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Ok so I'm all very new to this mixing deal. Basically at uni we have a new studio. We are required to spend at least 2 hours a week in this studio and get familiar. I have read lots on recording and mixing, and my classmates decided they wanted me to do the mix. I've tried just finicking with a few things and feel like I've gotten something decent... maybe.

I'm mainly struggling with the guitars.

We recorded 2 main rhythm parts with 2 mics, a 57 and a RODE NT1a ( either that or an NT3), as well as a lead part and a solo with the same mics. The main guitar you'll hear was recorded with a Hot Rod Deluxe. I can't get it to sound... full? Idk I'm not great with the words. I've done some eq and such but think it sounds really boxy.

Just want to add, the drums were done with 1 mic because we were on a time constraint, the RODE pointed at the snare drum a good half meter or so away from the kit. Bass was recorded directly to desk and then amp simmed. Vocals were just one condenser that I compressed.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/w47po3yrj86mwb9/AAA8uNiqaBCZsHax-r8hjP3na?dl=0

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DonnyThompson Mon, 03/20/2017 - 08:03

Well, here's the thing... and you mentioned that "I'm all very new to this mixing thing..."
It also sounds like you are all "very new" to recording as well.
I think you are now learning a valuable lesson, which is:
If you start with tracks that weren't recorded well to begin with, then mixing them can range from varying degrees of difficulty to outright impossible.

If you already knew that the guitars didn't sound good while you were recording them, what did you expect to happen during the mix?

The drums are buried. I don't understand the excuse of "time constraint"... it would have taken you about 5 more minutes to add a mic to the kick, one on the snare, and one as an overhead.
(And, even though you used only one mic for the whole kit, with the right placement of that mic, they could have sounded far better than what they sound like now in this mix).

I guess what I'm getting at is, what did you expect to have happen? Were you under the impression that you could just throw up some mics, hit the R button and record sonically sub-par tracks...and then magically just "fix it in the mix?"
The methods of your recording put you in the unfortunate position of going into the whole thing being pretty much already screwed.

Take more time, take more care in how you record the tracks to start with. Get tones you like before you record them.
If it helps, pretend that what you are doing is a one-shot, direct-to-disc session, without being able to mix anything afterwards.

FWIW, I don't mean any personal offense to you in any way. If my posts sounds harsh to you, then perhaps you aren't really wanting an honest critique; but when you post here on RO, that's what you are gonna get.
We could all sugar-coat it and say, "hey, not bad, pretty good, considering your scenario..."

But you're not going to learn anything that way.

FWIW.