My first Metal

[Lab24Seven]

Hi all, I'm new around here. I just want to say I've been to a lot of different forums, but this one seems to be both active and orderly. It also has a lot of variety in material posted from what I've seen (which I love). I like it here. If you don't mind, I'd like to stay for a while.

Here's the reason for this thread. I'd like to get some feedback on the mix of this. It's the first song like this I've tried and I think it sounds pretty good for what I've got done so far. I spent a few hours on it, but I think I hit a wall. I have some more ideas for the song structurally, I just don't know about the actual mix. TIA for any help.

** UPDATED VERSION ON SECOND PAGE**

[Vulconizer]

It's heavy, for sure. I like the idea you have going.

The big thing that stands out to me is that it is very pronounced in the 12 to 15khz range. The high end is making it distracting.

If that was a second guitar that came in, it sounded like a suuuuuuper long cymbal ring out instead of a guitar holding a chord.
If it was a cymbal, it needs to be tamed down a lot. (And you need to let me know what kind of cymbal it was so I can get like 42 and start working on plans to rule the world with an army of cymbal soldiers.)

How the hell do you spell " cymbal " anyhow? The more I look at it, the more it looks like I am spelling it wrong.

Anyway, tame down the high end and go from there. Cool tune.

[Lab24Seven]

It's a cymbal, yes. I tweaked it to kind of hold, but yeah, it goes a bit too long. I appreciate the advice on the high end. I tend to keep the highs too high in my mixes and you've definitely confirmed that for me. lol btw, you spelled cymbal right. I'm going to eq the full beat and see what that does for it. Thanks, Vulconizer.

[Heinrich Kollner]

nice song man!
what did you use for the guitars?
way too much 15k

[Lab24Seven]

Heinrich, the intro and main guitar are my Washburn KC-20V running through a Zoom 505II pedal. The rest is music production magic (which would be a crapload of VST plug-ins)

Here's a newer version. I toned down the 15khz range as much as I could without the whole thing sounding muddy.

[Vulconizer]

Much better in the 15k region. If you like it a tad bright, try putting a shelving boost on the 2bus @ like 5khz. Not much, I'd only boost it maybe 1db, but it will brighten the mix up and lend it some presence. It's something to try, anyhow.
You're probably better off getting the presence and brightness in the individual instrument tracks instead though.

Ever think about replacing that cymbal at the beginning with a nice big fat gong sound? I am getting the idea that a gong would kick much ass right there.

The cymbal sounds much cooler now that you have the highs tamed down, by the way. I can tell it's a cymbal instead of some crazy whisper-distorted guitar.

Have fun. It's a cool song idea you have going.

[brandondrury]

Guitars are very fizzy and sound like they have been EQd heavily. I'm guessing they are direct. These remind me more of Skinny Puppy or the other old school industrial bands. I think Nine Inch Nails got this style of sound right on March of the Pigs, but I'm not really digging it in this context. That will be up to you.

Brandon

[BludgeoningSpawn]

I agree that the guitars sound too "fizzy" - try turning the gain down.

Are those pups active on your Washburn? If so, you could try switching the active stuff off. In my experience, those things are great to practice with, but lousy when recording, and tend to create exactly this sort of "fizz".

If this has cleaned it all up too much for your taste, then now's the time to kick in your Zoom distortion setting - or splash out on a Big Muff. That should put the wall of distortion where it needs to be.

[Lab24Seven]

Appreciate the thoughts on the guitars. I never really noticed it, but I see what you're saying about the fizzy sound. BludgeoningSpawn, I'll start with the pickups. This may be the whole problem. Thanks again for the advice.

[mikromort]

I'm wondering if it's one of your plugins giving you digital distortion cause that's kinda what the fizz sounds like to me. I'd like to hear a little more of the drums as well. I like the guitar riff though, it's worth working on