Get Feedback on Your Metal Mix
Metal mixing is controlled chaos. You need a wall of guitars that sounds thick but defined, a kick drum that cuts through at 200+ BPM, and vocals that compete with some of the densest arrangements in music. The margin between "brutal" and "muddy" is razor-thin, and every frequency decision matters.
Common Metal Mixing Problems
Guitar Wall Sounds Muddy Instead of Thick
Quad-tracked guitars can quickly become an undefined wall of noise. The fix: tight high-pass filters (100–120 Hz), aggressive cuts in the 300–500 Hz mud zone, and precise panning with slight EQ differences between left and right pairs.
Kick Drum Vanishes in Double-Bass Sections
At high tempos, the kick needs a sharp, clicky attack (3–5 kHz beater sound) rather than a boomy fundamental. Replace or reinforce the kick sample, use fast-attack compression to tame the sustain, and carve the bass guitar out of the kick's click frequency.
Bass Guitar Is Inaudible
In metal, the bass often sits between the massive guitars and the sub of the kick. Distorting or adding harmonics to the bass (100–800 Hz) gives it a voice that cuts through. Bi-amping the bass — clean sub + distorted mids — is a classic metal technique.
Cymbal Wash Drowns the High End
Overheads in metal can create a constant sizzle that masks vocal presence and guitar bite. Multi-band compression on the overhead bus targeting 5–10 kHz, or dynamic EQ that ducks cymbals when vocals are present, restores clarity up top.
Vocals Lost in the Wall of Sound
Screamed and growled vocals occupy similar frequency ranges as distorted guitars. Automating a mid-range dip in the guitar bus (2–4 kHz) whenever vocals are active, or using sidechain dynamic EQ, creates a pocket for the vocal to sit in.
What You'll Learn About Your Mix
- Whether your guitar tone has definition or is masking other elements
- If your kick drum attack is strong enough for fast tempos
- How your bass guitar cuts through the guitar wall
- Whether cymbal wash is compromising high-frequency clarity
- If your vocal has a carved pocket in the dense arrangement
Choose Your Level of Feedback
Free Roast
Instant check on your guitar density, kick drum definition, and vocal presence — the critical balance points for any metal mix.
Pro Report — €19.99
Detailed analysis of guitar frequency distribution, kick attack clarity at tempo, bass audibility, cymbal harshness, and vocal pocket — compared against professional metal productions.
Mix Fix — €99.99
A metal-experienced engineer sculpts your guitar tone, tightens the low end, and carves vocal space through your wall of sound for a release-ready metal mix.
Frequently Asked Questions
High-pass aggressively at 100–120 Hz — the bass guitar and kick own that territory. Cut 300–500 Hz where mud lives, and boost around 1–3 kHz for definition. Quad-tracking with slightly different amp settings for each pair creates width while maintaining clarity.
Modern metal kicks need two components: sub-punch around 50–60 Hz for chest impact, and a sharp beater click around 3–5 kHz for definition at fast tempos. The 200–400 Hz range is often cut aggressively to remove boxiness and make room for guitar low-mids.
Screamed vocals need a dedicated frequency pocket. Use automation or sidechain EQ to dip the guitars 2–3 dB around 2–4 kHz when vocals are present. Compress the vocals heavily (6:1+ ratio) to keep them consistently above the guitar wall, and use a short slap delay to add size without reverb wash.
Common Problems in This Genre
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