Everything is muddy!

[Of_Murder]

Hi all,

So here's my issue, I have a Toneport UX2 in which I use with Reaper to record guitars. Im using LeCab, the Nick Crow 7170, and a few other little things to build a tone. Though my problem isn't exactly tonal. For some reason no matter what I use for my tone be it LePou, Nick Crow, POD Farm, etc. it all sounds muddy as hell. There's no real clarity and it sounds like theres a ton of frequencies disrupting my tone.

I've tried different instrument cables, turning the input down, using different impulses and VSTs, and I'm not getting any relief. Even when I'm just playing through POD Farm and not sending it in to reaper, it sounds pretty terrible.

Does anybody know what might be causing this? I'm beginning to think it's the interface itself.

Thanks!

 

[JohnIce]

For chuggy rhythm tones to not be muddy, you need a boost and/or high pass filtering.

The boost sits before the amp, and a classic tried-and-true method is using an 808-style overdrive (Tubescreamer, Maxon etc.) and using no drive, and boosting tone and level to your liking. For more pick attack turn up the tone, for more gain and sustain turn up the level/volume. Experiment with turning down amp gain and turning up the 808's level until you find a sweet spot.

Then there's high pass filtering. In a mix, guitars are usually high-passed to around 100Hz to get rid of mud. You can do this with nearly all digital EQ's.

 

[Of_Murder]

I do have a TSE 808 with no drive under there but it still sounds awful. I'm running an Edge Sneap impulse through LeCab with the high pass up to probably 80-150Hz (i'm not looking at it right now though). Where should LeCab sit in the FX Chain? Right now it's the first thing.

 

[Necris]

Lecab should be after the overdrive and amplifier vsts.

Guitar -> Tse 808 -> 7170 -> Lecab

I usually put my EQ after everything else.

 

[Of_Murder]

Alright, thanks! I'll have to try this out and post my findings.

 

[Of_Murder]

So I've done the above and it's starting to help the clarity a bit. It's still a little muddy but it's partly because no matter what I'm doing, it's got WAAAY too much distortion, even with it turned almost all the way down. It's making everything just sound like static. I'm playing around with different impulses and some work better than others, but no matter what, it's just super distorted.

I'm going for a tone similar to the one in this song:



Any input on getting there would be awesome. I think I'm on the right track but I'd love some expert advice!

Thanks

 

[Fretless]

It would really help to be able to hear the track your writing so we could actually get a reference point.

 

[Leuchty]

IMO, with modelers, VST's, digital amps, etc. you need to spend most time on the Cab sims.

Low cuts, Resonance, Room, Mics, etc.

Not much help, I know.

 

[Of_Murder]

Here's purely a guitar track with what I have for a tone so far. It's super distorted nd there's barely any sustain. I have everything set up as recommended above, any help would be awesome!

https://soundcloud.com/quantum-oh/tonal-awfulness

 

[davidgotmilk]

Have you tried playing the guitar through something other than than through the line port? sounds like it could be the interface, or if you've been fiddling around with your electronics in the guitar something may have become undone. I once accidentally had two wires switched when I was installing pickups and I got a muddy tone similar to yours. Perhaps check the connections in your guitar and see if its all connected correctly?

 

[karjim]

Well well well, Of Muder seems to be a rookie and need some advice.
First of all, I'm sure there is something wrong in your assembling chain, you didn't know the cab sim is after the head, the TSE 808 before and eq at the end.
About the 7170 or TSE X-50 NRR1 etc...Same fight, do not push the gain!
For example, I had a Toneport2 (ok it's a bad soundcard anyway) and for a modern metal 5150 Textures tight rythm, the gain on channel 3 is at 0.9 !!!!!
Turn off the highs too, free VST lacks of real highs, so play with the eq and low pass and keep highs around 4...Same thing for the low end (high pass).
Plus the TSE 808 (gain 0 Tone and Vol at 8)....Enough gain to play Lamb of God.

Now the cab sims, the secret is here and the snap impulses are strongs but unreals and plastic....Try to find some Ctharsis Gods Cabs or even better Redwirez Impulses: less impressive a first but so realistic at the end.
For mics you could try with Lecab 2, SM57 cap 0.5 in (100% L-R) and R121 cap edge 4in (70% L-R), it's a good start. Try a Recto Cab (the roundest), an Orange cab (the darkest) and Bogner212 (the tightest)
The sound of your guitar is not supposed to be pleasant and awesome when you record it....You're supossed to feel it gainless and not enough metal. It's exaggerate but you know what I mean.

Gain is an additional variable so 4 tracks less gain than 2 two less than 1

 

[Of_Murder]

That helps a lot, I'll definitely be playing around with that and I'll post my results! Thanks a ton, I've never really delved in to tone making before but since I'm away at college, I can't exactly go to my producer and have him record for me. It's a steep learning curve, lol.