Skip to content
Help With Recording
 
Notifications
Clear all

Help With Recording

14 Posts
6 Users
0 Likes
3,315 Views
(@matsuemon)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 69
Topic starter  

Hey guys,
I am really frustrated with recording heavy metal guitar, because there is this annoying aspect to the sound I can't quite seem to get rid of. I made a short recording of part of "Blitzkrieg" and I would love to have some people listen to it and tell me how on earth to get rid of, or minimize this sound I'm hearing, which is a result of the pick attacking the strings. I don't hear this on other people's recordings, so I don't know what they are doing differently. I've tried three different metal pedals and noticed it on all three, and used two different guitars. I suspect if I could get a narrow enough band EQ in there, I might be able to minimize the sound without effecting the rest of it too much. Please email me if you want to offer your assistance and I'll fire off the sound clip to you. It's very small. Thanks!

--Jason
[email protected]


   
Quote
(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

"metal picks" ? you surly don't mean pick made from metal. do you mean heavy gauge picks? from the usual plastic materials?

many times, unwanted sounds, noises, come from technique.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
ReplyQuote
(@dan-t)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5044
 

"metal picks" ? you surly don't mean pick made from metal. do you mean heavy gauge picks? from the usual plastic materials?

I don't see where "metal picks" are mentioned at all? :?

Can you post a link to your recording so we can listen to it?

"The only way I know that guarantees no mistakes is not to play and that's simply not an option". David Hodge


   
ReplyQuote
(@matsuemon)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 69
Topic starter  

"metal picks" ? you surly don't mean pick made from metal. do you mean heavy gauge picks? from the usual plastic materials?

I don't see where "metal picks" are mentioned at all? :?

Can you post a link to your recording so we can listen to it?

Hey Dan, that's right I'm not using metal picks. Not sure where the previous commenter saw that haha. And I would love to post a link to it, but I don't have the music uploaded anywhere, it's just on my computer. Any ideas where I can put it?


   
ReplyQuote
(@alangreen)
Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 5342
 

Soundclick is very popular. I use Reverbnation which is similar. Both are free.

A :-)

"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk


   
ReplyQuote
(@matsuemon)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 69
Topic starter  

Soundclick is very popular. I use Reverbnation which is similar. Both are free.

A :-)

Just created a Soundclick account but can't use it because it says you have to have at least one original song on your page to be approved as a band, and I don't. Grrr, so I'll go to the other site and try it out.


   
ReplyQuote
(@trguitar)
Famed Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 3709
 

You can noodle any old thing out and call it an origional song and upload it. Then you are set ... right? Doesen't mean it has to be a good song or polished or anything. (strums on open E with palm muting) "This is my origional song ... YEAH!!! To put on Sound Click ...... YEAH!" :note1: :note2: :note1: :mrgreen:

"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --


   
ReplyQuote
(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

metal picks??? my bad eyes. metal pedals. oops.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
ReplyQuote
(@matsuemon)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 69
Topic starter  

metal picks??? my bad eyes. metal pedals. oops.

haha it's ok Dogbite, no worries. Yes I agree unwanted sounds are usually from poor technique, but I don't see that being the case here. Maybe if I switch to a different pick, though. Not sure. I use a medium plastic pick. I still haven't tried to create an account on the second site you guys mentioned. I have a feeling it'll have a similar restriction to the first site, but I'll try it today after work.

Basically I'm not sure if this sound is occuring because it's a pedal, as opposed to an amp, or if it's just unavoidable at high gain settings, but like I said, I'm not hearing it on other recordings, even recordings of demos used with the pedals I have. Who knows...


   
ReplyQuote
(@dogbite)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 6348
 

pick attack noise could be reduced, perhaps, by zeroing in on the frequency. reducing the wave could help minimize.

soundclick is a good site. free for short songs.
my first upload was a cover. albeit, it was old. probably in the free domain realm.
I hadn't heard of the problem you had.
just post something simple; 'the guitar tuning song', for example. you can always erase it once accepted as a band.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=644552
http://www.soundclick.com/couleerockinvaders


   
ReplyQuote
(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
 

So your signal chain is guitar>metal pedal>computer? (with maybe an interfaced or aoundcard or summat between pedal and daw)

are you absolutely 100% totally positive that your levels are set with enough headroom so you're not clipping the recording when you hit the strings? It's hard to call it without hearing your recording but I have experienced similar pick-sounding noises when it's actually the signal clipping. Try recording with a lower level and using compressors and limiters in your DAW to help bring overall levels up without maxing the levels in any place.

But to really get this problem solved you'll have to upload your tune somewhere so people can listen, and detailing everything in your signal chain would help to rule out any problems being caused there.

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
ReplyQuote
(@matsuemon)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 69
Topic starter  

Hey Scrybe,
So to answer your questions. I notice this problem when playing with my pedal through an amp and when going straight into the computer. When doing this on the computer, I'm playing my guitar and pedal through the IK Stealth Plug, and I checked the levels and it definitely wasn't clipping. It makes the exact same sound going through my amp. It's like a sharp, scraping sound, as you would expect. I wouldn't mind it if it didn't distract you from the rest of the sound you should be hearing. And it isn't noticable if you're playing a song that doesn't require aggressive picking of a lot of notes in rapid succession (like Until It Sleeps, for instance), but if you're playing like Master of Puppets or something, it's ANNOYING. Yah I wish I could upload it, but due to restrictions, I may not be able to.


   
ReplyQuote
(@scrybe)
Famed Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 2241
 

Name the file something like matsuemon.mp3 then upload it to rapidshare.com and give me the link, I'll take a listen. If it happens also when playing through your amp and only when aggressive picking, it sounds like a technique problem - probably either digging in too hard with the pick instead of using the very edge/tip, or pick angle (if you hit the strings with the pick flat
on instead of angled).

Ra Er Ga.

Ninjazz have SuperChops.

http://www.blipfoto.com/Scrybe


   
ReplyQuote
(@matsuemon)
Estimable Member
Joined: 16 years ago
Posts: 69
Topic starter  

Hey Scrybe,
Ok I'll try that, and will check out Rapidshare later this morning. I just realized you guys are right, though. I've been thinking about the clip I already recorded, which is part of a cover tune, but I could just record some random stuff as long as it illustrated the problem I'm trying to solve haha. I don't know why I was making this so difficult. But since I already have the clip recorded, i'll try that one first, and if they reject it, I'll record something new and post the link. Stay tuned

Update: Ok guys, here's the link to download the clip: http://rapidshare.com/files/286565318/Picking.mp3.html

--Jason


   
ReplyQuote