mixing a power trio

[vvv]

Just another variation on the above, but I sometimes like a wide stereo drum submix, mono bass up the middle, the vocal with a kind of wide stereo submix (some tape delay panned 50%, a wide plate effect, etc.) and the guitar mono at about 11:00 or 1:00.

Then, apply a global reverb so that the drums are back (as a relative example, 25%), the bass barely touched (5%), the vocal a little more (10%) and the mono guitar a little more yet (15-20%.)

I like to use this type of approach to get a kind of in your face live in the studio sound, more James Gang than Hendrix, and sometimes Presence if you put more reverb on the drums.

[DupleMeter]

So many cool options with a trio...but the trick is to make it work for the music.

I'm a big fan of panning the bass and guitar opposite each other...but that doesn't work if the bass line is too static. It works very well with bass players who really push the band & keep the energy up with melodic and driving lines (think Berry Oakley, Carl Radle).

Use 'verb/delay to thicken the mix and my preference for these types of bands is to keep the drums from becoming too big. I mean think of it as if they were standing in front of you playing. They'd take up what, 20 feet of stage. 5-6 of which are for the drums, right...so why make the drums 20 feet wide? The room takes care of filling everything out - and that's where the 'verb comes in. I might use a few 'verbs on this kind of project - one being a very subtle stereo room/hall that the entire mix goes through - for gel. Then one or 2 mono 'verbs that suit the parts they are augmenting (a nice plate for the VOX maybe).

But that's just me.