Two different guitar sounds

[Agnarr]

Hi!
I have a problem, i recorded two guitarists, who used different guitar and amp. They want, that i strictly mix one to the left and the other one to the right.
Now i have the problem, that one guitar sounds extremly thinner than the other one and the mix sounds completely asymmetric.

When i hear current productions, for me it seems to be, that in most recordings every guitarist plays his parts to the same amp, at least at rhythm.

How do you handle this?

 

[MetalWorks]

I used to just accept what they want and accept that the final product will be worse off as a result.

I remember letting bands use their own amp settings and stuff because I thought what right do I have to tell them how their tone should be setup?

But the last session I had a guy bring his 5150 in, and I sarcastically told him I am going to completely fuck up all his guitar settings. He just accepted it because I told him with assertiveness.

I know other studios where the engineer wouldnt let some bands use their own amps such as anything Line 6 and would make them use his 5150II and Engl Powerball. Simply because his studio's reputation for quality is on the line.

At this point it sounds like you just have to work with what you have got to thicken the weak side up a bit.

I cant think of any recording where I go ooh thats James Hetfields Amp on the left and thats Kirk Hammets Amp on the right.

Generally its all about having that foundation rythm guitar tone whether its comprised of multiple amps or not. It still sounds like a generalized tone followed by occasional unique leads or harmonies.

In a situation like that I might use 3 amps. 1 with the signature tone Panned left, 2nd with the signature tone panned right, and the 3rd amp used to double track under each side to give some sort of gelling to the guitar sound.

 

[Downtime]

I used to just accept what they want and accept that the final product will be worse off as a result.

Be carefull with stuff like that, as your productions are your calling card.
If it´s not possible in another way you´ll eventually have to leave things like they are, but until this point is reached I´d try everything possible to turn the job into a good one.

I know other studios where the engineer wouldnt let some bands use their own amps such as anything Line 6 and would make them use his 5150II and Engl Powerball. Simply because his studio's reputation for quality is on the line.

That´s what I meant. I wouldn´t command them to use what I think should be used (especially if it destroys what they´ve built as their own unique sound), but if I know things could be done in a better way I would propose it at least.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

I am in the same situation only it's worse because it's 2 different guitar parts.

so I am just going to do 2 different mixes where the guitars are panned the way I WANT THEM and then the way they want them.

I can almost garantee you they will like my way. Bands generally don't know what the fuck they want even though they think they do.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

Rerecord w/ DI, reamp with same guitars and later on have them listen to both and see which they prefer.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Rerecord w/ DI, reamp with same guitars and later on have them listen to both and see which they prefer.

Exactly what I am going to do.

 

[scorpio01169]

Yea I would try their way and your way you never know you may stumble and find that their way works

 

[Gaspard]

discretly record there dry signal as well and re-amp there tracks into the same amp with same settings haha.

 

[Student]

It depends on the session, but I agree with pretty much everything above, but I would experiment with a centered track of the two summed, and then pan it their way and solo if they don't believe you, this way they'll hear it their way but you still have a beefy rhythm, sorta.

It's amazing how reamping will save so many mixes these days, the democratization of the tools of production has brought out bad bands and bad n00bs but the boys are still seperated from the men at some point.

Show them both ways, hell reverse the polarity of the guitars if you do sum for a center track so it goes wider, and that way it's more mono compatible, may sound like balls, but may sound like the dogs balls.

 

[ryanojohn]

reamp +1 lol

 

[kaomao]

reamp and don't tell them the truth, that's what I do always

 

[ryanojohn]

reamp and don't tell them the truth, that's what I do always

lol... always?

 

[kaomao]

if they're the typical "Hey use my line6 spider amp, I want that sound" I do that, I don't give shit about a comment coming from someone who's not a gearhead or at least has good gear.