Peavey Rockmaster Clip: Death!! Looking for some opinions on tone.

[J.DavisNJ]

Hey guys, I just recorded a new clip. I chose "Suicide Machine" by Death. Just the first couple riffs or so. I used the Nordstrom mic technique with 2 SM57s. I boosted the Rockmaster with a Boss SD-1. I miced a vintage 30 in my Avatar 2x12. The mics are running into a Presonus Firebox straight into Garage Band. The clip is definitely not perfect. It's a bit dark and dry. The dark quality I can deal with, but while sounding thick the guitars sound too dry to me. This seems to happen on a lot of my clips. Any advice?? thanks!!

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=452533

-Joe

 

[smy1]

Guitars can never be too dry ...

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Guitars can never be too dry ...

lol!!! I guess I mean, they sound a bit too dry and it's causing the tone to be a bit lifeless. Maybe I'm nuts!@#$

-Joe

 

[Nebulous]

Sounds like it sould be fine with a high shelf. Was the DS1 used as a clean boost or as the main distortion?

 

[J.DavisNJ]

High shelf?? Sorry, not sure what you mean. The SD-1 was just boosting it slightly really. The majority of the distortion is from the Rockmaster,

-Joe

 

[Ermz]

Yeah if you compare the actual Death track to your clip, it shows that you're lacking a bit in the high mid area. Your tone is more 'dry' sounding, whereas the Death tone is slightly more lively.

A high shelf should help to some extent. It's just an EQ setting that boost or cut every frequency above a certain point.

Also keep in mind that album is quad tracked. Two of the takes are quite dull and ballsy sounding, whereas the other two are more about high end.

 

[JBroll]

I've been trying to figure out how to make my guitars sound more 'alive' and 'in-your-face', too, and even with a good bit of EQ it doesn't seem like that quality is there, it seems to be a good chunk of what's separating amateur mixes from professional ones.

Hell, I'm not looking to sound like TGE, I'm just looking to be more up-close and aggressive sounding like Slaugher of the Soul, Heartwork, Penetrations from the Lost World, Colony, stuff like that - but even with the mic right at the bloody grill it sounds like it's distant and a little muted, and it's driving me nuts!

Any 'pro tips'?

Jeff

 

[Ermz]

Have that same problem JBroll. We found that backing the mic off the grill a touch gave the sound a bit more high-mid and let it breathe a touch more. I always thought shoving it right up against would give me what I wanted, but I was wrong.

 

[Nebulous]

I've been trying to figure out how to make my guitars sound more 'alive' and 'in-your-face', too, and even with a good bit of EQ it doesn't seem like that quality is there, it seems to be a good chunk of what's separating amateur mixes from professional ones.

Hell, I'm not looking to sound like TGE, I'm just looking to be more up-close and aggressive sounding like Slaugher of the Soul, Heartwork, Penetrations from the Lost World, Colony, stuff like that - but even with the mic right at the bloody grill it sounds like it's distant and a little muted, and it's driving me nuts!

Any 'pro tips'?

Jeff

YOU'RE complaining???

 

[JBroll]

YOU'RE complaining???

?

Jeff

 

[Nebulous]

You seem to get some pretty hot sounds man, at least in a mix.

 

[JBroll]

Which ones? You may be getting me mixed up with someone else - I've posted two clips at Smyth's forums, so I don't know about that...

Jeff

 

[Nebulous]

Oh, damn. Might be....."feeling stupid, i know i am". Nevermind.