Pre Production Demo Rough Mix

[MetalWorks]

I just did this Rough Mix last night of a Pre Production Demo for a band on a UK Label.

There arent any vocals since the singer lives in another City and will be coming in for the final recording if I got the job for the Album.

I ran the levels a little hot on the master fader and really havent done anything special to the mix other than a few basic EQ settings to get in the general direction.

Just curious what people think of the guitars and general sound so far.

I have never been happy with my mic'd guitar tracks but I am thinking I am progressing.

http://a-1-cabinets.com/metalworksrecording/roc/ROC_Track4_Rough_Sample.mp3

POD Pro Gone, Just 5150 and VHT

http://a-1-cabinets.com/metalworksrecording/roc/5150_and_VHT.mp3

 

[TheDude]

Sounds really good, but... (it has to be a but, right?)

It's like there's some phase issue with the left guitar(s). Otherwise: good.

 

[MetalWorks]

Left Guitars?

I thought the Right Guitar was having an issue esspecially when it was playing by itself towards the end of the sample.

But I will take a look at it.

Thanks.

 

[TheDude]

Maybe it was in my drunk head. Try to pan the guitars 100% left - right and let me listen again.

 

[Djabthrash]

-right guitar sounds less loud or something than the left one.
-guitars sound a bit "processed" (as if they've been done with a POD or something)
-kick drum has some weirdness. Can't tell exactly.
-song sounds great. Reminds me of some brutal tech deathcore a la The Red Chord, Animosity, ...

 

[Wolfeman]

Left guitar is overpowering the right, can't even focus on the right guitar until it's small section by itself...... I like the tone on the guitars though, kinda BTBAMish

 

[Djabthrash]

kinda BTBAMish

i imagine a new member on this forum who's not really in the metal scene... he wouldn't understand shit

 

[Djabthrash]

Left guitar is overpowering the right, can't even focus on the right guitar until it's small section by itself...

exactly

 

[alan1990]

what amps did you use I am really digin that tone

 

[MetalWorks]

Theres definately something going on with the Right guitar. Some parts of songs it sounded fine but alot of times it has some sort of phase issue or something I will have to check out.

I ran the guitars direct through a POD Pro and captured the unprocessed signal as well. Then I reamped the unprocessed signal through an X-Amp.

The Left Guitar is 1 Track of POD Pro, 1 Track 5150.

Right Guitar is 1 Track of POD Pro, 1 Track VHT Pitbull.

Both Heads are running through a Maxon OD808 > Mesa 4x12 > SM57 > ADL600.

I never changed the mic position, just swapped the heads.


Its basically single tracked but left the Line 6 since the band thought it was thicker sounding than leaving the single 5150 and VHT. Im betting the VHT is having phase issues with the Line 6 Track because it sounded fine on its own when tracking.

But I really liked the 5150 and VHT own their own and would have liked to hear them quad tracked.

The kick drum has too much low end and is a bit woofy. Plus I had the levels a bit hot in the mix since I didnt do any mastering.

Its only a pre production for the band so the only thing they really wanted to be critical over was the song itself, but I'll probably take another stab at the mix for shits and giggles.

 

[Djabthrash]

Its basically single tracked but left the Line 6 since the band thought it was thicker sounding than leaving the single 5150 and VHT.

Can you post a sample without the POD tracks please ? (panned hard left and right)...

 

[nwright]

Sounds good to me, but I hear some wierd bass stuff, too...At first I thought it was the kick drum, but closer listening with phones, I think it's the bass guitar? I hear some clangy stuff but it sounds low and farty....sorta. I think it interferes with the bass drum's attack and punch. Makes it almost sound like a "splatty" bass drum with a loose head and bad foot control or something.

During the guitar/drum breakdown the bass isn't there and then when it kicks in you can hear it.

 

[MetalWorks]

Yeah, I will try to get some samples without the POD.

I wasnt happy with the way the bass came out.

The bass is a Tobias Toby Pro 5 and its a nice bass but the pickups are crap.

It was run through a Sansamp RBI Bass Pre with the SVT settings. But I didnt spend much time on dialing it in either.

Hopefully tonight I'll have another run at it while I am alone and can tweak with things myself.

 

[MetalWorks]

I only had a few minutes before work this morning to take out the Line 6 Guitar Tracks.

I added a new link to the first post.

Basically I Tryed balancing the guitars a little more and took some low end mud off of the kick.

This was mainly for those that asked to hear just the 5150 and VHT Pitbull Tracks in the song without the POD Pro behind them.

I still want to try and do a proper mix at some point.

Heres the link again for just the HEADS

http://a-1-cabinets.com/metalworksrecording/roc/5150_and_VHT.mp3

 

[Djabthrash]

The track without the POD sounds a tad less thick (but it's still thick enough to me) but WAY CLEARER. So it's better IMO (even if the fixing involved apart from the disappearance of the POD tracks plays a role here : no more phase stuff on the right guitar, kick drum weirdness fixing...).

I guess it has something to do with this kind of music (bands like BTBAM, Cephalic Carnage, The Red Chord), but guitars still sound a bit *processed*/too much presence/overgained to me... Just a matter of taste though, and as far as i remember the bands in this genre i just mentioned have the same kind of guitar sound.

 

[nwright]

Sounds better to me too, and I think the loss of thickness is VERY negligible...To be honest, I don't think it sounds thin.

Bass sounds better on this mix, too?

 

[Djabthrash]

Sounds better to me too, and I think the loss of thickness is VERY negligible...To be honest, I don't think it sounds thin.

+1