The more I listen to the mixes of bands discussed here it seems like the vocals are the compressing the guitars, though its sort of hard to hear with everything being so much compressed already. Do you compress only certain frequencies of the guitars?
How common is sidechain compression in this genre?
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Skinny Viking
¯\(°_o)/¯ How do Lydian?
Distorted guitars are by their very nature already compressed. You shouldn't have to do much, if any, additional compression to them.
Some people use the now infamous Sneap C-4 multi-band compression settings on the guitar bus to tighten up and help define a muddy/flubby low end but it's not a golden rule OR a silver bullet
Some people use the now infamous Sneap C-4 multi-band compression settings on the guitar bus to tighten up and help define a muddy/flubby low end but it's not a golden rule OR a silver bullet
Clark Kent
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The OP was talking about side-chain compressing guitars with vocals. Which means that the guitar tracks go lower in volume when ever there is singing in the song. So the side-chain is adding space for vocals that are getting buried by guitars.
I dunno if it's being used in metal that much. The Periphery album sounds like this is what they did. The vocals seem to be quiet but still cut through. Could be the vocal rider also.
I know Slipknot used it on Subliminal. I suggest trying it out because in the end vocals are always the most important thing in a mix.
Mikaël-ange
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I've also heard of ducking the bass with the kick drum or ducking the vocals with the snare...Anybody do either of those on a regular basis? I've tried the snare thing and can't really hear it unless its extreme but my ears aren't that experienced.
Skinny Viking
¯\(°_o)/¯ How do Lydian?
Yeah I probably misunderstood some of the OP
However, some of what I said is valid and chances are what he's referring to is just standard ducking but most likely automation because the main point remains .. You shouldn't really be compressing high gain guitars
For the most part
However, some of what I said is valid and chances are what he's referring to is just standard ducking but most likely automation because the main point remains .. You shouldn't really be compressing high gain guitars
For the most part
Clark Kent
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Yeah I guess ducking will not lead to a "natural" sound. The kick/bass duck is pretty normal though but I prefer just EQing so that they don't cross each other in the low end.
Basically I use ducking to force sounds to work together though they naturally wouldn't blend well.
Basically I use ducking to force sounds to work together though they naturally wouldn't blend well.
I'm doing 3dB gain reduction on the way in the another 2 in the mix.
Anyway, back on topic...
Skinny Viking
¯\(°_o)/¯ How do Lydian?
nezvers
Beast
Can't remember where, but in one topic I saw that someone like to do vocal side-chained de-esser on guitar. Would like if someone of elder showed that topic, because there was lot of useful tricks and I forgot to bookmark that.
Skinny Viking
¯\(°_o)/¯ How do Lydian?
amarshism
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Clark Kent
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Haha... I think it's funny that most guitar players clearly can't hear what a good guitar sound is. Guitar is a middle frequency instrument and guitarist only concentrate on getting low end and treble. In a mixing situation we need to cut both the low end and treble. 
Then we end up with a weak mid range sound... seriously.
Then we end up with a weak mid range sound... seriously.Haha... I think it's funny that most guitar players clearly can't hear what a good guitar sound is. Guitar is a middle frequency instrument and guitarist only concentrate on getting low end and treble. In a mixing situation we need to cut both the low end and treble.
This. Both guitaristssss in my band used to do this. WTF
TheWinterSnow
Den Mørke Natt
Side chaining the kick to the bass is very common. Guitars however, usually no. I will say however, from listening to more recent Colin Richardson mixes, the guitars themselves pump/compress by a fair margin on palm mutes and and duck down when they are not by themselves. It could be automation, however, to me it sounds more like the guitars are just ducking through the master bus. Regardless, it makes the guitars sound pissed of as hell and is a method I have been experimenting with.
In term of using vocals to side chain the guitars try it, but use a more master bus compression settings, med attack, slow release and use the threshold to control how much you want the guitars to attenuate when the vocals come in. The big trick is getting the release long enough so that the guitars volume reduction remains constant until the vocals stop, then you want them to slowly fade back up when the vocals stop. Do not use too much Gain Reduction, about 1.5db - 2 dB at the most. Any more than that will begin to offset your whole mix. The overall effect should be very very small and not noticeable to the listener.
I also prefer to use wide-band compression on guitars to tame the low end on palm mute rather than using a multi-band compressor just because ducking the guitars on every palm mute again makes them sound way more pissed off.
In term of using vocals to side chain the guitars try it, but use a more master bus compression settings, med attack, slow release and use the threshold to control how much you want the guitars to attenuate when the vocals come in. The big trick is getting the release long enough so that the guitars volume reduction remains constant until the vocals stop, then you want them to slowly fade back up when the vocals stop. Do not use too much Gain Reduction, about 1.5db - 2 dB at the most. Any more than that will begin to offset your whole mix. The overall effect should be very very small and not noticeable to the listener.
I also prefer to use wide-band compression on guitars to tame the low end on palm mute rather than using a multi-band compressor just because ducking the guitars on every palm mute again makes them sound way more pissed off.
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