EQ the highs (distorted gtr)!

[PaRaNoId]

Anyone else adding a high-shelf EQ boost when mixing chunky distorted guitars? I'm finding it is THE answer for letting the "loud guitars" sit in the mix just right, while soujnding alot more realistic and silky...Been using a +2.5 db starting at 5k or so... thumbsup

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by PaRaNoId

...Been using a +2.5 db starting at 5k or so... thumbsup

5K realistic and silky for distorted guitar?

I guess whatever works right?

[max cooper]

Just a hair at 3.5K and a little 700 for good measure.

Depends on what else is going on, of course.

[Ruudman]

Originally Posted by thethrillfactor

5K realistic and silky for distorted guitar?

LOL


ruudman

[7rojo7]

I'm usually taming the highs around there, even a steep LPF (like a gtr speaker, filterbank has some resonant filters that do great speaker emulations), it interferes with the cymbals.
Maybe you're hearing the rise under the shelf at 2kHz or so that makes you like this.
For me highs on distored gtrs sounds like fog or steam. I do like to get a little sizzle from a short room or plate program if the meter's not too fast, I HPF the reverb at 400Hz.

[faeflora]

My need to do that depends on the octave and the chords the player is playing in.

If it's downtuned um (I know crap about music theory) low to 3 string power chord, there really won't be much highs in there. If however, it's elsewhere on the neck, like on the bottom strings, there's more highs.

Most of the time, for that kind of music, it's good that there's no highs because you can fit in the vocal and cymbals really easily. If you listen to a lot of classic rock, you'll hear that the guitars aren't all fizzy and sparkly.

Of course this being the digital age with all sorts of modern "guitars" (haha whatever) and Linkin Park and other HEAVILY computer altered and producerfied sonds being acceptable and popular, I understand completely why you may be adding highs.

I do it too, on a chain with a sm7, V72s (TAB funkenwerk), and Distressor w/ 2-5db DIST3 compression. I'm thinking about getting a fatso to help ease the high frequency eq chore.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by faeflora

If however, it's elsewhere on the neck, like on the bottom strings, there's more highs.

Don't you mean the top strings?
The ones higher in pitch are the top strings, not the ones that are closer to the ceiling.

JR

[DirkB]

Originally Posted by PaRaNoId

Anyone else adding a high-shelf EQ boost when mixing chunky distorted guitars?

No, actually, that might even be "never".

I hate the hiss that you can get with dirt guitars recorded to digital and most of the times I lowpass them anywhere starting from 5-10k. I might add a touch of 1-3k to get them a little more meaty or edgy but never more than 1-2dB with a digital eq...

Greetings,
Dirk

[Bob Ross]

Originally Posted by 7rojo7

I do like to get a little sizzle from a short room or plate program if the meter's not too fast, I HPF the reverb at 400Hz.

"Meter"? Do you mean _tempo_, the speed of the music? Or are you referring to the meter ballistics on the digital reverb? (Not sure how the latter would affect the "sizzle", but I'm willing to be elucidated.)

[Series75]

Get a good blend of the guitar tracks and see witch ones are still a little buried. Instead of turning them up, boost 1k @ 2-3dB or maybe even less. It doesn't take much. It just seems like 5k would interfere with the clarity of the vocals. (??)

[Jay Kahrs]

I dunno, I find myself cutting lows and low mids more then I find myself adding extreme top. If the kick and bass are adding their weight I'll high pass starting around 75-100 cycles.

[twitme]

Originally Posted by PaRaNoId

Anyone else adding a high-shelf EQ boost when mixing chunky distorted guitars? I'm finding it is THE answer for letting the "loud guitars" sit in the mix just right, while soujnding alot more realistic and silky...Been using a +2.5 db starting at 5k or so... thumbsup

I've found that throwing an aural exciter onto guitar post can really help them cut through the mix. although if you overdo it you'll have some seriously aurally fatiguing guitars after a while, so use it sparingly. and listen to some brutal metal bands like Suffocation, Cephalic Carnage or Strapping Young Lad, and you'll hear that there's really not that much high end going on. use just enough high end boost or aural exciter to give the guitars some claws, but NO MORE than necessary in the mix, or you'll **** your tone completely; and your mix will sound like scratchy chalk-board sodomy.

hone in on your mids, get them sounding good first, then add just a bit of high end sparkle for some audible grip on the guitars.

[IntenseJim]

bump

[amishsixstringe]

I will often LPF dirt guitars between 5k and 10k and then SOMETIMES I'll put a second eq that has a nice airy high frequency thing (Neve) and shelf at about 10K and boost that up a few dBs. Keeps the air, looses the fizz.



Neil

[wheatus]

Distorted guitar can go in soooo many different places....

I always see it as that Magic Shell shit they make for ice cream....pour it in the cracks until it hardens....got space to fill? Pour in some dist guitar.

Variables:

Lead?

Rhythm?

Guitar pickups (single coil, Humbucker, active)?

Amp?

Distortion?......OD or Fuzzz...or both?

Mic?

DI?

Genre?

Also.....What are the snare, HH, Vox and Cymbals doing?