How To Prevent This

[riggbren]

I'm a beginner to recording and mixing, and I know little about them. But one thing I've found in my demos is that my rhythm guitars always get drowned out.

I usually record music with a piano, drum, and bass track. I then usually record two rhythm guitar tracks and pan them left and right. I then record a lead guitar track and leave it in the center. However, this is where I run into a problem. I record lead last, and afterwards, it seems so much louder and it stands out more than everything else that the rest of the music seems too quiet. Also, after piling on so many tracks, my rhythm guitar tracks are barley noticeable and quiet, no matter how loud they are.

Can anyone give me any advice on how to prevent this? I can post a link of a song as an example if needed.

[john]

Sounds like you are recording directly onto the stereo track adding the new track by mixing with thr original stereo to create a new stereo track.... wnay reason that you are not using multitrack recording? There are lots of apps (free and otherwise) that allow you to mix many single mono tracks, stereo tracks etc into one mix stereo track... The idea being that with each new track you record you hear what you will be adding it to but what is recorded is only the instrument you are recording at the time.... you can also choose what previously recorded tracks you want to hear on playback. When the time comes to create your mix, all your individual instrument tracks are there for you to alter volume and EQ settings, effects etc... and then create a master stereo output track. ie because you can vary the rhythm guitar volumes (and all the other ones) you can "mix" the final stereo mix master. I hope that makes sense.... and all possible on a computer

[riggbren]

Sounds like you are recording directly onto the stereo track adding the new track by mixing with thr original stereo to create a new stereo track.... wnay reason that you are not using multitrack recording? There are lots of apps (free and otherwise) that allow you to mix many single mono tracks, stereo tracks etc into one mix stereo track... The idea being that with each new track you record you hear what you will be adding it to but what is recorded is only the instrument you are recording at the time.... you can also choose what previously recorded tracks you want to hear on playback. When the time comes to create your mix, all your individual instrument tracks are there for you to alter volume and EQ settings, effects etc... and then create a master stereo output track. ie because you can vary the rhythm guitar volumes (and all the other ones) you can "mix" the final stereo mix master. I hope that makes sense.... and all possible on a computer

Well, i have a four track, but it counts a stereo track is two seperate tracks, so in reality it's more like a two-track. I have to mix in every other track. However, I can put the seperate tracks on my computer, but I don't have a program to edit them. I used to have Acid, but I lost it and I don't want to buy another because I think I might find it. Are there any free programs I could use?

[john]

sure, audacity mixes wave files. reaper is good but isn't free, close considering what it offers, but still not free.

[john]

http://audacity.sourceforge.net

download the right version of audacity, also download the vst bridge. then visit our free vST advisory to get some links to quality plug in VST effects and processors

[riggbren]

http://audacity.sourceforge.net

download the right version of audacity, also download the vst bridge. then visit our free vST advisory to get some links to quality plug in VST effects and processors

Where is the vst bridge? And what is it?

[john]

the vst bridge if I remember is on that site, it allows audacity to use VST(virtual studio technology) plug ins. you install your vst files and then audacity uses the vst bridge as an adapter... if I remember correctly.

scratch that, they changed it's name to vst enabler:

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/faq?s=install&item=vst-enabler