A Recording... Need tips

[seatbelttailgrab]

So I was really bored this weekend so I wrote and recorded a song by myself (played all instruments)... I just got my Firepod working again after a few months, so this was my first full-length recording since summer. For some reason though, I can't seem to get this harsh sound out. I am assuming it is simply my room, but I used GuitarRig software for the guitars (which involves directly plugging the guitar in), and yet it still has this harsh-*** sound. Any advice?

Here's the song: http://myspace.com/seansmetalmusic

Haha and I don't need criticism on the songwriting.. I wrote all the parts in a few hours and don't play guitar or bass, and the drums I made up as I went along.

Oh and I am using the Audix Fusion 6-pack of mics plus a DM5 triggered kick.

[Unavailable]

Well, first of all, I don't think you are going to get anywhere with that guitar tone. I've never used guitar rig though, so I can't really tell you where to go from there. I'd check out some free distortion VST's and read up on impulses using Voxengo Boogex, which is also free. You can get a great tone using those two plugs.

Drums don't seem to have any stereo separation. The kick sample is also pretty muddy.

Vocals don't sound too bad.

[seatbelttailgrab]

Hey I appreciate the advice man. I have a new sample up with the drums panned and Boogex on the guitars. I also added a high-pass filter on the kick and boosted its high frequencies. Though, I have issues discerning a good guitar tone from a bad one so I am not sure if this one is any better.

[Unavailable]

Definitely sounds better.

Regarding guitars, did you just record one track and duplicate it to the other side?

[notsocoolguy]

Wow definate improvement man! That gat tone it a whole lot nicer! I'm listening to it on the worst speakers in the world so I'm not going to comment any more!

[seatbelttailgrab]

Regarding guitars, did you just record one track and duplicate it to the other side?

Nah, I recorded one track with my guitar pickups set to lead... then re-recorded it with the pickups set to rhythm. The tracks sound really similar because I only have one guitar to record with, hehe.

Wow definate improvement man! That gat tone it a whole lot nicer!
Sweet man, good to know :D

[Full Collapse]

You like that bass drum sound? Add some depth to it!

[Unavailable]

Basically, what you are doing with voxengo boogex is simulating a speaker, so what you can do in GuitarRig if it's possible is turn off all cab emulation and just get the distortion from there. Then take what you get from there and run it through voxengo to get the correct tone.

You don't need to change pickups between tracks. Only if you are playing a lead versus a rythym should you do that.

Next important thing to work on is the snare. It doesn't have very much presence in the mix overall, or body to itself. Maybe bring it up in the mix and see if that helps.

[seatbelttailgrab]

You don't need to change pickups between tracks.


Ah, when you said "tracks," I thought you meant lead vs rhythm guitar. Then yes, I did just copy and paste the verses and such (to save time).

[whey]

post up a sample of just the guitars and one with the rest of the mix.

[Unavailable]

Ah, when you said "tracks," I thought you meant lead vs rhythm guitar. Then yes, I did just copy and paste the verses and such (to save time).
Yeah, I thought I could hear that.

Did you offset them at all? Because when you copy and paste tracks like that without offsetting them, they basically "cancel" themselves out and result in it sounding like one track in the center.

While I would never copy and paste tracks like this, if you must, at least offset them by 20ms.