guitars blend together to much...


brendonm
New Member
Joined: 06/02/03
Posts: 19
brendonm
New Member
Joined: 06/02/03
Posts: 19
11/27/2003 1:38 am
Hey guys, whats happenin?

K...when i'm fooling around recording stuff, i find it very difficult to make two guitars stand out from each other when playing a riff. Like, let's say i was playing..

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--0-2-3-

This would sound only as if one guitar was playing it...ya know what i'm saying? like...they "blend" together way to much. Is there way to make it sound as if two guitars are actually doing that? i'm using the same guitar and amp and everything for both guitar parts. Thanks for any advice

Brendon
# 1
noticingthemistake
Crime Fighter
Joined: 08/04/02
Posts: 1,518
noticingthemistake
Crime Fighter
Joined: 08/04/02
Posts: 1,518
11/27/2003 1:44 am
Did you try panning off each guitar track. Have one to mid-left and one to mid-right?? If not do that. You can also switch the toggle switch for each guitar, say play once with the switch on rhythm, and record it again with the switch on lead. If you don't have a toggle switch, you can adjust the tone knob down for your rhythm guitar, and up for the lead guitar. That should help. If not try messing with your amp. Find two different settings and then record a guitar playing each.
"My whole life is a dark room...ONE BIG DARK ROOM" - a.f.i.
# 2
Dr_simon
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 07/06/02
Posts: 5,021
Dr_simon
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 07/06/02
Posts: 5,021
11/27/2003 2:22 am
The way I try to think of it is that both guitars are playing different parts and that calls for different tone as well as space in the stereo image. If one sounds a bit weak cos you have turned down the old distortion don't be afraid to double track it and play with the EQ to get a nice full sound, what ever is appropriate for the part it is playing and the way you want the song to sound.
My instructors page and www.studiotrax.net for all things recording.
my toons Brought to you by Dr BadGAS
# 3
iamthe_eggman
Grizzled Spellchecker
Joined: 05/09/00
Posts: 2,233
iamthe_eggman
Grizzled Spellchecker
Joined: 05/09/00
Posts: 2,233
11/29/2003 1:41 am
(heh heh... i just stole that riff! sucker!)
... and that's all I have to say about that.

[U]ALL[/U] generalizations are [U]WRONG[/U]

[/sarcasm]
# 4
JSV
Member
Joined: 11/05/03
Posts: 63
JSV
Member
Joined: 11/05/03
Posts: 63
11/29/2003 2:14 am
Try studying a little bit about "track seperation".

It is certainly far too advanced a subject to cover on a message board (I was 5 or 6 years into my pro recording experiences before I had a TRUE grasp on the subject).

'Panning' can help, but certain frequencies of the instrument,s timbre will develop sonic latency the more you 'pan' the track. (Some frequencies are considered non-directional when panned, and others will be victim to phase cancellation, etc.)
The more you experiment with EQ'ing, you'll find what works with certain instruments; and what NOT to use.

If a solo guitar track (for instance) sounds phFAT in the mix, and a little bit lacking in the "low-end" when in solo-cue, then you're probably getting close to a decent guitar sound that can be "seperated". You find a low frequency that's just above the one that gets "lost" in the mix, and search to implement it in small increments using a more 'narrow' bandwidth.

Sympathetic resonance can explain why some frequencies get cancelled from an instrument if the bandwidth of the EQ is too "braod" and clashing with an instrument that's more isolated in its own timbre (such as a bass track that's real solid or heavy). THAT bass track can be used for retrieving frequencies 'lost' or subtracted from the guitar track (which you would've done to isolate it for better track seperation).
A guitar track with the typical "mids-scooped-out" can sound cool all by itself, but the track is LOST as SOON AS the drummer hits the snare!

A little experience in this field, and you'll start to see why pro engineers use compressors sometimes on ONLY CERTAIN FREQUENCIES for different instruments.

QUALITY near-field monitors can make a dif' as well ;)


~JSV

# 5
Polera
Guitar Hurricane
Joined: 01/12/02
Posts: 917
Polera
Guitar Hurricane
Joined: 01/12/02
Posts: 917
11/29/2003 2:46 am
I was told from someone that a little bit of reverb can make a big difference....i dunno the validity to that though.
WWSD? What would stevie do?
# 6
brendonm
New Member
Joined: 06/02/03
Posts: 19
brendonm
New Member
Joined: 06/02/03
Posts: 19
11/29/2003 7:15 am
those were some very informative answers, thanks alot everyone:D i think i'll go and look "track seperation" see if i can find anything...thanks again and keep 'em coming!! haha

Brendon
# 7
JSV
Member
Joined: 11/05/03
Posts: 63
JSV
Member
Joined: 11/05/03
Posts: 63
11/29/2003 7:44 am
Great! But don't spell it like "I" did! LMAO!

"Track Separation"

...AND, I noticed- "broad" was misspelled. Probably many others! My Goodness, that's awful!

Sorry man! When I post on these things, I do it in haste & I don't take the time to CheAgCk myEE SpBelLeiNGG PRroParrlyEe.

Not to mention my lack of typing skills doesn't do it any justice.


~JSV


# 8

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