There's been countless threads about getting a good rhythm track tone, but when it comes to the glassy smooth leads, what do you do for tones? Still use the tube screamer? More gain, less gain? A lot of these bands get these huge lead guitar sounds that sounds so clean and smooth. For example, the end of BTBAM's "Selkies" and the Human Abstract has some great lead tones as well. The sweeps and what not sound great on those songs.
What About Lead Guitar Tones?
- Thread starter AKoppenheffer
- Start date
There's been countless thread on this too.
BUT...try compressing it a little more, boosting the mids, and a filter off the lows below 150-200hz or so. Use some delay too. Same guitar setup for me as rhythms.
BUT...try compressing it a little more, boosting the mids, and a filter off the lows below 150-200hz or so. Use some delay too. Same guitar setup for me as rhythms.
My bad, going through the archives, I didn't see too much on this topic. Thanks for the input!
Ermz
¯\(°_o)/¯
Bogner Ecstasy, 'loose speaker excursion'. Instant compressed, fat as hell leads. Consistently the best recording lead tone amp I've used. Usually after recording some cuts around 300Hz and 800 are needed, and high boosts here and there. Anything you really need to get the leads to sit in with the rest of the mix. As said, filter lows, mids help, and highs also to give it some air.
I'm going to be using a 6505+ through a Mesa Recto 4x12 for the band I'm currently working with. Are there settings that people recommend to get started? I'm really happy with the rhythm sound we have, but that won't work too well for leads. Thanks for the tips.
treat leads like a vocal. add delay and a little more compression. maybe a little chorus. another trick i seen around here is to blend the solo with a synth sound. you would need to create a midi track from the lead, but it really fattens the sound!! worth the effort
edit... use automation to lower the rhythm guits during the solo
edit... use automation to lower the rhythm guits during the solo
Genius Gone Insane
http://www.¯\(°_o)/¯.com
there are audio to midi plugs such as melodyne, that convert audio tracks to midi info that can be edited and used to trigger midi instruments. blend instruments with solos, experiment with changing the pitch of the midi track, and how much you blend (hint... less is more)
here is a link for some free plugs: http://www.mymusictools.com/download/audio-to-midi/
hope this helps, its actually easier than it sounds!!!!
here is a link for some free plugs: http://www.mymusictools.com/download/audio-to-midi/
hope this helps, its actually easier than it sounds!!!!
Sinister Mephisto
1337
- Sep 20, 2005
- 2,900
- 1
- 38
I figured it was something along the lines of Melodyne. It's a good thing I already have that, haha. I'll definitely have to try that, thanks!
The first general rule is to treat it like vocals. The level and cut should be the same. Usually you want more mids in the lead tone, and a more rounded sound than the rhythm guitars and their bite. I mostly like to use a different amp for leads than I do for rhythms. Another thing that helps it sit better in the mix is to record the leads with a condensor. Dynamic mics usually have more bite to them from the start than condensors. This is just in my experience anyway...
~006
~006
Katau
Supreme Master of Nothing
I usually turn the tone knob on the guitar all the way down. That seems to smooth things out...and it's simple.
DO NOT FORGET MIDS.
For 'glass', consider using single-coils (YES, they CAN be quiet, if you know how to fucking use them and treat the space around you!) or humbuckers in parallel. Also, a highpass is important, especially if any bends, double stops, or accidental open string grazes occur for a number of reasons - an often overlooked reason is that if two notes are played at once, and they aren't EXACTLY in tune, there will be a 'beat frequency' down below both notes that is basically an implied note caused by the addition of two waveforms that are not identical... and if you're doing a unison bend, it sounds like a shitty bass drop that should have just been left to die years ago. That, and the fact that soloing on the low strings isn't too common, makes it essential.
Less gain, more compression later if necessary. Scratchy leads suck. Also, mids.
Steve Smyth always gets godly tones, and he said on his board that he likes to put an AT3035 a bit behind the SM57 for solos.
Did I mention mids? Guitarists already scoop too much for rhythm, scooping leads just sounds awful and should be a crime punishable by death.
Jeff
For 'glass', consider using single-coils (YES, they CAN be quiet, if you know how to fucking use them and treat the space around you!) or humbuckers in parallel. Also, a highpass is important, especially if any bends, double stops, or accidental open string grazes occur for a number of reasons - an often overlooked reason is that if two notes are played at once, and they aren't EXACTLY in tune, there will be a 'beat frequency' down below both notes that is basically an implied note caused by the addition of two waveforms that are not identical... and if you're doing a unison bend, it sounds like a shitty bass drop that should have just been left to die years ago. That, and the fact that soloing on the low strings isn't too common, makes it essential.
Less gain, more compression later if necessary. Scratchy leads suck. Also, mids.
Steve Smyth always gets godly tones, and he said on his board that he likes to put an AT3035 a bit behind the SM57 for solos.
Did I mention mids? Guitarists already scoop too much for rhythm, scooping leads just sounds awful and should be a crime punishable by death.
Jeff
