How do YOU track metal guitars?
- Thread starter sentinel72
- Start date
smy1
Member
Varies a lot. Depends on the song/section of the song.
Most of the time its 2, hard left and right. Sometimes I'll pretty equally quad them. Sometimes I'll quad them with two tracks panned in a bit and quieter. Sometimes I emphasise particular parts of a riff with drop ins that I double and pan hard. Sometimes I'll do the same thing but one track and pan centre. I once (but only once and long ago) 16 tracked a part with 14 guitars that were just a bit past break up and 2 that were higher gain, because thats the only way I could find/think of to get both the clarity and the thickness I wanted for that section out of the gear I was using at the time.
Whatever the part needs, basically.
Most of the time its 2, hard left and right. Sometimes I'll pretty equally quad them. Sometimes I'll quad them with two tracks panned in a bit and quieter. Sometimes I emphasise particular parts of a riff with drop ins that I double and pan hard. Sometimes I'll do the same thing but one track and pan centre. I once (but only once and long ago) 16 tracked a part with 14 guitars that were just a bit past break up and 2 that were higher gain, because thats the only way I could find/think of to get both the clarity and the thickness I wanted for that section out of the gear I was using at the time.
Whatever the part needs, basically.
Lionwing
Lurker
IIRC I remember reading an interview with Adam D where he said that in parts of As Daylight Dies they overdubbed upto 60 guitars at one point in a song!
I'd really like to know which part and what kind of sound/s they layered up!
Any idea, by any chance?
not 100% sure what this means... But the tone and lack of an opinion tells me its telling me to look elsewhere.
Note the subject. Especially the "YOU" part.
I'm merely asking what numbers of tracks and where the other resident metalheads are panning them.
A poll so to speak.
Is there a poll elsewhere that already asked this? How would I find that? A link is appreciated.
Thanks!
Lionwing
Lurker
Ummmm, can't remember off memory, I remember reading it about 2 years ago. I'm trying to find the article now for ya
Lionwing
Lurker
I can't find the article mate... but if I remember right it's the part in break the silence with all the harmonies and massive sounding guitars... the "It starts today... and it starts with me!" section...
UTFSF = Use teh farkin' search function 
But yeah, the standards are either one take on each side (double tracking), or two takes on each side, sometimes with one pair panned slightly inward (quad-tracking). It's really up to which you prefer the sound of! (and whether you have the patience to quad-track tight enough to make it worth it 
)
But yeah, the standards are either one take on each side (double tracking), or two takes on each side, sometimes with one pair panned slightly inward (quad-tracking). It's really up to which you prefer the sound of! (and whether you have the patience to quad-track tight enough to make it worth it )
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
Jaymz
Stymphalian Productions
Lionwing
Lurker
I'm trying quad tracking on my next project. Quick question, if i've got 4 tracks of guitar, say 2 rhythm L + R 100% and 2 60% L + R and then a solo comes in, do I keep the 2 outer tracks and just have the solo through the centre? I imagine it will get a little too gainy and not much space with 5 guitars all raging away at once. Or do I automate the rhythm tracks to be quieter so there's a thick wall of rhythm behind the solo?
All things being equal I'd centre the solo and automate the rhythms down.
I'd drop the rhythms that are panned at 60 the most.
Most important here imo is that the solo is sitting in a different EQ range than the rhythms so they arent stepping on each other. Altered on input or in the mix, whatever works. Using a different guitar, if thats an option, works wonders for seperating solos and harmonies in my (limited, massively so compared to a lot of the guys on here!) experience.
my 2p
Lots of ways to skin that cat.
I definitely would never pan the second pair of rhythms as close in as 60 - 80 at the most, 90 preferably IMO
Jaymz
Stymphalian Productions
for each side, do you use the same tone/gear?
So far, for all right side guitars I stick with the same stuff. Then my left side is usually different. Diff axe, diff eq or amp settings, whatever....
Is this how you guys do it too? Or are some of you doing 4 different sounds for quad tracking?
Or all the same sound?
So far, for all right side guitars I stick with the same stuff. Then my left side is usually different. Diff axe, diff eq or amp settings, whatever....
Is this how you guys do it too? Or are some of you doing 4 different sounds for quad tracking?
Or all the same sound?
joeymusicguy
Member
two guitar tracks, one left and one right
unless there's a lead or a weaker part, that goes in the center and then a double of the rthm is recorded
hard pan
unless there's a lead or a weaker part, that goes in the center and then a double of the rthm is recorded
hard pan
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