Guitar Sound Critique

Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 12:45 pm

Hey Guys,

I am getting ready to record my bands second album. I have been experimenting with some guitar sounds before we hit the studio. I want to get some opinions on what I have been playing with.

I'm looking for two main guitar sounds, one really heavy hard rock sound like breaking benjamin or disturbed, and another lighter more modern rock sound.

Below are two guitar scratch tracks I did using my podXT, i guess I am being lazy not micing my amp, but I just love the flexibility my XT gives me to change the sound and swap things around. Plus it makes it easier to fix something later or add it or whatever.

Motionless
This is for a lighter modern rock distortion
JCM800 to the Left
JCM800 to the Right
Triple Rectifier to the Left
Triple Rectifier to the Right

World Away
This is for a much heavier distortion
Triple Rectifier to the Left
Triple Rectifier to the Right
Bogner to the Left
Bogner to the Right

Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 1:11 pm

What amp are you using/too lazy to mic?

The distortion sounds 'ok' on both clips, but it's also a bit lifeless and dull to my ears. Of course, put it in a mix with a bunch of other stuff that is compressed to hades and back and it'll probably sit just fine.

Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 1:14 pm

Well I use an Epiphone blues custom. I got tired of lugging my jcm2000 around to shows. I mean that is my only complaint about the emulators is they still dont quite push it like an amp, ive never been to good at micing distorted amps. I guess i should probably play around with micing too.

Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 1:16 pm

I agree. You should experiment a bit with the 'real thing'. It may be worth your while. None the less, what you have via that POD of yours isn't horrible by any means. It's just that in order to compare it to the real deal, you need to do just that...compare.

Good luck.

Posted: Mon Aug 25, 2008 6:00 pm

I'm going to respectfully disagree with the others -- unless you've got some nice recording gear, a nice room, and a fair amount of experience, these sounds are probably much more mix-worthy than what you'd be able to capture using an authentic source.

The distortion in the first clip, I thought, was quite tasteful.

Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:43 am

Thanks,

I think I am going to stick with the distortion in the first clip for the lighter stuff. I still wanted something heavier and thicker for the heavy stuff. So I played with a new sound which I am actually in love with, oddly enough it was a Peavey® '02 5150 II lol. Only double tracked it panning left and right. I also detuned my guitar a half step and that made it even heavier.

World Away 2

Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:39 am

That's a pretty huge sound.

Actually, it sounds tall, but thin.

Needs some more phat Smile

Posted: Tue Aug 26, 2008 9:01 am

yeah I'm pretty sure that huge phatness is going to come from the bass Smile

, I'm still in the playing around phase but I def think that second sound is what I am going for.

Posted: Fri Aug 29, 2008 1:34 am

the one I like more is World away 1

Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:14 am

hey. in my opinion, i like the second take with the 5150. sounds good. a little clearer imo. however, it might sound a lil thin?
i noticed you said you were doubling the parts and panning them?
that's a good idea, but are you actually doing a double take or just copying and pasting to a new track?
if you take the time to rerecord the same part and then pan the two (or four) different takes opposite of eachother (ex. four different takes- 75R/75L 100R/100L), it will sound much fuller than just copying and pasting.

now, i'm not accussing you of that, i just took a quick listen, and was pretty sure i only heard one guitar take. but then again, you might just play that tight.
anyways, i like it! good job!

Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 1:18 pm

Thanks, actually those are two/four complete seperate takes. If you listen with headphones you can hear some of the separation in certain areas.

my main beef with these tones im getting no matter what, is they sound a bit boxy and cardboardy, especially when compared to some cds I imported to check out the stuff against.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:30 am

SuprSpy79 wrote:

my main beef with these tones im getting no matter what, is they sound a bit boxy and cardboardy, especially when compared to some cds I imported to check out the stuff against.

That's kind of comparing apples to oranges... The CD tracks are also compressed a few times, mixed and mastered, etc...

Try mixing, and mastering a few times and see what you end up with. Its good experience anyway.

Posted: Wed Sep 10, 2008 6:32 am

Great sound on that first one. I personally like a bit more distortion, but since you're going for a more rock sound, it's good.

And I agree, needs more fatness.

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