How do experts mix Metal guitars?

[ashs35]

When panning rhythm and lead tracks for Metal, what is common practice? Are both rhythm tracks recorded with the same distortion? and panned left 100 and right 100? and with lead, is it necessary to have the same track panned left and right? or just one up the middle, just wondering if there is a common practice everyone adheres to in regard to recording rhythm and lead guitars..?

 

[Brutality001]

Could you really not have searched for this?
Seriously this is all over the forum, i dont think you will get any replies because people on hear have answered this a million times.
Generally most people do pan rhythms 100L/100R but you could do it slightly closer (80/80). You could use the same tone either side or you could change it slightly as long as its not too unbalanced.
Lead is generally one track down the middle. Experiment with it and see what works for you. You could also quad track the rhythms but im not going into that.

Do some searching, almost everything has been covered on this forum already.

 

[Maybelater]

Could you really not have searched for this?
Seriously this is all over the forum, i dont think you will get any replies because people on hear have answered this a million times.
Generally most people do pan rhythms 100L/100R but you could do it slightly closer (80/80). You could use the same tone either side or you could change it slightly as long as its not too unbalanced.
Lead is generally one track down the middle. Experiment with it and see what works for you. You could also quad track the rhythms but im not going into that.

Do some searching, almost everything has been covered on this forum already.

+1
To the OP, Its all in the Sticky's.

 

[aramism]

i never knew that forum hall monitors can be so... welcoming

 

[kev]

Its cool to automate them into the centre too - I got caught up in just keeping everything static L R.

 

[Clark Kent]

The same time you guys spent bashing the OP, you could've just given him the answer.

100L/100R panning seems to be used 90% of the time. Other mixing in the professional world would be to record the guitars as well as possible so you don't have to mix them to sound good.

 

[ashs35]

Could you really not have searched for this?
Seriously this is all over the forum, i dont think you will get any replies because people on hear have answered this a million times.
Generally most people do pan rhythms 100L/100R but you could do it slightly closer (80/80). You could use the same tone either side or you could change it slightly as long as its not too unbalanced.
Lead is generally one track down the middle. Experiment with it and see what works for you. You could also quad track the rhythms but im not going into that.

Do some searching, almost everything has been covered on this forum already.

Why search when tools like you can just answer my question? I already know the basics but since I can't quite get the right sound I was hoping someone who actually knows what they're talking about can answer my question as to whether rhythm tracks are usually the same distortion or different either side & what the general norm is amongst the pro bands, if there is one.

 

[Clark Kent]

Why search when tools like you can just answer my question? I already know the basics but since I can't quite get the right sound I was hoping someone who actually knows what they're talking about can answer my question as to whether rhythm tracks are usually the same distortion or different either side & what the general norm is amongst the pro bands, if there is one.

There is no general form. Using two different tones L and R is a bit more complicated. They have to blend well together. I usually have the brighter guitar tone on the L side and the bassier one on the R side. But there are no rules. Most of the time it's the same guitar tone on both sides.

If you are really struggling with a guitar tone and nothing seems to work... it's most likely that the source was bad. Crap in, crap out. Personally I build my mixes on top of guitar tracks because I don't like to post process guitars a lot. So I suggest you try that. Don't do anything to guitars but low cut and compression. Then post process everything else to fit the guitar track.

 

[Headof75]

There are bands who use whole different tones left and right - it's quite an old school thing to do tho, so perhaps not appropriate unless that's what you're aiming for.
Mastodon did it on Blood Mountain, Cathedral on The Ethereal Mirror to name two, but both those bands would consciously have been going for a retro rock-sounding product. What sort of style stuff are you writing?

 

[Clark Kent]

Hmm... wouldn't say that it's old school. Slipknot, Korn, Chevelle, Underoath, Evanescence.... many modern bands still use it and when done correctly it gives miraculous space in the stereo image of a crowded mix.

 

[RedDog]

The use of two different tones, in my opinion, is heavily dependant on two separate guitarists and their having distinct rhythmic styles. Especially in rock, you may have a chunky rhythm one side, and a scratch rhythm on the other, and with the right tonal combinations you can make both sides jump out and keep a song (and consequently a mix) exciting.

Oh, and OP hard pan that shit, EQ separately.

 

[Skinny Viking]

Why search when tools like you can just answer my question? I already know the basics but since I can't quite get the right sound I was hoping someone who actually knows what they're talking about can answer my question as to whether rhythm tracks are usually the same distortion or different either side & what the general norm is amongst the pro bands, if there is one.

wow .. you're a cunt aren't you?

The guy told you that you could find a lot of extensive information on this just by using the search and then proceeds to even give you some actual advice and you call him a tool, not to mention you basically say you didn't even feel like using the search function

if you had actually used search all of your secondary questions would have been answered as well

 

[PeterPaul760]

wow .. you're a cunt aren't you?

The guy told you that you could find a lot of extensive information on this just by using the search and then proceeds to even give you some actual advice and you call him a tool, not to mention you basically say you didn't even feel like using the search function

if you had actually used search all of your secondary questions would have been answered as well

+1
Ignorant fools need to get real, search bars are made to help not be a hassle. Just goes to show what kind of sketchy dudes are around.

 

[ForHerDeadEyes]

Why search when tools like you can just answer my question? I already know the basics

search when tools like you can just answer my question? I already know the basics

when tools like you can just answer my question? I already know the basics

tools like you can just answer my question? I already know the basics

like you can just answer my question? I already know the basics

you can just answer my question? I already know the basics

can just answer my question? I already know the basics

just answer my question? I already know the basics

answer my question? I already know the basics

my question? I already know the basics

question? I already know the basics

I already know the basics

S-Sure.. S-s-sure you do..
Ey, d00dz.. like.. I already know the basics and stuff..
But what the fuck is a SNARE!?

 

[JakeAC5253]

Expertly.

 

[LeSedna]

Maybe that was a little harsh, but it seriously has been asked dozens and dozens of times...

 

[Headof75]

The use of two different tones, in my opinion, is heavily dependant on two separate guitarists and their having distinct rhythmic styles. Especially in rock, you may have a chunky rhythm one side, and a scratch rhythm on the other, and with the right tonal combinations you can make both sides jump out and keep a song (and consequently a mix) exciting.

That's what I'm talking about. In the instances I mentioned you have one side with relatively low gain and a mid-heavy tone to give you the note, the other has ridiculous gain and is heavily scooped and is there to sound evil.

Hmm... wouldn't say that it's old school. Slipknot, Korn, Chevelle, Underoath, Evanescence.... many modern bands still use it and when done correctly it gives miraculous space in the stereo image of a crowded mix.

I agree that there are plenty of instances of modern bands who use two tones, but in these examples it's usually because you have a band with two rhythm guitarists, who use their own set ups. In the case of Slipknot or Underoath both guitarists are using similar gain and tone types. However I can't say I'd want to make an IR from either or no matter how much I dig the songs

 

[Brutality001]

Why search when tools like you can just answer my question?

Because this won't happen twice.

 

[Vinny]

There are bands who use whole different tones left and right - it's quite an old school thing to do tho, so perhaps not appropriate unless that's what you're aiming for.
Mastodon did it on Blood Mountain, Cathedral on The Ethereal Mirror to name two, but both those bands would consciously have been going for a retro rock-sounding product. What sort of style stuff are you writing?

I plan on doing this for my band's EP. But not entirely different tones. Probably a 6505 left + 5150 right with the same settings or maybe just two different boost pedals.
I find when using the same player for rhythms with the same settings for both tracks it can "mono" out pretty easily, losing the stereo depth (but using two different players changes the tones a bit too much for my case even with the same settings. All in the hands.)

 

[JakeAC5253]

I plan on doing this for my band's EP. But not entirely different tones. Probably a 6505 left + 5150 right with the same settings or maybe just two different boost pedals.
I find when using the same player for rhythms with the same settings for both tracks it can "mono" out pretty easily, losing the stereo depth

Using differently voiced OD's L and R is something that I like doing in my aggressive mixes as it helps to widen a bit. You can hear this technique used in all three of my reamping demos linked in my sig. It's a great little mixing trick, and really convenient for guys that may not be able to afford two different sounding tube amps.