So for the first time I'm tracking a band that plays solos and I'm wondering what kind of processing you guys like to use (like delays, reverb, other FX, etc) to spice these up? Thanks in advance for any help you can offer 
solos/leads processing
- Thread starter arv_foh
- Start date
Mattayus
Sir Groove-A-Lot
Delays are utter win on leads man, they're essential really to prevent them sounding dry and one-dimensional. Go easy though, and you really don't need that much in the mix, like 15%~. Reverbs also work nice, but again subtlety is key. It's really easy to over do it and get the notes bleeding into one another, especially on faster runs.
I tend to LP leads a lot lower than I would rhythms, sometimes as low as 6k. Gives them that nice creamy mid-heavy vibe that makes them stand out, and clears a lot of unnecessary frequency range. I usually finish off with a limiter on the lead bus, to even things out.
I tend to LP leads a lot lower than I would rhythms, sometimes as low as 6k. Gives them that nice creamy mid-heavy vibe that makes them stand out, and clears a lot of unnecessary frequency range. I usually finish off with a limiter on the lead bus, to even things out.
Lon
smash that.
this, solid advice, AND most important: be really (really!) anal about the cleanness of the tracking, nothings worse tha na muddy solo with missed notes and bad articulation, no matter what you do it will always sound crappy as hell, if the guitarist can't nail it play it half as fast and then cut it note for note, when thinking about this topic i always think of the phrase "often a lot of work is wasted because the lack of a little more work"
gabriel g.
Member
extrem lowcut, delay and sometimes little reverb.
Leads can be a cunt when your mix hits the comp and singer screams about it
Leads can be a cunt when your mix hits the comp and singer screams about it
here's what i do:
Mathematic calculations to find the exact lower and higher note of the solo in order to use high pass/low pass filter.
boost frequencies that i have cut from the rythm guitars.
more reverb from the rythm guitars,some delay(if it's a fast solo not that much,but if it's a lead i will put more)
and then i will put some compression.
remember that 99% you will never hear the solo alone without rythm guitars or bass so the point is to make it sound good and clean with all the instruments together.
and the most basic thing:you really need to capture a great performance,if he plays the solo like shit,then it will sound like shit,if he deliver a great performance,then it's really easy and up to you to make it sound cool
Mathematic calculations to find the exact lower and higher note of the solo in order to use high pass/low pass filter.
boost frequencies that i have cut from the rythm guitars.
more reverb from the rythm guitars,some delay(if it's a fast solo not that much,but if it's a lead i will put more)
and then i will put some compression.
remember that 99% you will never hear the solo alone without rythm guitars or bass so the point is to make it sound good and clean with all the instruments together.
and the most basic thing:you really need to capture a great performance,if he plays the solo like shit,then it will sound like shit,if he deliver a great performance,then it's really easy and up to you to make it sound cool
amarshism
Member
Steven Otto
Member
I favor having a ping pong delay in my chain for leads with 30%L - 30%R stereofield settings and a low pass at around 4kHz.
JeffTD
Senhor Testiculo
egan.
daylightdies.com
How's that work? The fundamental of the highest note on a 24 fret 6string in standard is only 1.3kHz (E6). Surely you aren't LP'ing that low regularly.
I like nerdery as much as the next guy but it's better to just listen IMHO.
gabriel g.
Member
to uncloud the mix I am using a lowcut mostly @450-500hz and the highcut @ 5-12k
It also depends on the sound I want. A lot of the time leads sound great with a lofi radio sound
It also depends on the sound I want. A lot of the time leads sound great with a lofi radio sound
this is all very helpful stuff, thanks guys
how long of a delay do you use? 1/4, 1/2, whole note to tempo? feel it out til it sounds right?
how long of a delay do you use? 1/4, 1/2, whole note to tempo? feel it out til it sounds right?
P-E
Munchkin
Gotta feel it out, usually 1/4, sometimes 1/2, sometimes something else but it all depends on the material.
Jevil
Pro Evolution Fucker
JeffTD
Senhor Testiculo
In all of my sessions I have 1/8 and 1/4 note delays set up as FX sends, usually along with a ping-pong and sometimes a 1/2 note depending on how fast the songs are. I just blend the FX send mix on those to taste.
Skinny Viking
¯\(°_o)/¯ How do Lydian?
Skinny Viking
¯\(°_o)/¯ How do Lydian?
For myself I tend to try and use a different guitar for leads than rhythms ... thats for a start
processing usually just involves some more aggressive EQ than on rhythms ... I hi-pass a fair bit higher depending on the sound and tuning and lo-pass somewhere close to where my rhythms are. Perhaps a small 2db bump in the upper mids to give it a little more teeth. From there I'll compress the hell out of it, more often than not just using a good delay (sometimes stereo, sometimes not) tempo locked to the song but not always at the same rate ... that is dependent on whats happening with the feel. Generally I avoid reverb altogether unless its for some really slow, sweeping open type solo and the arrangement allows for it. I'll also sometimes automate the volume of the rhythm guitars down 1-2db at most so the lead slides right in place and then some slight automation on the lead itself where needed to help bring out key parts
I tend to like my leads to sound smooth and very well balanced against the music as opposed to being really hot and jumping out at you but thats personal preference
processing usually just involves some more aggressive EQ than on rhythms ... I hi-pass a fair bit higher depending on the sound and tuning and lo-pass somewhere close to where my rhythms are. Perhaps a small 2db bump in the upper mids to give it a little more teeth. From there I'll compress the hell out of it, more often than not just using a good delay (sometimes stereo, sometimes not) tempo locked to the song but not always at the same rate ... that is dependent on whats happening with the feel. Generally I avoid reverb altogether unless its for some really slow, sweeping open type solo and the arrangement allows for it. I'll also sometimes automate the volume of the rhythm guitars down 1-2db at most so the lead slides right in place and then some slight automation on the lead itself where needed to help bring out key parts
I tend to like my leads to sound smooth and very well balanced against the music as opposed to being really hot and jumping out at you but thats personal preference
