Metal music’s drums and guitars typically arrive in an unpolished state, making mastering difficult due to all its transient detail.
With the right approach, however, you can craft an iconic metal master that stands out from the pack.
Vocals
Metal music relies heavily on vocals as a driving force to connect listeners with songs. Therefore, vocal tracks must be clear and punchy to have maximum impact. To maximize vocal tracks using dynamic or condenser mics that capture natural voices as well as pop filters for any unwanted resonance or sibilance issues.
Make sure your microphone is close to the singer so it can pick up as much detail as possible, and use a compressor and an EQ to help with control and balance on vocal tracks. Screams may benefit from having some mids between 500-800Hz scooped out so they cut through more effectively in the mix; but be wary not to overscoop as too much scooping could leave their vocal sounding less sharp than anticipated.
Reverb can add depth to metal vocal tracks when used sparingly; you want the vocals to sound as though there wasn’t any extra reverb in them – though you will probably notice if any were removed, making a difference to how the tracks would sound.
Use delay on vocals to add atmosphere and depth to the track, particularly during screams or when using effects that continue into guitar solos. A short slapback delay could work very effectively when used properly; short delays are great for short vocal lines that end on guitar solos without leaving their effects behind!
Extreme metal mixes that excel are known for their meticulous attention to detail, with this often being found in how vocals are mixed. Compression can often be used to control vocal levels so they sit comfortably above other instruments and sound powerful at all times; big reverbs on key snare or floor-tom hits may also be automated for automatic effects; pinched-harmonic guitar squeals and vocal segments might require long panning delays as an example of this attention to detail.
Bass
Metal and hard rock music present the mix engineer with unique challenges not found elsewhere: competing for midrange space between distorted bass, chugging guitars, higher-pitched drums and screaming vocals, all competing for space in the overall mix. Success depends upon each instrument having its own distinct place within the overall composition – many mixers make mistakes by overemphasizing low frequencies too much, leading to boomy or flabby mixes; others compensate by filtering out low frequencies, leading to loss of punch or definition in their overall compositions.
Black Sabbath introduced heavy metal into rock music in the late 1960s with their pioneering work. This rock genre featured loud guitars and basses with distorted power chords as a counterbalance to soft rock popular at that time, such as that produced by The Yardbirds or Jimi Hendrix who relied on blues melodies and rhythms in their songs.
To achieve a metal sound, bassists typically utilize high-wattage amplifiers and large speakers with bass guitar tunings at lower tunings, along with numerous distortion effects either through pedals or tube preamps to get their desired sonic qualities.
An exceptional metal bassist can produce rapid, unpredictable bass lines to support the harmonic framework and accent chord roots, as well as solos in some subgenres of metal like thrash or progressive metal.
Depending on the style of music they are performing, bassists may either use their fingers or a plectrum for playing bass lines. They could even try their luck at keyboard or harmonica music as long as it provides a solid foundation for their bandmates.
Heavy metal musicians and fans were widely criticized during the 1980s from both social and academic groups who blamed it for everything from drug abuse and violent behavior, to despondency and suicide. Much of this criticism stemmed from its focus on madness, horror, as well as its use of excessive volume and distortion – despite these attacks, heavy metal has enjoyed increasing popularity since.
Guitars
Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin pioneered heavy metal music during the late 1960s. This genre features louder, heavier electric guitar riffs with distorted tones, deep shouty vocals, large drums, amplifiers with high gain settings to produce thick, powerful sounds as well as distortion pedals to give their guitars extra edge and aggression.
One essential metal mixing technique is using EQing to eliminate unpleasant resonances in guitar tones. Unpleasant resonances can reduce clarity of tone, so using high and low pass filters to eliminate them from guitar tones and make them sound clearer and more defined is also highly beneficial.
Middle frequencies are considered essential in creating an effective metal mix. Many metal musicians prefer scooped frequency spectrums for bass guitar; however, this technique may be less frequently employed with drums.
Heavy metal music relies on several key characteristics to convey its sound: weight, size, density, power, aggression, energy and intensity which are transmitted via harmonic distortion composition performance and performance (Mynett Metal). Other influences that contribute to its heaviness include tempo and groove; many discussants emphasize slow tempos as an effective way of conveying weight while others contend it must also include forceful actions to convey this heaviness (tempo, groove etc).
Metal musicians employ double tracking techniques on rhythm guitars in order to achieve a wider and deeper sound than is achievable with just a single instrument. This approach works especially well during fast rhythms where double tracking enables chords to cut through loudness of drums and other instruments. Distortion effects also add weightiness; amp sims or multi-effect units may help achieve this result.
Drums
When mixing metal, you must ensure the drums sound powerful and impactful. This can be accomplished by amplifying certain aspects of the beat using gate and expander plugins; however, care must be taken not to overprocess their sounds as this should still sound natural.
As an example, a simple double bass beat may provide the song with a strong foundation, leaving room for elements such as vocals, guitars and bass to build upon it. Modern metal sub genres like deathcore and metalcore frequently utilize breakdown beats which consist of complex syncopated patterns played hand to foot that can create powerful results when kept at constant tempos.
One of the primary mistakes new metal mixers make is overdoing their low-end frequencies, leading them to overpower their music with too much bass or not having enough boost in them; otherwise, the song will feel thin.
Although adding processing can enhance a metal track, the goal should always be to retain as much of its raw form as possible. Too much processing may remove listeners from feeling emotionally connected and engaged by this genre of music.
Some of the most beloved metal bands of all time have become iconic through their distinctive blend of distorted power chords, mystical lyrics, and flashy guitar and drum solos. Established by British bands such as Cream, Yardbirds and Jimi Hendrix in the mid 1960s, heavy metal was further defined in 1970s by Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Judas Priest (adding punk rock elements to their sound) to define heavy metal as we know it today.
Metal bands with the best tracks have their own signature sound that resonates with their audience. This may involve subtle elements like turning up overheads during choruses or automating big reverbs on key snare and floor tom hits; or emphasizing pinched harmonic guitar squeals through long panning delays. Fans expect metal music to feel as live as possible and a successful mix will achieve this goal.