Which guitar tone to aim for (inside a mix)?

[pitoga]

Greetings.

I've noticed I'm having some problems at choosing the right guitar tone. I know it's basically to trust your ears and to search for it to sound good within the mix. But I often try and without success.

For example this is my latest mix I'm working at. AN for the overall sound I'm quite satisfied until I add the guitars. I didn't track the guitars myself so the original guitar sound was way to muddy in order to use it. So i tried my luck with the DI track. While using the tss before the Legion sim with the preshigh impulse. I really tried to take my time in creating the right Guitar sound. But I'm receiving comments about having to scoop it or that its sounding too digital (especially on the palm mutes). Do you guys have any pointers you try to follow when choosing the right distortion ? And perhaps could you tell me (just in case it isn't worth creating the guitar tone myself with the sims) which one of you i could ask for good reamps? My main problem is, that I'm not a guitarist, and have usually never LISTENED to the guitar in the music I listen to. And now that I have to do this, I don't know at which part of the character of the guitar to listen at. I would be very grateful if you guys could help me out!

Thanks

here is the mix I'm talking about:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/3530360/Aevum/White Menace automation version sin eq.mp3

 

[Fox Mulder]

Even though guitar tone sculpting may seem like rocket science to some, it really is not. Most of us beginners who get stuck in a tone rut is purely due to ear fatigue. I personally can't mix for longer than 30mins. Gotta take a break after that. The guys who've been doing this for sometime - They'd need less frequent breaks. So yeh, there you have it. Don't spend too much time fiddling around with tone. Boost > Distortion > Impulse (I'm being neutral here by not telling you what to use).

If you're not happy with a tone, evaluate a few things:
1. Is the tone too boomy? (too much lows)
2. Is it muddy? (too much low mids)
3. Does the mid-range sound dull? (lack of higher mids)
4. Does the mid-range sound harsh? (too much higher mids)
5. Is it fizzy? (Low-pass? Shelving? Start from scratch?)

"But I'm receiving comments about having to scoop it or that its sounding too digital (especially on the palm mutes)."
Software sims are meant to sound 'digital' because they are digital. I've never heard of 'Analog Computers'

And yeh, mix context is very important. You wanna mix metalcore, for example and you got a very mid-heavy drum line going on - Ain't gonna work. Free up the mid-range for the heavy guitars and vocals as much as possible. Guitars are mid-range instruments.

Judging from the clip you posted - Depending on the gear and player you might need a bit more gain.

 

[PaoloJM]

I've never heard of 'Analog Computers'

You haven't lived!!

 

[Scottxx]

Which Nebula 3 free program works well to get more analog in the guitar chain and in wich position will you put it ?

 

[amarshism]

You haven't lived!!

Beat me to it.