Side-chain comp for guitar solos?

[Rhys Llewellyn]

Hi.

My first post here. It always seems whatever I'm Googling recording wise, there's nearly always a result from a forum post from this place, so it seems I have found some like minded folk.

So basically, I'm a very formulaic kinda person. I pretty much use just one project template which has all my quick go to VSTs and I generally use just one main guitar sound on my Pod XT Pro (except for clean tones).

Anyways, I've been reading up on using side-chain compression to duck rhythm guitars to give vocals more clarity.

Is there a reason why this shouldn't be applied to a guitar solo, so when I'm soloing the rhythm guitar group dips a dB or two?

I like the idea of having everything set up ready, and since I pretty much stick to the same settings and volumes for each project, it seems like it would help to almost mix itself as I'm tracking.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[egan.]

Using your logic there isn't a reason that you couldn't or shouldn't treat solos just like vocals. However, in metal rhythm guitars are quite consistent in volume. It makes more sense to leave them and use regular compression and automation to keep the vocals or leads sitting on top of them.

 

[metalfanat1c]

If you listen to the guitar only tracks on the new Nevermore, you'll notice that Andy sucked lots and lots of high end out of the guitars whenever a lead was played. This is a pretty slick technique I never thought of until I heard those tracks.

 

[Josh M.]

I think this would work better if you were to use a multi-band comp with sidechain, such as the Waves C6. That way you can make only certain frequencies duck for the solos and leads. But for a solo, I wouldn't bother using a compressor with side-chaining. I'd just automate it.