull the beef in the gutiars and take away from harshness in the eq, making tailoring the high end a little easier.

 

[Fbarre]

Sweep through with an EQ with a higher Q value and search for a standing tone in the area of 3-5k. As soon as you found it make a cut and play around with the q value.

 

[outbreak525]

I find it difficult to do what I want to do with EQing guitars with only a 4 band equalizer. I wanna cut at 800, boost at 2400, and cut at 4000. But I don't have enough "bands" to do so. It's really annoying!

 

[locus_coeruleus]

then get an EQ that has more bands...