Re: Production tips
Before you mix anything make sure you're in an ideal space, make sure your monitors don't buzz, click or make any sounds. Make sure they have fresh wiring (over time when the copper gets worn out, it kills some high end) and that they don't exceed a 30 degree angle.
If you have to use cans make sure they are reference quality. (Also make sure that by reference quality they mean a flat, realistic representation of the audio, not reference for other headphone companies). But ideally, phones are not the best to mix in.
Now... for that syrupy, produced br00tz guitar...
Make sure the tracks to begin with have good audio quality and are close to the tone the player was aiming for to begin with. No magic here is going to save a compromised guitar track with wrong mic placement. Also make sure it's free from any compromising artifacts (clipping, noise interference... anything other than the guitar).
The playing should be extremely precise. Some bands even resort to sampling guitar phrases over and over. There cannot be a single mistake or timing error, as the mechanization of the playing here has an important role in making it sound produced and tight.
If it doesn't live up to these expectations by this point... it's time to re-record.
The EQ.
You basically suck out all the rumbly lows and hissy highs, leaving behind the important stuff (smooth midrange) while defining it's own space and providing space for other instruments important for making everything sounding heavy! So set up a low pass or hi shelf at about 10khz and in the mix, start bringing the frequency down until it's just right.
Not enough and it won't free up enough room for cymbals and vocals, too much and you lose the bite and grind of the guitar.
Then do the same for the low end with a lo-self/hi-pass. Set that to about 80hz and start coming up in frequency in the mix until the low end of the bass is prominent and you don't sacrifice the punch.
Also in the mix, start to dip the 3khz to make room for snare drums and vocals but don't overdo that or the guitar will sound too 'poppy' and lose it's aggression.
Play around with very subtle reverbs and delays. They should be so subtle that you can't tell they're there, but once removed take 'something' away that you can't quite put your finger on. It's normal for heavy guitars to be somewhat dry, but adding very subtle reverbs and delays gives it a bit of atmosphere and gives a polished sound.
In the mix means "while all the instruments are playing" So you aren't adjusting things blindly and you have a good reference for interaction.
Keep in mind that you should choose which parts of your mix are going to be "big" because the reality is... you can't have all of them. I find things are heavier if the drums are more up front, because it interacts with the primal core of listeners, that being heavy percussion. But your tastes might be different.
If you're stuck on where to begin for mixing balance, select your instrument that you want to base the mix around. Set it's fader about mid way. The mute the rest.
Unmute one instrument and slowly bring it's fader up until it grooves with the first track. There should be a definite moment where it locks in and shouldn't be any louder or softer than that. Keep that fader where it is and mute the track you just adjusted. The unmute the next track and start bringing up it's level. Repeat until the rest of the mix is readjusted and muted again except for your original track. Then unmute everything. This should give you an excellent starting place for your mix.
Ideally, the drums should be a little higher than you'd want them because of what mastering limiters do to their peaks. It's a creative choice on how you want the bass guitar to sound but it's low end should at least be felt.
I like to hi pass some of the low end of the kicks and have it's low end reside in the 100hz, but for br00tz I might turn even that down so it's mostly beater attack and can get turned up and stays clean on the rapid double bass.
Then the bass guitar I'll cut out a notch in the 100hz for the Kick drum and in the mix, adjust at 75-80hz until it rumbles nicely, then give it some 200hz at a narrower notch to give the basslines definition.
Hope that helps so far... that's just the tip of the iceberg if there's anything else you want to know.
