Finally (Technical Entry)
After years of mixes collapsing under their own weight, the breakthrough has arrived. My recording template is finally delivering consistent, repeatable results.
Guitars
- Chain: Archetype Gojira (Neural DSP).
- Problem: Thin, harsh tone with excess fizz; collapsed into mono.
- Fix:
- Reduced amp gain for clarity, blended dual IRs with slight phase offsets.
- EQ moves:
- Cut 200–350 Hz (mud).
- Boost 1.5–2.5 kHz (articulation).
- Low-pass around 10 kHz (remove fizz).
- Stereo widening via Haas (<20 ms) and hard-panned double tracks.
Result: Wide, balanced, full-bodied guitars that no longer mask the mix.
Bass
- Chain: Line 6 Helix.
- Problem: Disappeared or clashed with kick and guitars.
- Fix:
- Sidechain compression (FabFilter Pro-C2) triggered by kick.
- EQ moves:
- Boost 60–80 Hz (weight).
- Cut 250 Hz (mud).
- Boost 700 Hz–1 kHz (presence).
- Mild saturation (Decapitator / Ampeg SVX) for definition.
Result: Solid low-end foundation, audible across all systems.
Drums
- Chain: Drumkit From Hell.
- Kick: Boost 60–70 Hz, cut 250 Hz, boost 4 kHz. Added parallel compression for punch.
- Snare: Cut 400 Hz (boxiness), boost 200 Hz (body), 7–8 kHz (crack). Added gated reverb.
- Overheads/Rooms: High-pass below 200 Hz, subtle stereo widening.
Result: Clear, punchy kit with balance across spectrum.
Vocals
- Problem: Either buried or brittle.
- Fix:
- Dual chain:
- Clean: EQ cut 200–300 Hz, light compression.
- Parallel: Distortion/saturation for grit.
- De-ess at 6–8 kHz.
- Plate reverb (~1s decay) blended subtly.
- Dual chain:
Result: Controlled, aggressive vocals that cut without harshness.
Master Bus / Loudness
- Problem: Mixes collapsed at competitive levels.
- Fix:
- Referenced against Lamb of God, Soilwork, Evergrey.
- EQ (Pro-Q3) for surgical corrections.
- Gullfoss for tonal balance.
- Soothe2 for upper-mid resonance control.
- Pro-L2 limiter: -8.5 LUFS integrated, peaks at -0.8 dB.
- Ozone 11 for final glue (exciter, stereo imaging, maximizer).
Result: Competitive loudness without distortion. Mixes stable across playback systems.
Stereo Field
- Problem: Collapsed mono image.
- Fix:
- Dual reverb strategy:
- Plate (1–1.2s) for cohesion.
- Hall (2–3s) for depth.
- Micro-delay widening on guitars; subtle chorus on backing elements.
- Dual reverb strategy:
Result: Wide, stable stereo image with defined space for each instrument.
Outcome
For the first time, the system is repeatable and reliable. Guitars sound massive, drums punch, bass locks the low end, vocals sit right, and the mix holds loudness without crumbling. Even tuned down to B with heavy distortion, clarity remains intact.
This is the foundation. From here, the portfolio can finally move forward.