High notes sticking out in solo?

[JayB]

Just wondering what you guys normally do to fix the higher notes sticking out in a solo. I'm working on a mix where those high notes in a lead are pretty ear piercing, even after some compression and limiting. Is the norm to just do volume automation in this scenario? Thanks!

 

[JayB]

A friend of mine told me he doesn't bother anymore and uses automation for everything.

Not bothering anymore and using automation for everything are two very different things... automation is a lot of work!

 

[Sloan]

automation is a total misnomer - nothing automatic about it. lol.

last project i just smashed the fuck out of solos.

check out LOUDMAXX. it's free.

 

[JayB]

Haha true. I'm already smashing it pretty good, I'll probably just automate the piercing parts. I was just checking to make sure there wasn't some easier way I didn't know about.

 

[Ben Johnson]

Automation is my biggest discovery in audio prod.

+1

It's the most important "plugin" out there. Free too.

 

[mstone564]

Yeah, either re-track or automate.

 

[abaga129]

Maybe try using a multiband comp to clamp down on the upper mids and highs? Just an idea

 

[Star Ark]

Sounds like an eq problem to me. If you smash something through a limiter and it doesn't even out then you may have the attack and release set wrong but more likely the fundamental frequencies that make up the notes that are too loud are boosted via eq. Happens a lot with the bass guitar for me, and I read CLA saying he likes to shelf eq so that this doesn't happen.

 

[updog]

Yeah, either re-track or automate.

i know re-track is just something you guys always say to do, but how exactly would that help here?

 

[Sethis]

I don't think compression could help here. It's just that higher notes cut much more easily through the mix. Happens very often to me especially with high pinch harmonics.

 

[Plankis]

This has never been an issue for me. Does the lead tone have similar settings to the rhythm?

 

[Igor Samurovic]

Probably you'll have to lower the volume of lead and increase it a bit around 1khz. If this is not compatible with your mix, maybe it's the best to duck rhythm guitars a bit, compress your lead guitar and kill a few dbs on it, so it doesn't get harsh. It's probably not only the problem of volume, but the problem of tone, playing, pickup, etc, but it should work alright if it is a bit down in the mix. The neck pickup is usually way more consistent for leads, and thus way easier to mix in, so if you have to deal with a harsh bridge pickup and pretty harsh playing, there is no MUCH that you can do, unfortunately.

 

[Mm1066]

Find the note, look up frequency of that note, duck it down with an eq with a high Q, done. There are several octaves and the piercingness will be in the upper mids, 1-4KHz. I always use this frequency chart: http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html

 

[infectdsniper]

retracking can help sopulurn. alot of the time the high strings need to be hit slightly softer to prevent a piercing tone. but it depends he may just have an eq boost making that note harsh. if retracking wasnt an option i would automate an eq to duck whatever highend is making the peircing sound for those notes

 

[RedDog]

Automate a shelf EQ. I do it all the time on fast kick runs to relieve sub buildup, it's the same premise.

 

[JayB]

Wow, thanks for all the helpful replies! Love this forum

 

[JayB]

Also, I'm not getting email notifications for my newer threads, but I still get notifications for older ones. Anyone else having this problem?

 

[ArthurD]

automation

 

[egan.]

+1
If the tone is still good but the notes are too loud just automate. The last think you want to do if the high register notes are too loud is to boost 1k. You'll be boosting the fundamental of the very notes you find problematic. If anything you would want to dip the 1k-2k region a bit but again, if it sounds good just automate.