After working on a couple projects and starting to get a feel for how things go in the recording world, I'm wondering what your thoughts are on tracking guitars. For me, I'm finding there seems to be a balance that must be struck between a few points to make solid guitars tracks without blowing a ton of cash on studio time and a bunch of headaches. As for the balance, I find myself trying to balance these 4 main things, and remember these relate to high gain metal, so YMMV:
Tightness - it seems like what works the best is using the player who is the tightest rhythm player and have them do all the tracking. This may vary in 2 guitar bands depending on the song (and if one or the other guitar wrote the parts). But, in 2 guitar bands, one or the other is usually stronger at different aspects of playing the guitar and utilizing one and only one of them yields tighter rhythm tracks with less time and stress.
Consistency - I'm finding that using one guitar is paramount to cuttin out problems as far as tuning and setup go. On the few projects I've done, you can sometimes tell when 2 guitars used as they will both be off to certain degree in relation to tuning or intonation. For me, it gets irritating to say the least
Texture - This seems to flow from consistency. For some songs and music, 2 guitars that drift in and out of a tune or intonation can sometimes work for the song. But, for me, I find texture to be more interesting when using multiple amps rather than multiple instruments to add additional sonic color.
Tone - Obvious, I know. But, sometimes I've found myself struggling for the right tone in the midst of trying to balance the other 3 things I've listed. As for the tone, this encompasses the amp/cab used as well as the miking technique and what not. What is more important, solid playing at the expense of stellar tone, or stellar tone at the expense of a well intonated guitar, etc.
This may be a dumb post, but these things so far are the biggest hurdles- for me - in trying to get solid metal guitar tracks.
Anyone have any additional thoughts as to what makes good guitar tracks, or anything to add to the discussion?
I know this isn't a purely technical thread, more of a philosophical
discussion in relation to AE's and their methods.
Tightness - it seems like what works the best is using the player who is the tightest rhythm player and have them do all the tracking. This may vary in 2 guitar bands depending on the song (and if one or the other guitar wrote the parts). But, in 2 guitar bands, one or the other is usually stronger at different aspects of playing the guitar and utilizing one and only one of them yields tighter rhythm tracks with less time and stress.
Consistency - I'm finding that using one guitar is paramount to cuttin out problems as far as tuning and setup go. On the few projects I've done, you can sometimes tell when 2 guitars used as they will both be off to certain degree in relation to tuning or intonation. For me, it gets irritating to say the least
Texture - This seems to flow from consistency. For some songs and music, 2 guitars that drift in and out of a tune or intonation can sometimes work for the song. But, for me, I find texture to be more interesting when using multiple amps rather than multiple instruments to add additional sonic color.
Tone - Obvious, I know. But, sometimes I've found myself struggling for the right tone in the midst of trying to balance the other 3 things I've listed. As for the tone, this encompasses the amp/cab used as well as the miking technique and what not. What is more important, solid playing at the expense of stellar tone, or stellar tone at the expense of a well intonated guitar, etc.
This may be a dumb post, but these things so far are the biggest hurdles- for me - in trying to get solid metal guitar tracks.
Anyone have any additional thoughts as to what makes good guitar tracks, or anything to add to the discussion?
I know this isn't a purely technical thread, more of a philosophical
discussion in relation to AE's and their methods.
On all amps I have tried (quite a bit), the lead channel (provided it is not the only high gain channel) is always made for smooth leads, ie. a lot of gain vs. a rhythm-oriented channel. Using the lead channel on rhythm guitars only adds the annoying background *FZZZZZZZZZZZ* (not amp hiss, but a different, light white noise type of hiss that follows the guitar lines played) sound to the tracks. That sound is always there behind the main "frontal" sound. It makes the rhythm guitars sound weaker, especially if it's even the slightest bit more technical than straight slow-change power chords.
But from the majority of live bands with 5150 (real life, not reamped studio live albums) and studio albums too, it is the worst fizzler of them all 
