I've been loving these "__ Things to avoid when..." videos, always so useful, helpful and easy to understand. Might go on a little binge of all of them next. Keep em coming! Thanks, Glenn!
One thing ive liked doing is using the drum set as the "anchor" of the mix. A lot of guitar players write the guitar riffs first so that ends up being the anchor, and usually you can tell in the final product. Even if you write the riffs first. Start with fleshing out the drums then work your way outwards, this will help the track have a less guitar-centric feel to it. And as much as we guitar players would hate to admit it, the true core of rock music is the drums.
I literally rite all my songs,drums first,a good rhythmic drum track can inspire great riffs that don't sound so much like everything else,it's backwards but it works for me because I was a drummer first,but your comment is dead on.
"Highpass EVERYTHING" was like the second thing I was told about when I first tackeld mixing (only a couple years into it) and it literally blew my mind how much this helped. Opens up more than some frequency space and kind of cleans up a performance (kick drum flams, bass rumble) and I feel like I progressed light years once I started doing this. As for the headphone/monitor section I personally like to adjust individual EQ's and find tones on drums and DI guitars/Amp sims before switching to monitors to mix it all together, works for me at least. Just one of many processes someone could take! All in all, your videos and community have certainly helped keep me motivated Glen and has made the learning curve fun also gave me confidence to track my first band last week and can't help but laugh harder at all the "no one practices" or "learn their own songs" comments you make as I got my first taste of that haha. Thanks for everything!
Glenn - these are seriously awesome tips. And I love how with most of them, you admitted "I am STILL doing this!" rather than a "You're a bunch of idiots if you do this!" - it shows that even professionals with decades of experience are still learning and improving. Kudos sir!
Speaking of the line 6 POD. It's amazing how much the tone really does come from the speaker. For funzies, I dusted off my old POD and turned off the cab and replaced it with an IR in reaper. You can actually get great tone out of a POD..... if you take out the biggest part of the tone and replace it with something good.
I did the same thing with my old BOSS ME-80 before I learned the magic of speakers. It sounded good as an effects processor through my amp but direct recording into the computer sounded very "screechy." I ran some IRs through the tracks and I was blown away by how good it sounded. It's awesome how modern technology and methods can make old gear shine.
I had a guy come over and jam once who was using an old Boss multi effects unit and we basically plugged into my Apollos and ran out of my monitors while we jammed. I had my bass tone setup and it was sounding great but he was running a preamp with his effects with no impulse response. I asked him if that was how it always sounded and he was like I can’t figure out how to make this sound good. I threw on a UAD amp sim, bypassed the preamp and just ran the power amp with an amp sim and he was blown away with how good it sounded after that lol. I explained he just needed an impulse response to filter his tone but I have a feeling it all went over his head lol.
I’ve run through a LOT of amp sims, but I always find myself going back to my old POX X3 Pro with Line 6 Big Bottom for low tunings and the Mesa Mk IV sim for more standard rhythm tones. Been pairing both with Zach Householder’s Marshall 1960b IRs and the POD sounds monstrous.
That's been my bedroom setup actually. A Line 6 Pod into a good quality speaker and it has the great tone of a typical setup with the convenience of the Pod.
10:22 is exactly what I needed to know. Getting all those frequencies for each instrument, listed by one guy I trust! Dude I can’t thank you enough. Most of this has been learn by doing. However, hard fast rules like this help so much.
Not super over the top, shows the genuine desire to help people, all with the signature charm of Glenn Fricker himself. This is probably the best executed video you've ever made, and you have quite a few gems. Well done sir
Wow… easily the most helpful home recording video I’ve ever seen. I’ve been working on an album’s worth of mixes on and off since November of 2021 and I’m never happy with them. My goal is to try out a few of these techniques and submit a track to a Monday Mix Review to get some feedback. Thank you, Glen!!!
This is one of the best videos you've ever made dude. So much stellar information and the practical examples included make this a video I'll definitely be referring to for some time. Here's a video request. Do the same thing for recording/mixing vocals. Take us through the vocal process from start to finish. Recording/layering/editing/mixing. Cheers from Birmingham, the home of METAL🤘
Just discovered this channel. Love the content and delivery, no fluff, lots of killer advice and experience that many people charge for. Keep up the good work my man from the UK.
Great advice Glenn! When I began to carve out frequencies for each instrument, my mixes improved. We hope Julie is recovering and you are both doing well. May the force be with you! Live long and prosper!
I'm always happy to see that despite all the bass player jokes, Glenn recognizes the absolute NEED for a great sounding mix, the bass has to be AUDIBLE. Absolutely fabulous video, Glenn! Keep up the good work!
Glenn, great stuff as always. I learned about double & quad tracking waaay back in the day, reading old Guitar World & other Guitar magazines from the 90s. All the interviews and articles, Artists would talk about stacking guitar tracks. From Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins to Alice & Chain's etcetera. It is definitely part of the "Secret Sauce". I'm using the Townhouse Buss compressor from Plug-in Alliance on certain Buss groups. It and a few others live on my Master Buss. Working with a touch of top down mixing. I also have distraction issues. I'll get up early, before the Wife is up on some weekend mornings & will sit in the Studio & have my cup of coffee while watching your & a few other channels before I get going. Get some of that out of the way lol. I really started using & learning how to implement HP & LP filters a fee years ago and man oh man! It really really does bring clarity to the mix. Especially whith proper panning, getting things to "Sit" in the mix. Also blending Amp sims with some live amp/mic'ng. So much to mearn & implement. And yup! I have room treatment & some Adam Audio TV7's and I'm always double checking my mix in My Wife & My Car. #ForeverAStudent. Thank you for all your hard work & information! I always pick up something new from your vids! 🤘🎶🎶
Thanks for mentioning the automation on the rhythm guitars. It's an extremely useful tool that helps other instruments shine when its their turn and I feel like it's an overlooked technique in the amateur world.
I own the VSX and one thing I will say about them is that if you're stuck in a terrible acoustic environment (which is me), they seems to produce far better results than monitors. I have a much easier time mixing on VSX than on my Kali LP 6s in a terrible room. That being said, I have no doubt if I improved the space, mixing on the LP 6s would be at least as good or better.
Yup, when everything on my LP6 sounds perfectly level, i know my drums and bass are WAY too loud. I have a suspended floor that sucks the low end out of the room. They have to be a little buried, i spent way too much time learning my room disadvantages instead of making it easy and spending some money, lol.
Yeah, thats exactly one thing that i feel is allways missing when making this point. Yes, monitors are better, but how many people who are trying to record in bedroom can actually make their space properly treated? Not only is it expensive but i allso might be phisically impossible, in which case using headphones is going to probably produce better results for lower price. Also another thing that i have learned that seems very important that doesn't get enough attention, you really need to be familiar with your monitoring device, especially headphones since if you really know what sounds good on them, you can produce decent results as you know what to look for in your mix.
The IK Multimedia iLoud monitors are a great choice for small shitty sounding rooms, the ones with the mic to calibrate the monitors. They're near field so they keep the sound tight at close range ✌️❤️
The first 3:30 minutes of this video just changed everything. Thanks man, this is worth alot and explains what I did wrong so far. Ah yes, my phone mic as well as the speaker are done for too 😝
To whom it may concern (essaying incoming...): About double/quad tracking, the widening effect caused by the perceived difference in timing between the left and right panned guitars makes them sound bigger, and this is the sound and to get that sound you full pan the two takes left and right. However in terms of mixing decisions this is actually a pretty big move. By ultra widening a major part of the mix, in this case rhythm guitar, they sound bigger in terms of sound stage but will often lose a sense of immediacy and punch due to losing the mid channel information and pushing them to the side channel. Nerdy technical shit like phase correlation aside (which usually only starts to really matter when in the mastering stage, pro tip let someone else like a mastering engineer master your mix) I usually find that adding that center channel information back in gives the most full bodied and massive feeling result. Do this by either the aforementioned Master of Puppets thing where you add a third take and center pan it or better yet imo quad tracking and pan two of the takes somewhere between 80-20% left and right( i almost always reamp these center takes with a different amp sim to further fill out the spectrum) After that lower the volume relative to the wide guitars, EQ the two sets of guitars following the guideline that the side gets a high end sparkle emphasis and the mid gets a mid frequency emphasis (to taste and in context but usually starting above the fundamental frequency of the snare), and imho the crucial part omitted in this section of the vid, MIX it with the other most prominent features in the mid channel, usually Kick, Snare, Bass guitar and Vocals by sidechaining a filter or EQ band to duck resonant frequencies of the kick and snare transient peaks (where they get their punch from, say 61hz for the kick and 200hz for the snare for example), high passing the area where the bass guitar lives and sidechaining a compressor to ride the guitars to the vocals like half a db of reduction in the loudest parts of the vocal. Remember: All this usually only needs to be done to this degree for the center panned guitars as to give priority to drums, bass and vocals that live most prominently in the middle. Variety tip: bus your center guitars together and process that to save time and compute. That'll be $20,000 in tuitions per person please D: I'm sure that'll help someone... no but seriously TLDR: 1. Quad track, it's just better. 2. Balance side and mid channel information across the 4 takes and ninja process with other prominent elements in mid/side channels of the mix. 3. ???? 4. Profit ps. If you only have two takes you can copy them and slightly change the timing of the copy (like dragging it slightly early or late relative to the other take) to avoid the accidentally mono effect and make it sound wide. pps. great vid bro, actually a really straightforward introduction to the basics of mixing guitar music and some good life advice there at the end for budding mixing engineers.
Hey Glenn, I’ve been struggling with this for years. A very very BIG THANK YOU VERY MUCH for this elaborate video. This is going to make my mixing so much easier AND better!! 🤘🏻
One thing that reaaaaaally improves stereo sound and brings life to guitar tracks is adding an EQ on your tracks (In case you're using DI tracks, EQ the DI signal) and random but subtlely cut or boost frequencies, this would add way more differences between the tracks and maaan, sounds amazing. Don't abuse with this technique, of course, and don't try to compensate the frequencies you're cutting or boosting in other track.
3:28 You tell them Glenn. People manage to piss me of with cellphones on a daily basis. People take them on holiday with them deciding to film an epic journey and when they get home and sit down at the computer to edit the forage they realise that they filmed the entire blockbuster in portray mode.
These are the killer videos that made me sign up and follow you Glenn! Great stuff! Will also be adding some of these plugins to my near future purchase. Thanks man!
Amen, Amen, and Amen again to the hi-pass everything. If there's one single thing that helped me to get rid of the mud and what I describe as the "veil over the speakers" effect, it is using hi-pass (and if necessary, even low pass) to get rid of unnecessary gack. Yes, not a question of "do I or don't I?" but a question of "how much can I get away with?" Re: double, triple, quad-tracking guitars..... I basically never do more than 4. I find that, after that, too many multiple layers of the same thing actually start to sound smaller. My go-to is double-tracking. With too many layers, you start to lose the "air between the parts" and it's like they all start suffocating each other.
I record live bands on the side. Whenever there is only one guitar player.... Well here s my workaround to make it sounds at least decent. Double the track - hard pan left n right. Then take one track for instance left and add a little bit of reverb. Like 5% or less. Depending on sound, tone and style I might add supper small amounts of chorus or delay. The trick is to use as little as possible just to create a little difference in in the soundwave. A very minimal stereoizer (yes thats a thing) to that hard panned track also helps. It keeps it mono but Bounces the volume a little up and down giving it a bit more 'real' feel... Hope this helps😊
The comparisons between the mixes on the headphones vs the Adam’s was awesome for me to hear. I’ve been struggling through my mixes these days and although I’ve improved since I first started mixing, I’ve often wondered why my mixes sound so thin and harsh in the high end, and muddied and weak in the low end. That comparison made me realize I’m the dumbass still mixing on headphones. I’d love to hear what I can do on some monitors in a treated space. Thanks for what you do Glenn!
I learned from a great mixer to turn off the monitors to finish the mix, just like you showed in the car, it's really important to change perspective and check how the mix sounds on consumer devices. Now I always check the mix on my phone, my laptop, my car and a cheap bluetooth headphone. A great mix will sound good across all devices, with some limitations for sure, but a great mix sounds great on anything.
Having just thought about it I'd love to see a video where you give us a breakdown of "Things to know when you don't know shit about digital cameras, but you want to learn on a budget." I know in a past video you recommended a camera that can be found on the used market for a decent price. But it would be cool to have some questions to ask ourselves to narrow what features we want/need for our desired result. like assuming I only know how to point and shoot but want to practically know more about shooting video or better photography. What can I do to prepare myself to be a discriminating consumer entering that new marketplace?
When I double track I use a different amp sims on the left channel then I did on the right channel.. I also reduce one side's volume slightly.. very slightly.. This gives a nice wide sound.. at least it works for me..keep doing what you're doing Glenn
I actually bought the SSL Bus Compressor 2 when it was on sale a while ago, $14.99 I think. Regular price $329. 😳. Hadn’t used it because I had been using the Focusrite FAST Compressor on my mixes, but that plug-in seems to introduce artifacts like static & pops. So I put the SSL on a mix instead with the settings you list in this vid, & damn! That sounds killer. Way better cohesion & overall response for the mix. Thanks Glenn! 🤘🏻
Hey Glenn, even with the examples you gave us about multitracking, i'd argue that the bigger/wider sounding one was the hardpanned 2 guitars one. 3 and 4 tracked feels a bit more claustrophobic (which can be heavier depending on the context), but the less sonic space in the middle makes it sound smaller imho. What do you think?
Hey, I have a q on the 2 guitars. I always think of the Joe Perry - Brad whiteford style of rhythm guitars where the 2 guitars are playing diff parts panned slightly (30-40%) on either side. I am currently only tracking 1 of each rhythm part. Shud I track 2 of each? Also if I am tracking only 1 each, shud this be hard panned (100%)?
Headphones for mixing is always second to Monitors, but some people cannot afford decent Monitors and have to rely on Headphones. The thing is you can work with those, but it is necessary to get an idea of the spectrum they deliver. For example my "Gaming-Headset" delivers a lot of low end, another pair is very treble oriented and I have some Sonys that seem to sit somewhere in between and are my go to device. It also helps to double check the recordings on cellphone, hifi-stereo system or in a car. It is way more difficult that way and takes more time, but it can get you there if monitors are not at hand.
On the bass subject, can't sleep on side-chained compression. Create an audio track, route your full drum bus to it and output it to "sends only", then place a low-pass filter, only allowing anything below 80-150hz or so, then side-chain that into a compressor on the bass track to duck the lows on the bass when the kick drum and toms are are sounding out. I like Native Instruments' SuperCharger. It's free, it includes tube emulation, and makes bass guitar really sing in the mix. And I use a lot of bass guitar in my mixes.
You CAN use copy-paste of a single guitar track providing you offset the copy by a fraction of time, use a different panning offset from the center and EQ it differently. You may even 'tune' it a bit sharp or flat. It's a technique used by ABBA in the 1970s on guitar tracks and those records sound like they're recorded in the 1980s or later - they had the wall of sound without appying 80 effects on a snare like Spector. Of course, it helped they built what at the time was the most technologically advanced recording facility in the world (Polar Studios). Anyway, I'm not saying that you SHOULD do copy and paste and further tweaking, but it's the option ... and it worked rather well for ABBA. Mandatory dig: some bands still came out from that Studio sounding like a demo of a tribute band (Led Zeppelin).
great vid again. I love the idea of that plugin that doesnt define what the chain is made of. On the other hand, most guitarists have no clue how their amp/cab would sound like if it was recorded in a studio, hence the connection between reality and recording falls apart. I still use the Line6 VST plugins just because of that. The tone is good but not great as there is too much going on in the lower and higher regions imho and Hi or Lo cuts don't seem to solve that. That said, I will never constrain myself to "this amp" or "that cab" but it just helps deciding how you make your ensemble faster. I once used a vox AC30 amp preset for a centre recording because it had the right colouring for that project. Or a Bassman for wide grainy overdrive instead of the obvious Engl whatever. I'm kind of afraid I'd be jumping from sound to sound on this plugin and also forget how each preset sound like. I'm trying to say that I would be working faster with a recognisable description instead of having "IR01" as a description, given that you shouldn't restrict yourself to the sounds you're used to. But I back up the idea that it avoids obvious choices. Question about the headphone vs monitors. I fully support your idea about using monitors instead of headphones. But what do you do when you're situation doesn't support using monitors that much? I'm living in a loft kind of environment where I can't "form" my acoustic coccoon that well. I have a few decent headphones lying around and tend to alternate between them so I get a mix that sounds good on all of them. I kept away from buying monitors, also because family members walk around in that area too. Do you think it's still worth buying monitors and plan a dedicated time slot when you're alone at home for instance? I always learned that you can only use monitors in an acoustically decent environment.
Stop thinking like a guitar player, and start thinking like an engineer! Don't worry about not thinking like a Bass player though, as they don't actually think.
I’m generally completely against plugin subscriptions but the ssl native bundle is totally worth it for $15/month. I own probably about half of them outright and I still think it’s worth it for the blitzer and the fusion stuff and they’re always adding more to it. Anyone who’s on the fence should demo it and run them hard for a month. They’re really good tools. As far as for mastering.... get Newfangled Elevate. Then you can master yourself , it's really not hard, turn it up and make it sound good.
GLENN!!!! As far as distractions go, have you considered putting time limits on your tasks? Set an amount of time to work, disconnect your distractions from the network (PC, Phone, etc.). When the alarm goes off, stop and do something else for a set amount of time (the time limit is extremely important!). When your break time is up, go back to your priority task. If you're getting distracted, it means you've exhausted your focus and need a recharge. People with ADHD have to do this religiously. Your brain can only focus on one thing for an hour or two (more like 20 minutes for those with ADHD). Splitting up the work to recharge your brain can help. As always, FUCK YOU GLENN!!! Your channel fucking rocks!
This video is a gold mine!!! Thank you Glenn for making these videos. I've been following you since "The fans deserve better" video and it' crazy how much I've learnt from you. Thank you so so much
I've been watching and learning from you for years now, thanks for doing what you do. My 16 year old son is getting into recording metal, so I'm actually here to link him to this video and share my love of recording metal music with him. So another thank you goes out to you for making my job as a metal dad a little easier.
I really like how when you were talking about the high pass filter you referred to the space as "audio real estate." It really helped me to see how each frequency wants space and if they start overlapping it causes trouble. Good anaolgy Glenn!
Glenn. I had the same delay in Reaper. Only way I found to reduce/get rid of it was to change the media buffer size in Anticipative FX processing setting.
Question regarding checking your mixes in a car. What if the car has a subwoofer? I imagine it’s a good idea to check to see how it sounds with the sub at the very least (like how the Slate vsx headphone app lets you check with various speakers ). However, for a final test should I just dial the sub mix down or turn it completely off? Thanks!
High passing is like magic. I just make some electronic music as a hobby. Playing around with subbass, I would highpass the bass and kick tracks a bit higher which opens a lot of needed space for the subbass. Suddenly the bass is clear, kick is punchy, while the subbass is powerful but doesn't get muddy.
While I generally agree with the distractions thing, I've found out that when I put on my mix in the background while doing something else, that's when most stuff that's not quite right becomes apparent, even when it was sounding fine when I was actively listening while mixing. So I tend to do all the editing and precise stuff with laser focus but for balance and more general things laying down and scrolling through tik tok works better, for me at least
What I like about this, is most of these tactics apply not only to recording metal, but electronic production as well. The automation tip to drop gain and allow space for other parts is crucial (well for those of us that actually compose music instead of just playing riff salad). My songs sound so much more dynamic now, AND I don’t get wild fluctuations in volume!
Interesting. I do the exact same thing with the triple tracking - a 3rd track down the middle 6dB lower than the other two. Had no idea they did that on MoP, I thought that was quad tracked. The mid track doesn't really beef up the sound THAT much - it just kind of gives the guitar more substance and helps it sit in the mix better. Without it, sometimes the other two tracks sort of disappear somewhere back in the periphery a little bit.
Very informative, constructive and positive. One of your best videos to date Glen, you really nailed this one. I'm currrently recording my first album, and there's loads of great tips here.
These are some great tips, especially the part about taking breaks and considering your mental condition. I work full time and write music as a hobby. I often find myself 'cramming' working on music on my days off, often spending 12+ hours at a time working on things with little to no breaks. It isn't healthy and it doesn't help the music. I also loved the tip about listening in different environments and from a different perspective. I've had some of my biggest breakthroughs in writing when I listen back to works in progress during breaks at work or while in bed before sleep. The only problem is when an idea comes to you and you and you can't immediately write it down. There are more voice memos of me making all sorts of crazy noises on my phone than I care to admit. I do have a question if you end up reading this. I am in a sub-optimal mixing environment. It isn't BAD (carpeted, non-square room), but there is no proper acoustic treatment whatsoever and the folks I am living with probably wouldn't appreciate listening to the same 3-4 minutes of music for hours on end. Therefore, my headphones (DT 770 Pro 250ohm) are a better fit in my situation than my monitors (JBL MkII 5). Taking this into consideration, would you still recommend using monitors as a primary mixing reference, or to proceed with headphones as the primary w/ monitors to double check when I won't disturb others?
Actually this is good advice in regards to giving the audio special separation. I haven’t done this with music, but i was making a audio bed for my radio station and i had the girl that was doing the voice over work, do multiple takes. And what i did was separate the two, then pan one slightly left and one more right, it broke it up and gave it that full sound like you here on pro radio.. If that makes any sense.
You can record 1 guitar, make a copy, pan one left and one right, run 1 through a Marshall and the other through a Mesa Boogie, and that will give you artificial stereo. Or use the same amp on both sides and run 1 track through a chorus. Or any variation.
Thank you so much for putting this video out when you did! My bandmate is coming to track guitars this weekend and this video is already saving us headache!! Cheers from Texas!
With regards to the first tip, it might be prudent to dial the distortion back a bit with every stereo pair that has to be layered. Especially if going beyond 2 pairs
I know there are thousands of posts on these things but this episode could potentially save someone years of trial and error. It is detailed and yet concise. The principles themselves are about music production and useful even beyond the scope of metal but for guitar and recording in general. I am definitely rewatching and taking notes.
I literally used a high pass filter on my guitars the other day and thought “this can’t be right, this is cheating, there’s no way this is what I’m supposed to be doing” but it sounded so good so I kept it. Glad to have someone confirm that I was doing the right thing.
This is pure gold. If I were a home recording amateur, and not only that, I would save them all these videos and watch them again and again and again. Thanks, dude! We must support this man with our money, not just our thoughts and blessings and prayers (lol), 'couse what is he doing is f-ing great for the metal tribe.
I've always used my Adam T5Vs for mixing and producing, especially because I'm a Drum and Bass produer so a lot of what I make lies within the Mids and Sub region. In terms of mixing I am currently using the Beyerdynamic DT990 pros, but I'm thinking of upgrading to something like the Ollo S4X, which are Planarmagnetic.
Hello Glenn, awesome video as always. Quick question about the SSL Compressor. I use both SSL Native bus compressor and Izotope Ozone 9 Elements. In which order I should put them? Does the compressor goes first then ozone or vice versa? Thanks Glenn
One of the best episodes in a long time, a perfect balance of detail and getting to the point. Really enjoyed this one, even though I knew all these points before, mostly from watching your videos for years!
Agree with the bass. One of the best guitar tones I've heard in an album was Total Brutal the 1st Austrian Death Machine album and that bass tone really made the sound of the album
Honestly glenn thank God for your videos, I got accepted into 2 audio produ tonight schools OIART being one but never ended up going due to cost. That being said, as a guitar player, I had no concept of how to build a track and you've helped alot with that
Was doing the car thing a lot, but since I have Amphion monitors (and also tbh a better acoustic in the studio), I can get rid of the car step ... Also for the mastering, I tend to use stems mastering which helps a lot to correct a bit things as a last step. Just my 2 cents :)
Glen you are a fountain of knowledge, and I am dehydrated. I'm backwards and have done the 3-track thing but the 2 panned left/right were at lower gain than the center guitar track. What you said makes sense imma do that next time. Mush love.
So look, I have no idea about mixing, mastering, recording and have pretty much only been playing guitar for a couple years. I am in the learning phase. However, that being said, this video still was awesome, even though my brain is overloaded with jargon that I hope will settle in over time. Sub'd because heck, love your enthusiasm, energy and sarcasm. Well done!!
Hey Glen, I agree. Time can be waisted quick with a quick phone check. While i'm waiting for something to export that only takes 60 seconds, I check my phone then get sucked in to random crap. Or it makes me think about something else and i loose focus by leaving the room. Like you said, 1-6 hours waisted on sidetrack BS. Brakes are one thing but de-railing is another. I'm trying to not check my phone unless its a text. And even then, I gotta put it back down and get back in the ring!!! Time is the most valuable asset and gotta make great use of it or we loose it.
16:25 reminds me of the classic Mechassault OST. For the Grasslands theme, the guitars seem to be a little weak in the low end at first, but when the bass comes in, it all fits perfectly.
This is one of my favorite videos from you Glenn. I learned so much and next time I record a track I'll make sure I'm not making any of these mistakes. The highpass and compressor thing was an eye opener. Hoping I can make better mixes now
One thing I like to do when I get into a mixing session that's going to last a few hours: I start out listening at a relatively low volume level and I increase it a little bit every hour or so. At the end I'll be listening at a considerably higher volume. Your hearing changes over time and your ears just get tired so I found it's not a good thing starting out super loud. Of course I'm listening over studio monitors not headphones. Cheers!
I don't even record but holy some treasures here! I actually usually just use plugins to play with headphones in my house, and sometimes record single tracks if I nail something cool.
Hey Glenn, when you mix the 4 guitars and send to a bus, do you follow it up with altering the pan even more, or do you keep the bus in center? Follow up: Would your leads, rhythm, and bass all fall into the 100% and 80% pans, while drums stay center? Or is that only for the lead, while you shift the others to the 60%, 40% and 20% mark? Thanks!
Seems I read somewhere that Pantera ran output cables from the studio into a car stereo, and would go listen to their mix in a car. Most people listen to music in a car, so that made sense to me.
I find ducking some of the highs/string noise/clacking that occurs when playing bass actually makes palm muted sections on guitar sound a lot punchier/tighter and more on rhythm. Dream theater did this a lot, albeit on some records the bass did sound inaudible while others sounded really nice, so it’s a fine line.
Here is something important that I've learned by listening to isolated tracks..... what sounds great when playing for fun or to a song usually sounds like shit when put in a mix.....what sounds like shit alone usually works awesome in a mix.... Took me a long ass time to figure this one out....Probably why a lot of us guitar players suck at recording/mixing because we dial in tone that we love but don't consider how it sounds in the mix
Not using phones for audio production is advice we will be hearing a lot more often than before, when NS-10 and/or another pair of studio monitors was the norm even in small studios :) I hated those cans, but they translated ok and weren't expensive even for small studios.
Thx for the video, I think steinberg people already got enough compressors. As for the amp sim, last time you recommended another one if I'm not mistaken.
Glenn! Im going to be building a 12’ x20’ studio out of my garage and i intend to do full band tracking and my own mixing and everything. I would love a video on what stuff you do/dont need for a “bare bone” setup. Especially where i know im gonna run out of space.
Thanks man, first full video I've watched even tho you pop up on my RUclips feed regularly.... I don't need the info at the moment as I'm tech-phobic😉 but maybe one day I'll get over it. I'll continue to watch whatever RUclips decides I need to learn from you, when I can👍
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I've been loving these "__ Things to avoid when..." videos, always so useful, helpful and easy to understand. Might go on a little binge of all of them next. Keep em coming! Thanks, Glenn!
What’s giving YOU trouble?
Really useful!! These videos are really really useful
One thing ive liked doing is using the drum set as the "anchor" of the mix. A lot of guitar players write the guitar riffs first so that ends up being the anchor, and usually you can tell in the final product. Even if you write the riffs first. Start with fleshing out the drums then work your way outwards, this will help the track have a less guitar-centric feel to it. And as much as we guitar players would hate to admit it, the true core of rock music is the drums.
I literally rite all my songs,drums first,a good rhythmic drum track can inspire great riffs that don't sound so much like everything else,it's backwards but it works for me because I was a drummer first,but your comment is dead on.
I record a guitar scratch first, then drums, then record the guitar part. Makes a hell of a diff.
Great video! Hope all is well!
"Highpass EVERYTHING" was like the second thing I was told about when I first tackeld mixing (only a couple years into it) and it literally blew my mind how much this helped. Opens up more than some frequency space and kind of cleans up a performance (kick drum flams, bass rumble) and I feel like I progressed light years once I started doing this. As for the headphone/monitor section I personally like to adjust individual EQ's and find tones on drums and DI guitars/Amp sims before switching to monitors to mix it all together, works for me at least. Just one of many processes someone could take!
All in all, your videos and community have certainly helped keep me motivated Glen and has made the learning curve fun also gave me confidence to track my first band last week and can't help but laugh harder at all the "no one practices" or "learn their own songs" comments you make as I got my first taste of that haha.
Thanks for everything!
Glenn - these are seriously awesome tips. And I love how with most of them, you admitted "I am STILL doing this!" rather than a "You're a bunch of idiots if you do this!" - it shows that even professionals with decades of experience are still learning and improving. Kudos sir!
Speaking of the line 6 POD. It's amazing how much the tone really does come from the speaker. For funzies, I dusted off my old POD and turned off the cab and replaced it with an IR in reaper. You can actually get great tone out of a POD..... if you take out the biggest part of the tone and replace it with something good.
I did the same thing with my old BOSS ME-80 before I learned the magic of speakers. It sounded good as an effects processor through my amp but direct recording into the computer sounded very "screechy." I ran some IRs through the tracks and I was blown away by how good it sounded. It's awesome how modern technology and methods can make old gear shine.
Yes, tried the same with my old behringer Vamp 2.
I had a guy come over and jam once who was using an old Boss multi effects unit and we basically plugged into my Apollos and ran out of my monitors while we jammed. I had my bass tone setup and it was sounding great but he was running a preamp with his effects with no impulse response. I asked him if that was how it always sounded and he was like I can’t figure out how to make this sound good. I threw on a UAD amp sim, bypassed the preamp and just ran the power amp with an amp sim and he was blown away with how good it sounded after that lol. I explained he just needed an impulse response to filter his tone but I have a feeling it all went over his head lol.
I’ve run through a LOT of amp sims, but I always find myself going back to my old POX X3 Pro with Line 6 Big Bottom for low tunings and the Mesa Mk IV sim for more standard rhythm tones. Been pairing both with Zach Householder’s Marshall 1960b IRs and the POD sounds monstrous.
That's been my bedroom setup actually. A Line 6 Pod into a good quality speaker and it has the great tone of a typical setup with the convenience of the Pod.
10:22 is exactly what I needed to know. Getting all those frequencies for each instrument, listed by one guy I trust! Dude I can’t thank you enough. Most of this has been learn by doing. However, hard fast rules like this help so much.
Not super over the top, shows the genuine desire to help people, all with the signature charm of Glenn Fricker himself. This is probably the best executed video you've ever made, and you have quite a few gems. Well done sir
Wow… easily the most helpful home recording video I’ve ever seen. I’ve been working on an album’s worth of mixes on and off since November of 2021 and I’m never happy with them. My goal is to try out a few of these techniques and submit a track to a Monday Mix Review to get some feedback. Thank you, Glen!!!
Happy to help!!
My mixes are rarely finished they’re abandoned.
This is one of the best videos you've ever made dude. So much stellar information and the practical examples included make this a video I'll definitely be referring to for some time.
Here's a video request. Do the same thing for recording/mixing vocals. Take us through the vocal process from start to finish. Recording/layering/editing/mixing. Cheers from Birmingham, the home of METAL🤘
Thanks!
Just discovered this channel. Love the content and delivery, no fluff, lots of killer advice and experience that many people charge for. Keep up the good work my man from the UK.
Great advice Glenn! When I began to carve out frequencies for each instrument, my mixes improved. We hope Julie is recovering and you are both doing well. May the force be with you! Live long and prosper!
I'm always happy to see that despite all the bass player jokes, Glenn recognizes the absolute NEED for a great sounding mix, the bass has to be AUDIBLE. Absolutely fabulous video, Glenn! Keep up the good work!
No bass = no heavy = depressing sound
Bass Is foundational their essential to keep things moving. somebody has to put on the big boy hands and blister up
Glenn, great stuff as always. I learned about double & quad tracking waaay back in the day, reading old Guitar World & other Guitar magazines from the 90s. All the interviews and articles, Artists would talk about stacking guitar tracks. From Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins to Alice & Chain's etcetera. It is definitely part of the "Secret Sauce". I'm using the Townhouse Buss compressor from Plug-in Alliance on certain Buss groups. It and a few others live on my Master Buss. Working with a touch of top down mixing. I also have distraction issues. I'll get up early, before the Wife is up on some weekend mornings & will sit in the Studio & have my cup of coffee while watching your & a few other channels before I get going. Get some of that out of the way lol. I really started using & learning how to implement HP & LP filters a fee years ago and man oh man! It really really does bring clarity to the mix. Especially whith proper panning, getting things to "Sit" in the mix. Also blending Amp sims with some live amp/mic'ng. So much to mearn & implement. And yup! I have room treatment & some Adam Audio TV7's and I'm always double checking my mix in My Wife & My Car. #ForeverAStudent. Thank you for all your hard work & information! I always pick up something new from your vids! 🤘🎶🎶
Thanks for mentioning the automation on the rhythm guitars. It's an extremely useful tool that helps other instruments shine when its their turn and I feel like it's an overlooked technique in the amateur world.
I own the VSX and one thing I will say about them is that if you're stuck in a terrible acoustic environment (which is me), they seems to produce far better results than monitors. I have a much easier time mixing on VSX than on my Kali LP 6s in a terrible room. That being said, I have no doubt if I improved the space, mixing on the LP 6s would be at least as good or better.
Yup, when everything on my LP6 sounds perfectly level, i know my drums and bass are WAY too loud. I have a suspended floor that sucks the low end out of the room. They have to be a little buried, i spent way too much time learning my room disadvantages instead of making it easy and spending some money, lol.
Yeah, thats exactly one thing that i feel is allways missing when making this point. Yes, monitors are better, but how many people who are trying to record in bedroom can actually make their space properly treated? Not only is it expensive but i allso might be phisically impossible, in which case using headphones is going to probably produce better results for lower price.
Also another thing that i have learned that seems very important that doesn't get enough attention, you really need to be familiar with your monitoring device, especially headphones since if you really know what sounds good on them, you can produce decent results as you know what to look for in your mix.
The IK Multimedia iLoud monitors are a great choice for small shitty sounding rooms, the ones with the mic to calibrate the monitors. They're near field so they keep the sound tight at close range ✌️❤️
Thanks!
Thank you!!!
Hey Glen, I'm rewatching some old vids to keep your algorithm working. Good luck with the family problems, I hope she makes a quick and full recovery.
The first 3:30 minutes of this video just changed everything. Thanks man, this is worth alot and explains what I did wrong so far. Ah yes, my phone mic as well as the speaker are done for too 😝
To whom it may concern (essaying incoming...):
About double/quad tracking, the widening effect caused by the perceived difference in timing between the left and right panned guitars makes them sound bigger, and this is the sound and to get that sound you full pan the two takes left and right. However in terms of mixing decisions this is actually a pretty big move. By ultra widening a major part of the mix, in this case rhythm guitar, they sound bigger in terms of sound stage but will often lose a sense of immediacy and punch due to losing the mid channel information and pushing them to the side channel. Nerdy technical shit like phase correlation aside (which usually only starts to really matter when in the mastering stage, pro tip let someone else like a mastering engineer master your mix) I usually find that adding that center channel information back in gives the most full bodied and massive feeling result.
Do this by either the aforementioned Master of Puppets thing where you add a third take and center pan it or better yet imo quad tracking and pan two of the takes somewhere between 80-20% left and right( i almost always reamp these center takes with a different amp sim to further fill out the spectrum) After that lower the volume relative to the wide guitars, EQ the two sets of guitars following the guideline that the side gets a high end sparkle emphasis and the mid gets a mid frequency emphasis (to taste and in context but usually starting above the fundamental frequency of the snare), and imho the crucial part omitted in this section of the vid, MIX it with the other most prominent features in the mid channel, usually Kick, Snare, Bass guitar and Vocals by sidechaining a filter or EQ band to duck resonant frequencies of the kick and snare transient peaks (where they get their punch from, say 61hz for the kick and 200hz for the snare for example), high passing the area where the bass guitar lives and sidechaining a compressor to ride the guitars to the vocals like half a db of reduction in the loudest parts of the vocal. Remember: All this usually only needs to be done to this degree for the center panned guitars as to give priority to drums, bass and vocals that live most prominently in the middle. Variety tip: bus your center guitars together and process that to save time and compute.
That'll be $20,000 in tuitions per person please D: I'm sure that'll help someone...
no but seriously TLDR:
1. Quad track, it's just better.
2. Balance side and mid channel information across the 4 takes and ninja process with other prominent elements in mid/side channels of the mix.
3. ????
4. Profit
ps. If you only have two takes you can copy them and slightly change the timing of the copy (like dragging it slightly early or late relative to the other take) to avoid the accidentally mono effect and make it sound wide.
pps. great vid bro, actually a really straightforward introduction to the basics of mixing guitar music and some good life advice there at the end for budding mixing engineers.
Hey Glenn, I’ve been struggling with this for years. A very very BIG THANK YOU VERY MUCH for this elaborate video. This is going to make my mixing so much easier AND better!! 🤘🏻
This was a great video Glenn! I know you’ve regurgitated all of this for years. But the updated software demos along with the explanations are killer!
One thing that reaaaaaally improves stereo sound and brings life to guitar tracks is adding an EQ on your tracks (In case you're using DI tracks, EQ the DI signal) and random but subtlely cut or boost frequencies, this would add way more differences between the tracks and maaan, sounds amazing.
Don't abuse with this technique, of course, and don't try to compensate the frequencies you're cutting or boosting in other track.
3:28 You tell them Glenn. People manage to piss me of with cellphones on a daily basis. People take them on holiday with them deciding to film an epic journey and when they get home and sit down at the computer to edit the forage they realise that they filmed the entire blockbuster in portray mode.
These are the killer videos that made me sign up and follow you Glenn! Great stuff! Will also be adding some of these plugins to my near future purchase. Thanks man!
Amen, Amen, and Amen again to the hi-pass everything. If there's one single thing that helped me to get rid of the mud and what I describe as the "veil over the speakers" effect, it is using hi-pass (and if necessary, even low pass) to get rid of unnecessary gack. Yes, not a question of "do I or don't I?" but a question of "how much can I get away with?"
Re: double, triple, quad-tracking guitars..... I basically never do more than 4. I find that, after that, too many multiple layers of the same thing actually start to sound smaller. My go-to is double-tracking. With too many layers, you start to lose the "air between the parts" and it's like they all start suffocating each other.
I record live bands on the side. Whenever there is only one guitar player.... Well here s my workaround to make it sounds at least decent.
Double the track - hard pan left n right.
Then take one track for instance left and add a little bit of reverb.
Like 5% or less. Depending on sound, tone and style I might add supper small amounts of chorus or delay.
The trick is to use as little as possible just to create a little difference in in the soundwave.
A very minimal stereoizer (yes thats a thing) to that hard panned track also helps. It keeps it mono but Bounces the volume a little up and down giving it a bit more 'real' feel...
Hope this helps😊
The comparisons between the mixes on the headphones vs the Adam’s was awesome for me to hear. I’ve been struggling through my mixes these days and although I’ve improved since I first started mixing, I’ve often wondered why my mixes sound so thin and harsh in the high end, and muddied and weak in the low end. That comparison made me realize I’m the dumbass still mixing on headphones. I’d love to hear what I can do on some monitors in a treated space. Thanks for what you do Glenn!
Just started home recording after playing for 15 years. Mistakes a plenry but so much fun. Thanks Glen!
I learned from a great mixer to turn off the monitors to finish the mix, just like you showed in the car, it's really important to change perspective and check how the mix sounds on consumer devices. Now I always check the mix on my phone, my laptop, my car and a cheap bluetooth headphone. A great mix will sound good across all devices, with some limitations for sure, but a great mix sounds great on anything.
Having just thought about it I'd love to see a video where you give us a breakdown of "Things to know when you don't know shit about digital cameras, but you want to learn on a budget." I know in a past video you recommended a camera that can be found on the used market for a decent price. But it would be cool to have some questions to ask ourselves to narrow what features we want/need for our desired result. like assuming I only know how to point and shoot but want to practically know more about shooting video or better photography. What can I do to prepare myself to be a discriminating consumer entering that new marketplace?
When I double track I use a different amp sims on the left channel then I did on the right channel.. I also reduce one side's volume slightly.. very slightly.. This gives a nice wide sound.. at least it works for me..keep doing what you're doing Glenn
I actually bought the SSL Bus Compressor 2 when it was on sale a while ago, $14.99 I think. Regular price $329. 😳. Hadn’t used it because I had been using the Focusrite FAST Compressor on my mixes, but that plug-in seems to introduce artifacts like static & pops. So I put the SSL on a mix instead with the settings you list in this vid, & damn! That sounds killer. Way better cohesion & overall response for the mix. Thanks Glenn! 🤘🏻
Hey Glenn, even with the examples you gave us about multitracking, i'd argue that the bigger/wider sounding one was the hardpanned 2 guitars one. 3 and 4 tracked feels a bit more claustrophobic (which can be heavier depending on the context), but the less sonic space in the middle makes it sound smaller imho. What do you think?
Hey, I have a q on the 2 guitars. I always think of the Joe Perry - Brad whiteford style of rhythm guitars where the 2 guitars are playing diff parts panned slightly (30-40%) on either side.
I am currently only tracking 1 of each rhythm part. Shud I track 2 of each? Also if I am tracking only 1 each, shud this be hard panned (100%)?
Headphones for mixing is always second to Monitors, but some people cannot afford decent Monitors and have to rely on Headphones. The thing is you can work with those, but it is necessary to get an idea of the spectrum they deliver. For example my "Gaming-Headset" delivers a lot of low end, another pair is very treble oriented and I have some Sonys that seem to sit somewhere in between and are my go to device. It also helps to double check the recordings on cellphone, hifi-stereo system or in a car. It is way more difficult that way and takes more time, but it can get you there if monitors are not at hand.
On the bass subject, can't sleep on side-chained compression. Create an audio track, route your full drum bus to it and output it to "sends only", then place a low-pass filter, only allowing anything below 80-150hz or so, then side-chain that into a compressor on the bass track to duck the lows on the bass when the kick drum and toms are are sounding out. I like Native Instruments' SuperCharger. It's free, it includes tube emulation, and makes bass guitar really sing in the mix. And I use a lot of bass guitar in my mixes.
You CAN use copy-paste of a single guitar track providing you offset the copy by a fraction of time, use a different panning offset from the center and EQ it differently. You may even 'tune' it a bit sharp or flat. It's a technique used by ABBA in the 1970s on guitar tracks and those records sound like they're recorded in the 1980s or later - they had the wall of sound without appying 80 effects on a snare like Spector. Of course, it helped they built what at the time was the most technologically advanced recording facility in the world (Polar Studios). Anyway, I'm not saying that you SHOULD do copy and paste and further tweaking, but it's the option ... and it worked rather well for ABBA.
Mandatory dig: some bands still came out from that Studio sounding like a demo of a tribute band (Led Zeppelin).
great vid again. I love the idea of that plugin that doesnt define what the chain is made of. On the other hand, most guitarists have no clue how their amp/cab would sound like if it was recorded in a studio, hence the connection between reality and recording falls apart. I still use the Line6 VST plugins just because of that. The tone is good but not great as there is too much going on in the lower and higher regions imho and Hi or Lo cuts don't seem to solve that. That said, I will never constrain myself to "this amp" or "that cab" but it just helps deciding how you make your ensemble faster. I once used a vox AC30 amp preset for a centre recording because it had the right colouring for that project. Or a Bassman for wide grainy overdrive instead of the obvious Engl whatever. I'm kind of afraid I'd be jumping from sound to sound on this plugin and also forget how each preset sound like.
I'm trying to say that I would be working faster with a recognisable description instead of having "IR01" as a description, given that you shouldn't restrict yourself to the sounds you're used to. But I back up the idea that it avoids obvious choices.
Question about the headphone vs monitors. I fully support your idea about using monitors instead of headphones. But what do you do when you're situation doesn't support using monitors that much? I'm living in a loft kind of environment where I can't "form" my acoustic coccoon that well. I have a few decent headphones lying around and tend to alternate between them so I get a mix that sounds good on all of them. I kept away from buying monitors, also because family members walk around in that area too. Do you think it's still worth buying monitors and plan a dedicated time slot when you're alone at home for instance? I always learned that you can only use monitors in an acoustically decent environment.
Stop thinking like a guitar player, and start thinking like an engineer! Don't worry about not thinking like a Bass player though, as they don't actually think.
The reason I like using sampled bass guitar is because no one named Tiffany shows up 😂
Being a Bass Player, I Squirl!
😃
Bass player here. What’s a think??
Being both a bass player and an engineer, this is pretty spot on 😂
Your videos have helped me immensely with my home recordings. More solid advice from GLENNNNNN!
I’m generally completely against plugin subscriptions but the ssl native bundle is totally worth it for $15/month. I own probably about half of them outright and I still think it’s worth it for the blitzer and the fusion stuff and they’re always adding more to it. Anyone who’s on the fence should demo it and run them hard for a month. They’re really good tools. As far as for mastering.... get Newfangled Elevate. Then you can master yourself , it's really not hard, turn it up and make it sound good.
12:46 You know Glenn, I've really been stumped about the Buss Compressor in its use. Thanks for the tip!
GLENN!!!! As far as distractions go, have you considered putting time limits on your tasks? Set an amount of time to work, disconnect your distractions from the network (PC, Phone, etc.). When the alarm goes off, stop and do something else for a set amount of time (the time limit is extremely important!). When your break time is up, go back to your priority task. If you're getting distracted, it means you've exhausted your focus and need a recharge. People with ADHD have to do this religiously. Your brain can only focus on one thing for an hour or two (more like 20 minutes for those with ADHD). Splitting up the work to recharge your brain can help. As always, FUCK YOU GLENN!!! Your channel fucking rocks!
This video is a gold mine!!! Thank you Glenn for making these videos. I've been following you since "The fans deserve better" video and it' crazy how much I've learnt from you. Thank you so so much
I've been watching and learning from you for years now, thanks for doing what you do. My 16 year old son is getting into recording metal, so I'm actually here to link him to this video and share my love of recording metal music with him. So another thank you goes out to you for making my job as a metal dad a little easier.
I really like how when you were talking about the high pass filter you referred to the space as "audio real estate." It really helped me to see how each frequency wants space and if they start overlapping it causes trouble. Good anaolgy Glenn!
Glenn. I had the same delay in Reaper. Only way I found to reduce/get rid of it was to change the media buffer size in Anticipative FX processing setting.
Question regarding checking your mixes in a car. What if the car has a subwoofer? I imagine it’s a good idea to check to see how it sounds with the sub at the very least (like how the Slate vsx headphone app lets you check with various speakers ). However, for a final test should I just dial the sub mix down or turn it completely off? Thanks!
Would be so grateful to know that riff at 18:53..sounds familiar.
Tia!😊
High passing is like magic. I just make some electronic music as a hobby. Playing around with subbass, I would highpass the bass and kick tracks a bit higher which opens a lot of needed space for the subbass. Suddenly the bass is clear, kick is punchy, while the subbass is powerful but doesn't get muddy.
While I generally agree with the distractions thing, I've found out that when I put on my mix in the background while doing something else, that's when most stuff that's not quite right becomes apparent, even when it was sounding fine when I was actively listening while mixing. So I tend to do all the editing and precise stuff with laser focus but for balance and more general things laying down and scrolling through tik tok works better, for me at least
Exactly- mix in the control room, listen to a playback in the adjacent room.
What I like about this, is most of these tactics apply not only to recording metal, but electronic production as well. The automation tip to drop gain and allow space for other parts is crucial (well for those of us that actually compose music instead of just playing riff salad). My songs sound so much more dynamic now, AND I don’t get wild fluctuations in volume!
Interesting. I do the exact same thing with the triple tracking - a 3rd track down the middle 6dB lower than the other two. Had no idea they did that on MoP, I thought that was quad tracked. The mid track doesn't really beef up the sound THAT much - it just kind of gives the guitar more substance and helps it sit in the mix better. Without it, sometimes the other two tracks sort of disappear somewhere back in the periphery a little bit.
Very informative, constructive and positive. One of your best videos to date Glen, you really nailed this one. I'm currrently recording my first album, and there's loads of great tips here.
These are some great tips, especially the part about taking breaks and considering your mental condition. I work full time and write music as a hobby. I often find myself 'cramming' working on music on my days off, often spending 12+ hours at a time working on things with little to no breaks. It isn't healthy and it doesn't help the music.
I also loved the tip about listening in different environments and from a different perspective. I've had some of my biggest breakthroughs in writing when I listen back to works in progress during breaks at work or while in bed before sleep. The only problem is when an idea comes to you and you and you can't immediately write it down. There are more voice memos of me making all sorts of crazy noises on my phone than I care to admit.
I do have a question if you end up reading this. I am in a sub-optimal mixing environment. It isn't BAD (carpeted, non-square room), but there is no proper acoustic treatment whatsoever and the folks I am living with probably wouldn't appreciate listening to the same 3-4 minutes of music for hours on end. Therefore, my headphones (DT 770 Pro 250ohm) are a better fit in my situation than my monitors (JBL MkII 5).
Taking this into consideration, would you still recommend using monitors as a primary mixing reference, or to proceed with headphones as the primary w/ monitors to double check when I won't disturb others?
Actually this is good advice in regards to giving the audio special separation. I haven’t done this with music, but i was making a audio bed for my radio station and i had the girl that was doing the voice over work, do multiple takes. And what i did was separate the two, then pan one slightly left and one more right, it broke it up and gave it that full sound like you here on pro radio..
If that makes any sense.
You can record 1 guitar, make a copy, pan one left and one right, run 1 through a Marshall and the other through a Mesa Boogie, and that will give you artificial stereo. Or use the same amp on both sides and run 1 track through a chorus. Or any variation.
THIS is the video I’ve been searching for! Thanks, Glenn!! 🤘
Thank you so much for putting this video out when you did! My bandmate is coming to track guitars this weekend and this video is already saving us headache!! Cheers from Texas!
Glad I could help, Tyler!
With regards to the first tip, it might be prudent to dial the distortion back a bit with every stereo pair that has to be layered. Especially if going beyond 2 pairs
I like to automate low end to reduce on the kick eq when there is double sections then bring it back up to maintain sub when there is space.
I know there are thousands of posts on these things but this episode could potentially save someone years of trial and error. It is detailed and yet concise. The principles themselves are about music production and useful even beyond the scope of metal but for guitar and recording in general. I am definitely rewatching and taking notes.
I literally used a high pass filter on my guitars the other day and thought “this can’t be right, this is cheating, there’s no way this is what I’m supposed to be doing” but it sounded so good so I kept it. Glad to have someone confirm that I was doing the right thing.
This is pure gold. If I were a home recording amateur, and not only that, I would save them all these videos and watch them again and again and again. Thanks, dude! We must support this man with our money, not just our thoughts and blessings and prayers (lol), 'couse what is he doing is f-ing great for the metal tribe.
Master, I´m about to record my band, and your videos are just great advice for beginners, I wonder if I can get back to you later. Thanks.
Definitely my favourite video of yours.
When i first discovered compression years ago it changed everything.
Thank you
I've always used my Adam T5Vs for mixing and producing, especially because I'm a Drum and Bass produer so a lot of what I make lies within the Mids and Sub region. In terms of mixing I am currently using the Beyerdynamic DT990 pros, but I'm thinking of upgrading to something like the Ollo S4X, which are Planarmagnetic.
Hello Glenn, awesome video as always. Quick question about the SSL Compressor.
I use both SSL Native bus compressor and Izotope Ozone 9 Elements.
In which order I should put them? Does the compressor goes first then ozone or vice versa?
Thanks Glenn
Bus compressor first, then Ozone
@SpectreSoundStudios thanks Glenn, you rock!
Thanks for making this video and these were very helpful tips on recording guitar. I too struggle with distractions when mixing.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge ❤
One of the best episodes in a long time, a perfect balance of detail and getting to the point. Really enjoyed this one, even though I knew all these points before, mostly from watching your videos for years!
Agree with the bass. One of the best guitar tones I've heard in an album was Total Brutal the 1st Austrian Death Machine album and that bass tone really made the sound of the album
Honestly glenn thank God for your videos, I got accepted into 2 audio produ tonight schools OIART being one but never ended up going due to cost. That being said, as a guitar player, I had no concept of how to build a track and you've helped alot with that
Was doing the car thing a lot, but since I have Amphion monitors (and also tbh a better acoustic in the studio), I can get rid of the car step ...
Also for the mastering, I tend to use stems mastering which helps a lot to correct a bit things as a last step. Just my 2 cents :)
Glen you are a fountain of knowledge, and I am dehydrated. I'm backwards and have done the 3-track thing but the 2 panned left/right were at lower gain than the center guitar track. What you said makes sense imma do that next time. Mush love.
I absolutely love this video. You explained a lot that probably wouldnt have other wise known or been able to utilize. THANK YOU GLEN!!
So look, I have no idea about mixing, mastering, recording and have pretty much only been playing guitar for a couple years. I am in the learning phase. However, that being said, this video still was awesome, even though my brain is overloaded with jargon that I hope will settle in over time. Sub'd because heck, love your enthusiasm, energy and sarcasm. Well done!!
Hey Glen, I agree.
Time can be waisted quick with a quick phone check.
While i'm waiting for something to export that only takes 60 seconds, I check my phone then get sucked in to random crap.
Or it makes me think about something else and i loose focus by leaving the room.
Like you said, 1-6 hours waisted on sidetrack BS.
Brakes are one thing but de-railing is another.
I'm trying to not check my phone unless its a text. And even then, I gotta put it back down and get back in the ring!!!
Time is the most valuable asset and gotta make great use of it or we loose it.
16:25 reminds me of the classic Mechassault OST. For the Grasslands theme, the guitars seem to be a little weak in the low end at first, but when the bass comes in, it all fits perfectly.
This is one of my favorite videos from you Glenn. I learned so much and next time I record a track I'll make sure I'm not making any of these mistakes. The highpass and compressor thing was an eye opener. Hoping I can make better mixes now
Thx Glenn! Especially the volume control between Lead and Rhythm was a eye opener
#14 as a bonus: Glenn Fricker as an engineer.
Well made video good way of making the mix info simple.
We need more stuff like this
Thank you very much! I’m happy to help!
One thing I like to do when I get into a mixing session that's going to last a few hours: I start out listening at a relatively low volume level and I increase it a little bit every hour or so. At the end I'll be listening at a considerably higher volume. Your hearing changes over time and your ears just get tired so I found it's not a good thing starting out super loud. Of course I'm listening over studio monitors not headphones. Cheers!
Love these videos! Thanks as always for the clear and pointed advise on where to spend our time and money!
Hey Glen, i really like this format. Very useful information and explained in simple terms even a bassist can understand.
I don't even record but holy some treasures here! I actually usually just use plugins to play with headphones in my house, and sometimes record single tracks if I nail something cool.
0:45 the way he said "ain't gonna cut it" sounded so fed up! Almost like he was saying "I can't believe I have to tell you this" 😂 Love it
Hey Glenn, when you mix the 4 guitars and send to a bus, do you follow it up with altering the pan even more, or do you keep the bus in center? Follow up: Would your leads, rhythm, and bass all fall into the 100% and 80% pans, while drums stay center? Or is that only for the lead, while you shift the others to the 60%, 40% and 20% mark? Thanks!
Seems I read somewhere that Pantera ran output cables from the studio into a car stereo, and would go listen to their mix in a car.
Most people listen to music in a car, so that made sense to me.
The POD The only usable preset was Rectifier. But even that was bad.
I find ducking some of the highs/string noise/clacking that occurs when playing bass actually makes palm muted sections on guitar sound a lot punchier/tighter and more on rhythm. Dream theater did this a lot, albeit on some records the bass did sound inaudible while others sounded really nice, so it’s a fine line.
Here is something important that I've learned by listening to isolated tracks..... what sounds great when playing for fun or to a song usually sounds like shit when put in a mix.....what sounds like shit alone usually works awesome in a mix.... Took me a long ass time to figure this one out....Probably why a lot of us guitar players suck at recording/mixing because we dial in tone that we love but don't consider how it sounds in the mix
Great video Glenn, so much great information here. Apart from using the SSL plugins.
Not using phones for audio production is advice we will be hearing a lot more often than before, when NS-10 and/or another pair of studio monitors was the norm even in small studios :) I hated those cans, but they translated ok and weren't expensive even for small studios.
This is awesome Glenn! Saved for later viewing!
Thx for the video, I think steinberg people already got enough compressors. As for the amp sim, last time you recommended another one if I'm not mistaken.
Glenn! Im going to be building a 12’ x20’ studio out of my garage and i intend to do full band tracking and my own mixing and everything. I would love a video on what stuff you do/dont need for a “bare bone” setup. Especially where i know im gonna run out of space.
Thanks man, first full video I've watched even tho you pop up on my RUclips feed regularly.... I don't need the info at the moment as I'm tech-phobic😉 but maybe one day I'll get over it. I'll continue to watch whatever RUclips decides I need to learn from you, when I can👍