Trying to sound like pro with poor setup (Ibanez RG2228, POD HD Pro)

[owl]

So I'm tweaking the HD Pro for 1 year and i still can't reach even nearly listenable mix. I'm think that the problem is I'm using stock pickups in my RG2228 (EMG808), and it's obviously not so good for djenty sound, or playing music at all. But probably it's just my poor mixing skills.

So here's the mix
https://soundcloud.com/iamouncie/common-riffs
So i need some suggestions, please. My terrible mixing really demotivates me to play and write music.

 

[KarlMagnusRobin]

You can definitely make that setup sound good!
I always work that way to get everything to sound as good as it can before I start to Mix anything!

A good starting-point for me when I used a Pod HD500 was Ola Englund's presets..
Here's one of his clips with the Pro, download-link for the preset is there somewhere..



As a matter of fact, check his instruction-videos out.. they're quite useful!

And you can use the cab-sims inside the Pod, but you might get better results if you bypass them and use IR's in your DAW instead!
(There's a sticky-thread here in this forum that explains this particular matter)

Give us some more information about what kind of tones you like and stuff like that and we will try to help you out!

 

[ENGLShred7]

Well, I really don't have much experience with recording, so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt. With that being said, I'll give you advice that pops up quite often in this forum. First, how many tracks of guitar did you track, and did you hard pan them? It doesn't sound like it. Try taking two guitar tracks and hard panning one 100% to the left and one 100% to the right, that should open up your sound a bit more. Also, I can't hear your bass in the mix at all. Maybe your guitars going right down the center are covering it up? I don't know. If that's not the case, I'd try to redo your bass track. There is a great tutorial on here for getting an awesome sounding bass track and I'm pretty sure the guy used a POD to do it, just do some searching - it's in the recording forum. As far as drums go...I have no idea aside from panning them to create a stereo image like that of a real kit. Lastly, keep motivated and don't blame it on your gear. There are guys on this site doing amazing stuff with not nearly as nice of gear, so it can be done. With that being said....yeah, it's tough stuff, otherwise everyone would be doing it. Hopefully others will chime in to help you out, as I'm probably not much help. Good luck!

 

[Kylezan]

Its not he pod, you just have to take a little more time understanding how to EQ your mixes.

Go look up Fortiori on youtube.

 

[gamber]

not that bad at all bro, just gotta learn about eqing and stuff. If you send me the files and stuff id be more than happy to mix it. The pod is not an issue at all.

 

[owl]

First, how many tracks of guitar did you track, and did you hard pan them?

Two tracks and I pan them hard left and right, really. But I'm use same preset on both, so, maybe that's why it sounds like that?

Also, I can't hear your bass in the mix at all. Maybe your guitars going right down the center are covering it up?

I recording and mixing bass like in the Ola's tutorial (one clean track and one distorted, and eqing both).

As far as drums go...I have no idea aside from panning them to create a stereo image like that of a real kit

I use Bulb Artist Preset, but it's just because i don't know anything about drum sound.

Thanks for your help, i really appreciate it.

 

[owl]

Its not he pod, you just have to take a little more time understanding how to EQ your mixes.

Go look up Fortiori on youtube.

Just searched it on Youtube, very useful guides, thanks a lot.

 

[owl]

You can definitely make that setup sound good!
I always work that way to get everything to sound as good as it can before I start to Mix anything!

A good starting-point for me when I used a Pod HD500 was Ola Englund's presets..
Here's one of his clips with the Pro, download-link for the preset is there somewhere..



As a matter of fact, check his instruction-videos out.. they're quite useful!

And you can use the cab-sims inside the Pod, but you might get better results if you bypass them and use IR's in your DAW instead!
(There's a sticky-thread here in this forum that explains this particular matter)

Give us some more information about what kind of tones you like and stuff like that and we will try to help you out!

I've tried that patch when I just buy HD Pro and I think it's amazing for metal with passive pups, back than i fought it's to distorted and low end for 8 string in E. I'm gonna try tweak it a little bit to reach sound I want.
Definitely going to find that thread about cab simulation in DAW, thanks a lot.

I'm big fan of Sithu Aye, Plini, CHON, tone-wise I really dig tones with little distortion for more clarity. I also like Animals As Leaders, but don't like Tosin's tone. Of course, Misha's guitar tone is incredible, and I've tried meambobbo's Periphery tones. They'r amazing, but not exactly "my kind" of sound.

 

[WhiteWalls]

>poor setup
>2228
>pod hd
lolwut

Anyway to be serious it's just experience, keep reading/watching online guides and tips and you'll eventually understand how to make everything sound pretty good regardless of what you're using.
Also Bulb's toontrack presets are rubbish (in my opinion), because they don't sound good but they are also too processed to work on them. Metal machine or andy sneap's metal foundry presets are a lot better because they sound good right out of the box but allow you to build on them to create your own sound

 

[ENGLShred7]

Two tracks and I pan them hard left and right, really. But I'm use same preset on both, so, maybe that's why it sounds like that?



I recording and mixing bass like in the Ola's tutorial (one clean track and one distorted, and eqing both).



I use Bulb Artist Preset, but it's just because i don't know anything about drum sound.

Thanks for your help, i really appreciate it.

Since you're familiar with Ola's tutorial, maybe try his drum preset/tutorial? In addition to being an entertaining watch, his drums sound much better, IMO.

Superior 2.0 metal drums at home - The Fearedse way - YouTube

Be sure to post updated mixes as you make some progress!

 

[Leuchty]

Honestly, I thought it sounded pretty good.

 

[UCBmetal]

This is largely personal preference and more on the performance as opposed to the mixing side of things, but it sounds like you're chugging a power chord once the heavy guitars come in, and if I were you, I'd hit the chords on the accented "hits" and only hit a single string for the other notes. Especially for recording purposes, I feel that greatly clarifies a mix involving riffs in the lower registers. To that end, playing with sharper "jazz III" style picks really helps bring out the "pop" in the riff.

For reference, my band's song "Ugly Mean Pigeon" has an example at the 3:30 mark or so. (Listen to the left ear). We tune 7's down a step and a half, and while we hit a power chord at that point live, on record it sounded way way better to just hit the open G# by itself. A lot of what is or isn't perceived as a good heavy mix has a lot to do with negative space IMO.

Raiju - Battle Of The Bands

Anyways, I hope this helps, as I am way more familiar with the performance side than the production side of things. All in all, shit sounds really good though!

 

[Tyler777]

That setup can absolutely sound good, and your mix really isnt THAT bad.

The best place to start off is grabbing presets from people you like and looking at what they did.

Garrell2 on youtube has some INCREDIBLE presets for superior that will instantly help your overall mix. Ola Englund is, from what I hear, the authority on POD HD.

Other than that, just look at other mixes you like, and see what they did. Maybe they did a compressed drum track that beefs it up etc... it's all about doing mix after mix until you find those tricks that make you go "Hey... that helped a TON".

 

[DjankyDjents]

after the eq, trying applying a limiter, inflator, and dynamics to the master. I use the Oxford Plugins, but even reaper has some pretty decent ones