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[bensnookes]

I've just set up my Soundclick page, and i've uploaded a few tracks of demo's which i've been working on.

I'm using pretty below average recording software, but i've managed to push it one more step before i get pro tools for christmas!

I'm wondering what you guys think of my guitar tones:

POD XT TONES

Angel Powerball (Wide Left)
Triple Rec (-8 Left)
Big Bottom (-3 Left)
Big Bottom (+3 Right)
Triple Rec (+8 Right)
Angel Powerball (Wide Right)

That's how i have my tones panned, and what amp models im using from the PODXT.

www.soundclick.com/bensnookes

P:s Non of the tracks have Bass Guitar on yet.

 

[Djabthrash]

omg that snare sounds awful to me ...

About those guitar tracks how did you do it ? (how many individual guitartracks on which amp sim, etc...) Guitars sound messy to me. When there is one guitar playing on one side, it sounds like there is reverb in the room or something... quite messy !

If there are really 6 guitar tracks at the same time i think you should reconsider and do the standard quadtracking/panning that most people do here (at now i personally don't bother with quad tracking, i only do 2 guitar tracks with the same amp/cab/mic placement but different settings, and then pan them 95% on each side (and add extra guitartracks for leads and stuff)), which is :

4 takes (using from 1 amp sim to 4 different amp sims)
and then panned 100% left / 80 % left / 80 % right / 100 % right

if it still does not sound good with those, it means the problem is somewhere else (pod xt settings, post-eqing, sloppy playing, etc)

so if i were you i would in priority do the following :

-replacing the snare

-using 4 guitar tracks panned as said above instead of what you've done

Good riffs and drums patterns by the way.

 

[bensnookes]

Thanks for the feedback, just want to say it's not down to sloppy playing my tracking is very tight.

The main problem is tones, it's something which has gradually improved overtime for me, the multi tracking of the tones is what's causing the 'messy' sound.

I'm waiting for Pro Tools at christmas, then i'll be re-recording again and spend more time working on the mixing, cus what im using at the moment is quite average, Magix Music Studio 2004.

What is it about the snare do you think, too snappy?

I have 6 guitar rhythm guitar tracks, 3 left, 3 right.

Left 30%
Left 80%
Left 100%

And the same for the right side.

Then lead parts are central in the mix.

On all 3 of my Amp sims i have the Tubescreamer on them, do you think this might not be helping with the clarity when the tones are layered?

 

[Djabthrash]

Thanks for the feedback, just want to say it's not down to sloppy playing my tracking is very tight.

The main problem is tones, it's something which has gradually improved overtime for me, the multi tracking of the tones is what's causing the 'messy' sound.

I'm waiting for Pro Tools at christmas, then i'll be re-recording again and spend more time working on the mixing, cus what im using at the moment is quite average, Magix Music Studio 2004.

What is it about the snare do you think, too snappy?

I have 6 guitar rhythm guitar tracks, 3 left, 3 right.

Left 30%
Left 80%
Left 100%

And the same for the right side.

Then lead parts are central in the mix.

On all 3 of my Amp sims i have the Tubescreamer on them, do you think this might not be helping with the clarity when the tones are layered?

ok

about the snare it does not sound like a real snare first, and then it has no power at all and sounds awful. Try using some of the snare samples available on this forum (especially the free Slate snare which is kickass).

About the guitar layers if you say your playing is tight then i suggest you to give up using so much layers and try only with 4 layers (try 2 also) instead of 6.

About the TubeScreamer i can't say as i've never used those myself. Most of the people here say it helps with clarity, but it also depends with what amp you're playing into.

 

[bensnookes]

Ah ok dude, cheers... i'll try find that snare out.
The snare used on those recordings is the nickleback one i got off this board, i liked it becaused it was quite snappy and cut through the mix alot... but i'll try the other one see how it sounds.

Do you think the kick drum sounds good?

 

[Djabthrash]

Ah ok dude, cheers... i'll try find that snare out.
The snare used on those recordings is the nickleback one i got off this board, i liked it becaused it was quite snappy and cut through the mix alot... but i'll try the other one see how it sounds.

Maybe the problem is not the snare itself but the processing (EQ, verb, compression) that sucks. I'd try messing up with it a little more if i were you.

 

[bensnookes]

Well, ill have Pro Tools next week, so ill try remixing again then.. incase Magix is having some processing on which is reducing the quality too... meh, ill wait til i have re-done the mixes and then see what you think again then