What's the trick to stereo guitars?

NeglectedFred · Post by **NeglectedFred** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 8:36 pm

I can't record guitars with stereo chorus and keep them sounding good. They always sound slushy, especially when I double them, but If I don't double them they sound weak or thin..

I could, in some cases, apply chorus to two dry tracks, and that I'm sure would work - but I know a guy with a beautiful sounding Fender M-80 chorus head, and I want to capture it the way it is.

I'm thinking about running two channels into a crossover, and taking the hi's from one, the lows from the other, making a mono mix and then doubling with the same method. Haven't tried yet in fear it's a waste of time, eventually I will.. But if someone has ideas or proven methods I'd like to hear my options.

The other catch is that I want to record another guitarist with this guy, so if possible, I'de like to keep him mostly on one side - bad idea?

Any advice is much appreciated!

misterock · Post by **misterock** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 8:50 pm

Lose the chorus. Record 2 or more dry guitar tracks from the m-80 in mono. Then pan hard left and right. I've recorded this before, it sounds good.

joel hamilton · Post by **joel hamilton** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:20 pm

Forget the chorus. If you want the guitar to really shake across the stereo field, you can double and hard pan. To REALLY get them widened out (like a chorus pedal but cooler) you can detune the top three strings of the double slightly, and get the top to magically sparkle without "mushing up" the low end of the guitar.

I love that trick. I do it all the time.

There, I said it.

Enjoy.

tiger vomitt · Post by **tiger vomitt** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 9:55 pm

try cranking the chorus. i mean really obnoxiously loud. then add some more chorus when you mix. then add another layer of it onto the entire mix.

your problem will be solved because after this you'll hate chorus so much you'll never want to use it again. which is as chorus should be - very rarely used.

it's like quitting smoking by chain smoking 10 packs in a row.

tiger vomitt · Post by **tiger vomitt** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:01 pm

sorry, i didnt mean to be rude. really!

having several instruments with wide, effect-y stereo spreads can make a mix kind of nauseating, as youre finding out. doing natural doubling is more fun and sounds a lot cooler too.

good luck!!

thethingwiththestuff · Post by **thethingwiththestuff** » Tue Jan 25, 2005 10:11 pm

as much as i agree with tiger vomitt, how are you micing this fender chorus? if you had a mic on each speaker, you could be getting (undesired) cancellation.

but, seriously, chorus has to be the single lamest effect next to vocoding.

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:29 am

How about stereo recording of the amp itself? I know that a little "out there" and all...

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

maz · Post by **maz** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:31 am

have you thought about trying a little chorus?

Moon Unit · Post by **Moon Unit** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 4:29 pm

Yea, I definitely think some chorus might be in order.

8th_note · Post by **8th_note** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:12 pm

To REALLY get them widened out (like a chorus pedal but cooler) you can detune the top three strings of the double slightly, and get the top to magically sparkle without "mushing up" the low end of the guitar.

God, I love this board. I wouldn't have thought of that in three lifetimes.

oobedoob · Post by **oobedoob** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:22 pm

some good suggestions already, but I didn't see this one...

Record mono, hard pan to your favorite side, aux send to a delay line (short), return to a channel hard panned to the other side. Adjust level and width to taste....

oobedoob · Post by **oobedoob** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:23 pm

if you're really married to the chorus, can you use it as a send and eq the shit of out it? That might cut the mud.....

radiantbrian · Post by **radiantbrian** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:37 pm

but, seriously, chorus has to be the single lamest effect next to vocoding.

worked for joy division and my bloody valentine..

as far as the original question, if you decide to double and hard pan, try using different amps for each side. sounds a little thicker that way

kronosonic · Post by **kronosonic** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:41 pm

oobedoob wrote:if you're really married to the chorus, can you use it as a send and eq the shit of out it? That might cut the mud.....

right, put a high pass on the send and just chorus the very top, deep, lowest rate possible.

Track the guitar parts twice, pan, send, and blend back in maybe 15% wet with chorus just on the very top...you'll get a wide, dense, stable guitar sound with some subtle swisshy on the sparkly end

When you get it sounding "just right" cut back the effect by 30% at least. A little chorus goes a long way.

trashy · Post by **trashy** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 5:51 pm

cgarges wrote:How about stereo recording of the amp itself? I know that a little "out there" and all...

seriously... mid-side, all the way. You won't look back.

Message Board

What's the trick to stereo guitars?

What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Re: What's the trick to stereo guitars?

Who is online