Mixing Metal | Audio Examples
From Mixing Metal December 2009
Technique : Recording / Mixing
Here is a selection of audio files to accompany this month’s Mixing Metal (www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec09/articles/metalII.htm)
To illustrate the principles of mixing modern metal, I have taken screen shots and audio examples from two productions of mine, for the bands For Untold Reasons and Godsized. These bands showcase two very different faces of modern metal. For Untold Reasons come more from the death-metal side of the genre, while Godsized, although down-tuned with a really heavy overall sound, have more of a melodic focus.
The final mixed and mastered tracks: For Untold Reasons' ‘Of the Skies’ and Godsized's ‘Walking Away’.
3_The_Right_Kind_Of_Lows MP3This example, taken from the Godsized track, demonstrates the 'wrong kind of low end’ for kick drums. Bars one and two, although having the weight and attack of the double miked kick-drum combined, also has an excess of muddy 40-65 Hz frequencies, and boxy low-mids around 225-350 Hz, both of which could cause domestic hi-fi speakers to distort, and become a ‘mix wrecker’ when overall mastering compression hits. Additionally, the 225-350 Hz range will tend to mask the bass guitar.
Bars three and four present an aggressive EQ applied to these spot mics to accentuate the more essential low-end frequencies and more effective high-end click. A sample of has been added for additional weight, but only to around 30 percent of the volume of the spot mics. Both of these sections are then repeated.
4_Bass_Times_Three MP3This example from For Untold Reasons demonstrates the depth, clarity and note definition that can be gained when combining a DI, bass cab and emulator (in this case a Sansamp PSA1).
5_Bass_Distortion_Channel_Flat MP3A separate channel of bass distortion recorded with a Peavey Bandit 112 combo. As you will hear, there are some muddy lows and abrasive highs present.
6_Bass_Distortion_Channel_Band_Limited MP3
