Record a FAT Giant METAL Guitar
Recording Metal guitar with plugins: Complete guide with video
Recording a Metal guitar that pushes hard on bass frequency could be sometimes very challenging. There are a lot of techniques you can use.
More than techniques we will see how to tweak a few parameters with some tips and tricks on how to set a proper giant sound. Today the plug-ins we have are fantastic and all sound great a guitar and proper set sound will help you to make a guitar metal stand out.
1 – Look for the sound you want to reach.
The first step on how to record a fat giant Metal guitar is to have in mind the sound you would like to rich. Try to listen to your favourite groups of the sound of some songs that you like a lot and try to figure out how it was done, make some research listen to similar stuff and try to guess, the internet for this is a very powerful tool.
2 – Choose the right plug-ins you will going to use.
Trying to choose the right amp for the style you are recording is essential, something that sounds massive with few tweaks, born and studied for the style.
You can find this plug-in here:
https://www.plugin-alliance.com/en/products.html?man=engl
There are also a few free plug-ins that I love and use all the time and are the Emissary from Ignite amps. This simulation needs an impulse response but to be honest is the best amp simulation I have ever been through for metal.
You can find this free plug-in here:
3 – Try to emulate as much as possible the Analogue process with all the advantages that the Digital word has.
Yes, you read properly, try to follow the path of analogue recording with the advantages of the digital world. Put compression before and after, boost – contain – enhance. Try to reduce to the minimum the things you want to use and give space to creativity. Today recording with plugins is easy and you don´t need a hell lot of power you can do it with almost any interface that has a good ASIO drive
4 – Try to use different guitars if you can
In this video, you will find all the essential tricks and a detailed step by step guide on how to record a “FAT and GIANT Metal Guitar”.
5 – If the Eq is too destructive or compression use it in parallel
To Enhance the sound if you are trying to make something crazy check how it sounds on the track if is too much try to put it on parallel create an auxiliary track and exaggerate the effect and play with the volume.
6 – Eliminate the frequency you need on the instruments you don´t want them to stand out
If you want a super bass strength guitar you have to reduce the frequency you want to enhance in the other instruments. For example, if you would like to enhance the 250/300hz (where all mud live) to increase the fatness of the guitars you have to reduce it in other instruments like kick and bass guitar
7 – Instead of massive Equalization use more contained compression and harmonic distortion
Assuming you followed step 6 (you reduce the 200 on kik and bass) and you enhanced your guitar to contain that fatness to not go on the mud side, you can put a de-esser between the 100/300Hz or a band compressor to contain all this particular frequency and play a bit with a harmonic distortion plugin to round up.
8 – Don´t abuse all those tricks
The secret is to not drastically use all these tricks together, remember is a tiny step after other tiny steps. If you abuse all this stuff the risk is to ruin everything.
