Guitar Mixing Cheatsheet

It’s exceptionally difficult to mix guitars.

For starters, they often produce a range of frequencies that extend from the
deepest lows to the highest highs. On top of that, they can be super dynamic.
And don’t even get me started on the string squeaks and fret buzzing…
While mastering the art of mixing guitars is undoubtedly tricky, it’s crucial if
you want to achieve a studio-quality sound. This cheatsheet will help you get
started. Implement everything I cover here, and you’ll be well on your way to
mixing guitars like a pro!

1. Consider The Context

There is no one-size-fits-all formula to mixing guitars. ​However, the goal

is always the same—to try to make the guitar sound great within the rest of
your mix.

This means that your mixing decisions will (and should) vary based on what
the rest of the tracks in your mix sound like. If you’re mixing a guitar in a
sparse ballad, you’ll make completely different decisions than if you were
working on an uptempo, modern rock track.
 Consider how the guitar fits within the rest of your mix.

The key is to ask yourself—what function does the guitar play in my mix? Is it
a featured instrument, or does it just provide rhythmic support? What other
tracks do I need it to fit with?
Take the time to consider this context. It will help guide you towards the right
mixing decisions, every time.

2. Start At The Source

Yes, this cheatsheet is about mixing guitars. But the truth is, the decisions you
make while recording are much more important. And if you start with a good
recording, you’ll often need little-to-no processing in the mix.
Here are a few tips…

● Avoid piezo pickups on acoustic guitars.​ They tend to sound brittle

and unnatural. Use a mic whenever you can.
● Find the right spot in the room for the amp or player.​ Corners are
generally no good, as bass tends to build up there (which will lead to a
boomy, muddy recording). For acoustic guitars, have the player throw
 on a strap and walk around the room while strumming. Find a spot
where the guitar sounds balanced and even.
● Mic placement matters.​ Moving the mic a few inches can dramatically
change the sound. For suggestions on mic placement for acoustic
guitars, c​ heck out this excellent article​.

3. Check For Phase Problems

If the guitar was recorded with multiple microphones, it’s important to check
for phase problems before you begin. In most cases, this should have been
handled during the recording process, but it’s always good to check.
Start by flipping the polarity on one of the tracks. Does the low end of the
guitar sound fuller? If so, you’ve just made your job much easier.
You can also experiment with time-aligning tracks to further optimize the
phase relationships between them. To learn how, ​watch this video​.
When time-aligning, listen closely to the low end of the guitar. Try to find a
spot where it sounds full and even. You can also use a phase-alignment
plugin like ​Sound Radix Auto-Align​ to make this process even easier.

After you’ve completed this step, bus the tracks together and process them as
a single unit moving forward.

4. Clean Things Up

Solo the guitar and add an EQ plugin. (Any will do.)

Some mixers will tell you to add a high-pass filter to every guitar track. I think
it’s better to let your ears decide. Play the track and listen closely for thumps
and boomy blasts of low-end energy. (These will often happen when the
player digs into certain notes or hits their palm on the body of the guitar.) You
can also ​use a spectrum analyzer​ to pinpoint problems you may not hear on
studio monitors.
If you hear anything that bugs you, engage a high-pass filter and slowly raise
the frequency until the problem disappears. You can often roll off everything
below 100 Hz without adversely affecting the sound of the guitar. (Don’t worry
about getting this perfect right now. You’ll revisit it later when you listen to the
guitar in context with the rest of your mix.)
If things sound fine, leave the high-pass filter off. No need to fix a
problem that doesn’t exist!

A high-pass filter engaged in FabFilter’s Pro-Q 2

Next, dial in a steep boost (+18 dB) with a narrow Q (8) and slowly sweep it
up the frequency spectrum. Listen closely for any boomy, muddy resonances.
These are problem areas that don’t just jump out on one note, but remain
present throughout the majority of the performance. Pay close attention to the
lower midrange (around 180 Hz – 350 Hz), as this is where many of these
problems will appear. Once you identify a problem, remove it with a cut. For
more on how to pull off this technique, I recommend reading ​this article​.

5. Fit It Into The Mix

Unsolo the guitar and place it back in context with the rest of your mix. ​From
this point forward, a
​ void the solo button​.
Listen for any competition between the guitar and other tracks in your mix.
Pay close attention to the low end—oftentimes, you’ll need to roll it off to
create more room for the kick and bass. (You can often get away with taking
out quite a bit—sometimes everything below 300 – 400 Hz.) Also listen to the
relationship between the guitar and vocals. Sometimes, a gentle cut in the
upper midrange will help them fit together.
Again, all of this is context-dependent. I wish there was a formula, but the key
is to listen to the mix as a whole and use it to guide your decisions. Resist the
urge to solo!
Don’t forget about panning as well. If the guitar is competing with another
track, try panning the two tracks to opposite sides of the mix first. This can
often create separation without EQ.

6. Enhance (If Needed!)

You should now have a guitar that’s sitting pretty well in the mix. In many
cases, you may be set. But sometimes, a bit of extra magic may be needed…
If an acoustic guitar is lacking clarity, a gentle top-end shelf (10 – 15
kHz) can bring it out.​ Combining a broad top-end shelf with a slight cut in the
upper midrange can often lead to a more natural sound.
A boost in the upper midrange (3 – 7 kHz) can add presence and
enhance the sound of the pick on the strings.​ This can pull the guitar
forward and help it cut through a busy mix. But be careful—boost too
aggressively, and your mix will start to sound harsh and edgy.
Also, listen closely for string squeaks and other unpleasant noises that may
be accentuated when boosting. If they’re getting in the way, a de-esser or
multiband compression can help tame them.

Using Waves’ De-esser to tame string squeaks on a guitar

For more mixing tips and tricks, visit ​BehindTheSpeakers.com​.