Recording Guitar Where to Pan? Help a newbie foundation.

[tkdk83]

HOW TO?

I am tracking an electric guitar. How would I go about recording/panning this?

1st guitar - Main Riff
2nd guitar - Back up riff with some parts played differently
3rd guitar - bunch of riffs with effects on top of everything else

Thoughts -

Record rhythm guitar TWICE and pan it left and right then track 2nd guitar and 3rd? Where would I pan these?

OR

track rhythm guitar pan it left , track 2nd guitar - (back up riffs) and pan it right, where would i pan the 3rd guitar (effects)?

Where do you pan a guitar playing by it self at the beginning of a song? Do you also double track it and pan left/right?

Thanks...driving me nuts.

[MikeFFG]

Originally Posted by tkdk83

HOW TO?

I am tracking an electric guitar. How would I go about recording/panning this?

1st guitar - Main Riff
2nd guitar - Back up riff with some parts played differently
3rd guitar - bunch of riffs with effects on top of everything else

Thoughts -

Record rhythm guitar TWICE and pan it left and right then track 2nd guitar and 3rd? Where would I pan these?

OR

track rhythm guitar pan it left , track 2nd guitar - (back up riffs) and pan it right, where would i pan the 3rd guitar (effects)?

Where do you pan a guitar playing by it self at the beginning of a song? Do you also double track it and pan left/right?

Thanks...driving me nuts.

With 3 guitar parts i probably wouldn't double track any except possibly the main riff, but if the 2nd one is similar that might be enough...depends on the rest of the mix really though. Are there other instruments/vocals going along with it?

A guitar playing by itself could go anyway...double track left and right...single trick up the middle...single track just to the left can be a cool effect. There's no 'rules' for these things.

[Scottn]

Yeah, just experiment with different combinations. In a cover I'm mixing, there are two guitars. I record the rhythm and lead parts twice and pan each to their sides.

[tkdk83]

Yes there will also be bass, drums, vocals and some synths.


But I know what you guys are saying, I am just over thinking it. Have to experiment.

Thank you for clearing up my conscience!

T

[Dave Tidmarsh]

Hi there,

I usually double track rhythm parts and pan one hard left and one hard right. More often than not, I'll mic cabs up with more than one mic and pan them at different positions within the stereo field. Say for example with guitar left: i5 panned hard left, 414 panned at 9 o'clock and maybe room mic at 11 o'clock. Vice Versa for guitar right...

Lead parts I'll always leave in the centre unless the artist asks otherwise. Room mics / verbs I'll either leave again in the centre or pan left & right say if I have used a stereo ambient mic set up.

Hope that's helped! thumbsup

[tkdk83]

Thank you.

That has def. helped once again. I am realize that there are no set rules for this and i am just trying to get a general guideline.

I am actually doing what you've described.

What is your mic set up?

also I am recording a third guitar part that is slightly different in some parts but almost similar to rhythm... how would you record this?

[Aaron Miller]

Give a careful listen to some song you really like and respect. Listen to how the guitars fit into the sound field and where they are panned relative to other instruments. Note how that achieves the overall feel of the song.

Anyway, sometimes you'll pick up on nuances that can really add to the overall feel of a song then try similar tactics on your own tunes. Experimentation is key!

[Omega Arts]

I'm stunned!

[Aaron Miller]

Care to share why?