5 Metal Guitar Mixing MISTAKES That RUIN Your Mix

🟢 Avoid the Mistakes, Create The RIGHT Guitar Tone:
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Here are 5 of the biggest guitar tone killing mistakes when you're mixing metal. I made all of these mistakes for years in varying ways.
I tried to make the video educational and entertaining while not triggering my PTSD of remembering those lonely nights... trying to mix my metal guitars, haha.
Enjoy!
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00:00 - Mistake #1
01:17 - Mistake #2
04:23 - Mistake #3
05:58 - Mistake #4
07:16 - Mistake #5
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[@brutalandy]

Guitar Tone Masterery is Sick!!! My wife almost left me because my guitar tone was so bad!!! After Scotts Course, I learned how to make a good guitar tone. Scott saved our marriage... and my guitar tone!!!

[@ChernobylAudio666]

hahahahah!

[@TruthSurge]

If you can't retrack, then you HAVE to do what you have to do. If there is a +12db frequency whistling in the sound and you can't rerecord it, then notch filter it down by 12db. What you're saying is that everyone should start with about $20,000 in amps and guitars and mics so that they can get the sound they want by mixing and matching till they are happy with the live sound THEN record that. or use some amp sim package and do the same process. Basically, I agree that if you have a tone in mind, try to get that using the best amp/cab/mic/guitar combo first. Get close that way then use less EQ. Also ... the old garbage in = garbage out. So, don't try to EQ to get a tone! If you own one amp, you're hosed! Interesting vid, though. 7:00 better to use a multiband compressor and just compress that palm mute range so that you don't just remove that low end from the entire sound. Okay, I'm done.

[@louderthangod]

I’m all about getting it right at the source and tracking with that. Re-amping takes away the vitality in the guitar. When I’m playing guitar, I’m making hundreds of minor changes in how hard I pick, the angle I’m hitting the strings, where I’m hitting the string a million variations on muting with my right and left hands. You lose all of that by reamping because you’re not hearing the final sound. A few changes on the amp will change how I play. I also rarely do much of anything with eq on guitar. Adding a little saturation in mixing whether it’s how hard you hit the preamp or some super subtle compression but choosing which compressor matters a lot. Saturation tends to take care of whistling notes and weird mix anomalies much of the time. I have an overstayer MAS hardware unit I like to use on the guitar bus or a plugin of a Culture Vulture does wonders and also helps even the level and helps with simple tonal shifts like making it generally brighter, darker or more textured or smooth.

[@Joey.Darkwoods-Studio]

Great info... and man we see this going on often! EQ is everywhere... thanks Scott.

[@CoreyHunter]

Thanks Scott. Looking forward to implementing the tips. Cheers 🤘🏻

[@AlexeySolovievMusic]

Really wonderful tips Scott! Thank you so much! Learning much from you all the time!

[@onion69420]

This is true,i used to do all sorts of unnecessary cuts and boosts in solo, but when i compare my older tones to new ones, there is just so much improvement

[@LevRage]

I'm a beginner however I only use "solo" to correct guitar playing errors. That's what I thought it was for.

[@DarkerThan00]

Badonkadonk,,haha love that, great video and tips my friend 🤘🤘

[@leearmitage]

Guitar tone mastery V2 is well worth it, and yes over time your ear will develop and you will make better decisions in both pre production and in the final mix

[@Tonepusher]

VERY useful video, and these tips also works for synths stuff. 🤘

[@alrecks619]

i wonder if it's just me but the eq move example of the first mistake looks like a frequency plot of the G12T-75, one of the most divisive guitar speakers, to put it lightly.

[@alrecks619]

and speaking of guitar notches, i found that i only have to cut for no more than 3dB.

[@Slugcoil]

Hey Scott! Another great video. Good advice to get it at the source not "fix it in the mix". When I figured that out my productions got a lot better. Metal Guitar Tone Workshop is a great value. I picked it up when your site first launched and I've watched it twice. Love your channel. I hope things are going good with your move to Poland and immigration stuff. Thanks for the content!

[@SonicDriveStudio]

Really good video! To the point!

[@_hide_-lb1gk]

Tip: if you have a sim where you can move the cab microphone around start the "eq" there by moving it around. The amp and ir will take you 80-90% there. Took me way too long to just do it instead of automatically going for the eq.

[@ChernobylAudio666]

Absolutely right!

[@sooeyside]

0:51 cab IRs are typically minimum phase, same as EQs. There's no real technical difference in how they distort the phase. It's more accurate to say that manipulating phase causes what we interpret as boosts or cuts in the frequency domain. Long way to say: it's ok to use EQ in moderation, which is the video's message anyway, I think.

[@joerojas5448]

You nailed it again, Scott! I've learned a lot watching your video on guitar tone. And Yes, Less EQ Is More.

[@suzinabxvcb]

Amazing video your approach. Love it new sub

[@PooNinja]

Hope all is going well with you and the fam. Great info Sir start with great signal and go from there. Don’t overdo it, if it needs that much fixing get a better starting point.

[@PooNinja]

You can only add so many potatoes to absorb the oversalted stock to something palatable. I just ordered a twonotes opus to boost my broths! So excited to taste all the cabs!

[@constantinranis]

Scott whats your opinion on using saturation on guitar bus? Never seen you do it on your videos, i found out that for me personally, i like to blend a lil bit of it to make the tone less harsh and brighter instead of doing it with eq

[@ChernobylAudio666]

That could be one way to do it, I personally never tried it, but the logic is sound! The only thing I'd make sure of is that you aren't rounding off the tone too much. Sometimes I'll reach for soothe2 if I want to really attack a spikey/harsh guitar tone!

[@constantinranis]

@@ChernobylAudio666 thanks for the answer man, yeah I don't see it often , I experimented with it and found out that true iron and the xsaturator from ssl can add some subtle sweetness to the tone . Thanks again man, stay heavy 🤘

[@LoaiHaleem]

How mix rock/metal guitar produced by Electric Guitar VST (Virtual Instrument) with amp sims. I tried many times and always sound weird. and led me to do some of these mistakes. !!

[@Ryan_Messenger]

I'll remember this video next time I'm overcomplicating my mixes. One thing I would like to add is to take breaks. I've found myself over EQing to compensate for ear fatigue, only to go back later and hear I created more problems. Less is more. As soon as you find yourself wanting to turn up the volume on the audio interface (louder than you normally mix at) you'll know it's time for a break.

[@michellszarko61]

Weirdly I half agree and disagree, my guitar eq has alot of bands and did my own IR's but everyone I show the final mix of my song(who are rock and metal heads) always love my tone... I like a guitar tone that's heavy and balanced while ringing frequencies are put in check... I respect what your saying and like i said i do agree to a point but at the end of the Day who cares right. as long as it sounds good there no right or wrong way about going about it... music is art and there is no law saying you have to do it this way, if it's good, it's good. Simple as that. keep rockin' 🤘

[@woodward_alan]

I just spent a ton of my day doing these bad habits. Thanks for sharing your insights

[@yusa6046]

good to see you back, Scott

[@ScarlettTheViewer]

How am I supposed to know how salty my soup is gonna get if I don't taste my salt by itself to know its salt intensity? If I do enough calculations, I can determine how salty my soup will get without even once tasting the soup! (Great advice tho, this helped a lot)

[@mesabog2]

Are you going to update your guitar tone mastery course? Some of your info here contradicts the material there.

[@ChernobylAudio666]

Yep... and to be far, GTM is already a few years old... things change, but already on the chopping block! It'll happen this year for sure.

[@midwestexiled842]

BOOM, BAM, MAGIC! Great vid!

[@resington]

A couple of notches reducing a couple a db is perfectly fine. Very rarely have I obliterated a resonance.

[@xenonvinc]

Cheers mate❤

[@heavenly2k]

These are all very valid tips, I've personally found these to be true through my own experimentation

[@Frank_Kreepy]

re andy sneap c4 : I've seen you use JW busglue... is that what jw-guitar does with its chug slayer option?🤔

[@ChernobylAudio666]

I think the "Chug Slayer" option is their own variation of the C4 trick, yep!

[@adamdavis307]

thank you for this. i have literally been pulling my hair out with doing all of this in the last MONTH!

[@ChernobylAudio666]

Sometimes I still do it myself... nobody is immune! :D

[@steveelie6929]

Quick question on the EQ. At the beginning you said that putting the LPF and HPF on the guitar is killing your tone. And i was like well shit i gotta stop doin that probably. But then when you bring up the EQ you had set up for the guitar in your mix, it has the HPF and LPF on it. What gives man!?!?!

[@ChernobylAudio666]

The first point is about doing too much overall - not about the HPF or LPF specifically 👍

[@ShredworthyDave]

Mistake #2 is the killer of everything. I've seen too many guys do this.

[@AvyScottandFlower]

Idk... yes, 99 out of each 100 times, the notches & notches & notches on the higher freqs end up DESTROYING the distorted guitar tone* But.. that 100th time.. the sound comes out AWESOME Ok, maybe 1 out of each 5000 times 😅 but still *(ends up flab.. though I use a high shelf with a different, musical EQ plugin to brighten things back up)

[@davidmontosa4472]

Thank you!!

[@everydayburns-um9eh]

love from texas! thank you for the info

[@Fekesson]

But first you gotta taste the salt to know what you're adding to the soup. BUT be aware that the tasting of the salt has altered your tastebuds... BUT now you know for the next attempt.

[@RickMazz]

You should always get it right (or damn close) at the source. If you wan to start doing this, GET GUITAR TONE MASTERY!!

[@jakesmith7919]

Will definitely keep the badonkadonk under control! Thank you for the video Scott! Much appreciated!

[@DavidAllenMD]

i almost never have to use eq lol if i do its rare

[@den-dudin-rock]

But doesn't an ir introduce the same phase shift as an eq? Cause it' basically an eq curve. I assume, one way or another phase will be f*cked

[@ChernobylAudio666]

When you are using multiple microphones in the real world, you definitely want to take the time to get things in phase. However, recording from the microphone isn't an issue. It's the post processing that's an issue. So any EQ point you'd make in the post-processing world microshifts the phase of the signal at that point (unless you're using linear phase EQ), so when you start going to town with lots of EQ on a guitar source, you're moving the phase around so much that it causes the signal to become washy.

[@Wizzerman95]

“I think most people agree a little bit of badonkadonk is nice” you know it brother

[@RedCloudServices]

also mix at lower volume

[@IconOfSin]

What's that track, it's brutal!!

[@ChernobylAudio666]

Just a demo track I wrote for the ML Sound Lab video. I'm looking at creating a Spotify playlist for the future!

[@IconOfSin]

@@ChernobylAudio666 respect brother that is some sick music, love the mix 🤘

[@ChernobylAudio666]

@@IconOfSin Here you go, big guy! open.spotify.com/track/39AbzuwFpiITW3hXAlh3s4?si=9b2020e262e94e64

[@tobins6800]

So what I am understanding is, listen, listen to the totality, then, shut up and listen again. Make the minimum adjustements as possible, take a break, ear fatigue. listen some more...

[@ChernobylAudio666]

Fixing it at the source will always lead to a better result than trying to fix it in the mix!

[@ianlahaye9476]

Useful info right from the gate! I unsubbed and subbed again! Also, more hot sauce in the gut makes for better guitar tone. I can confirm.

[@alfredopearson7388]

😥 *Promo sm*

[@adamkutchman]

Tell me, genius...what does "badonkadonk" sound like? You didn't do any kind of EXAMPLE?

[@ChernobylAudio666]

🤣🤣

[@bebopsamurai_music]

Cough cough…. JUST BUY GUITAR TONE MASTERY ….. cough cough Get your sources right at the get go and work less in the mix and be less annoyed about everything

[@elguitarTom]

the better solution is not to mix at all

[@ChernobylAudio666]

That's right, have me do it for you! 😀

[@oleskiyashko2901]

Great advise! Come back to Kyiv 🥹