Get fatter guitar tracks

Have you ever put a song together but realized during the mix that it just didn’t have any thickness? Several things could be the problem, for example: Instruments could be matched similarly to each other causing them to collide. In that case it could be the bass and kick drum. The answer here is to use a parametric EQ and surgically remove some of the bass or midrange bass from the kick drum until the two no longer complete each other. Adding a bit of “click” to the kick drum will also help define it in the mix. And listen to other instrument groups as well to see if there’s anything confusing about similar EQ parts. Cutting frequencies is always better than increasing, remember that!

Use of guitar pedal effects:

Guitar pedals come in many sound shapes and sizes – or tones, should I say! Used correctly they will certainly add thickness to your sound. Let’s now look at an explanation of some of the types of effects you can use:

Boost and overdrive:

• These must-have effects are used to boost the volume of solos as well as tone shaping and rhythmic saturation that will overdrive your amp into tone nirvana! Some of these will even add clarity and sparkle on low settings, so I always have one in my pedal chain!

Chorus and flanger:

• Great pedals to make your guitar sound super lush and wide. A chorus pedal can simulate the sound of a 12-string instrument.

Delay pedals:

• A delay effect adds depth, excitement, and can definitely widen your guitar sound and thicken up lead solo parts!

Tremolo:

• Tremolo, rotary simulators, and reverb also provide a lush, unique sound for your guitar rig that will have a thickening effect.

Double tracking:

Now let’s talk about doubling! Guitar tracks, no matter how well played, can often seem sparse in the mix, even when using good guitar pedal effects. A natural instinct for many musicians will be to add EQ, be it more low, mid, or high. This can sometimes fix the problem. However, most of the time, the best solution is to duplicate the guitar tracks. So how do we do this?

My preferred method is to record the rhythm track twice, panning one track hard left and the other hard right. Of course, you’ll also need a bit of practice to play the rhythm parts in sync with each other. A good tip is not to always play the same rhythm part. Change it up a bit. For example, in the parts where you play low notes, try to play the same notes in a higher key or even in a key that blends with it and don’t play chords in all parts of the rhythm track. Mix it up, record it and see how it sounds to you!

The acoustic guitar:

And let’s not forget to add a duplicate acoustic track! When doing this you may want to remove most of the bass and midrange to help it blend in without competing with the other instruments. It will really give your electric guitar tracks an edge and definition. When fattening up your tracks, this is really what it’s all about and what it’s all about. Listening a lot, making sure one instrument doesn’t overwhelm another instrument in the mix. They each have their place, and each may need to be EQ-tweaked until they all mix well without competing with each other. As I always say: “experimentation is your friend!”