Guitar treatment - Three Rhythm-Tracks

[JoeJackson]

Hey guys...
I read that Nevermore-Equipment-Thread and Andy stated, that on one of the records they tracked three Rhythm-tracks. I read a post of Zeuss on gearslutz that he does that often, too.

So, I guess one is going to be panned hard left, one hard right and one stays in the center. I always thought that would be a pretty dumb idea, because it would overlay the bass-guitar. So ... what to do you do with that centered guitar-track? Volume down? Special EQ-treatment?

 

[Djabthrash]

bump

 

[smy1]

A trick I do is ducking it via sidechaining it with vocals and/or kick/snare. That way you have additional fatness in the guitars most of the time but it doesn't in the way of the important elements in the middle of the mix.

 

[JoeJackson]

Hmm... and what do you do about that battle guitar vs. bass?

BTW: Sidechaining is something I definitly have to check out!

 

[Matt Crooks]

FYI - Master of Puppets was three tracks.

I do three tracks a lot myself. I tend to turn the middle one down, and use a fatter sound just to fill things out. I don't find that it fights with the bass, but I do filter out everything from 90 or 100 down.

 

[JoeJackson]

Cool, definitly gotta try that tonight.

 

[Metaltastic]

FYI - Master of Puppets was three tracks.

Hahaha, that would mean something to me if I didn't absolutely despise MoP's (and Metallica's in general) guitar tone; still, the three rhythm tracks thing seems like it could work well.

 

[Metal Overload]

Check Entombed´s Wolverine Blues.

 

[Matt Crooks]

Check Entombed´s Wolverine Blues.

...and Clandestine, if I remember correctly...

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

Hahaha, that would mean something to me if I didn't absolutely despise MoP's (and Metallica's in general) guitar tone; still, the three rhythm tracks thing seems like it could work well.

Another classic example of

 

[KeithRT99]

Hmm... and what do you do about that battle guitar vs. bass?

you shouldn't really have to do much, unless your guitars are rediculously bassy.

 

[JoeJackson]

you shouldn't really have to do much, unless your guitars are rediculously bassy.

What about the mid-range of the bass? And there is no magical further EQing involved besides killing a lot of low end?
Sounds simple

Well, I definitly want to try that - as I'm always struggling with playing 4 Rhythm-tracks *haha*

 

[CJWall]

What about the mid-range of the bass? And there is no magical further EQing involved besides killing a lot of low end?
Sounds simple

Well, I definitly want to try that - as I'm always struggling with playing 4 Rhythm-tracks *haha*

put an EQ on the center track and EQ while everything else is playing. don't worry about frequency or how much you're boosting or cutting and just fiddle around w/the knobs until it fits nicely.

I find a part that I can loop nicely and do that until it's sitting well. Each case, song and band will be totally different.. so. No, no magic EQ.

 

[EerieVon]

Doesnt Carcass "Heartwork" 3 rhythm tracks as well?

 

[AdamWathan]

So if you are doing 3 rhythm tracks and there are 2 distinct guitar parts, what does the center one play? I think doing an odd number of guitar tracks is dumb, how do you maintain a 50/50 balance between 2 separate guitar parts that way?

 

[iekobrid]

So if you are doing 3 rhythm tracks and there are 2 distinct guitar parts, what does the center one play?

I can't cite any specific examples right this second, but sometimes when KSE have two distinct parts panned right and left, such as a rhythm riff + high part during a chorus, I can hear/imagine a third guitar mixed real low in the center playing sustained basic power chords.

 

[cobhc]

I can't cite any specific examples right this second, but sometimes when KSE have two distinct parts panned right and left, such as a rhythm riff + high part during a chorus, I can hear/imagine a third guitar mixed real low in the center playing sustained basic power chords.

Yeah, I believe much the same as the middle track on MOP. If I remember right, Flemming Rassmussen said it was playing only the palm mutes, so it really thickened up the mutes, but left the rest as it was.

 

[Phase]

Some Deftones songs uses 3 tracks too. And I think some of Godsmack also.

This is used on hundreds of albums..its not new or novel by any stretch.
The deal is people dont recognize it because its usually mixed lower than the sides. (if there are sides)

There is no need to duck it for the vocals or bass either. Thousands of songs in the 70's and 80's had only one guitar directly in the center--full force. Ritchie Blackmore is an example. Many of his songs are mixed that way. You just have to understand mix engineering to pull it off.

 

[JoeJackson]

That thread is (once again) priceless information

Thanks CJWall ... gotta try that!