How to create WIDE metal guitars

Everybody loves wider mixes, right? That feeling when the guitars seem to stretch beyond the speakers, creating an immersive, powerful soundscape is something many metal producers chase. But how do you actually achieve that coveted width on your rhythm guitars without making your mix fall apart? Joel Wanasek from Unstoppable Recording Machine (and co-founder of Nail The Mix) dropped some serious knowledge on this, and we’re here to break it down for you.

Whether you're looking for a quick plugin solution or want to get surgical with manual techniques, understanding how stereo widening works and its potential pitfalls is key. Let’s dive into some practical ways to add that impressive width to your metal guitars. And if you're serious about taking your metal productions to the next level, stick around to see how you can learn even more from pros like Joel at Nail The Mix.

Key Considerations Before You Widen

Before you start slapping wideners on everything, Joel points out a few crucial things to keep in mind:

• Detachment from the Mix: The wider you make an element, the more it can feel disconnected from the rest of your mix. Extreme width can make your guitars sound like they're floating in a different space, losing that cohesive "gel" with the kick, snare, and bass.
• Mono Compatibility: This is a big one. If your widening technique isn't mono-compatible, your guitars might sound thin, phasey, or even disappear when the mix is played in mono (like on some club systems or small speakers). Some plugins are designed to be mono-compatible, which is a huge plus.
• Frequency Dependency: Width is often perceived more easily in higher frequencies. A thin, bright sound will generally appear wider than a thick, darker sound. This is an important concept, especially when we get to using EQ for widening.

Widening Metal Guitars with Plugins: The Easy Route

Plugins are often the quickest way to add stereo width. Joel demonstrated a couple, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.

Waves S1 Imager: Simple Yet Effective

The Waves S1 Stereo Imager is a popular choice due to its straightforward "Width" control.

• How it Works: You simply increase the width knob to push your stereo guitars further apart.
• Subtlety is Key: Joel mentions that for a subtle enhancement, a setting around 1.2 (or 0.2 above the default 1.0 if thinking in terms of additive width as he verbalizes it like "+0.2") can add a nice touch. He personally rarely goes beyond 1.15 to 1.3 in his most extreme mixes.
• The "Headache" Risk: It's incredibly easy to overdo it with plugins like the S1. Pushing the width too far (he demonstrates cranking it) can quickly lead to that detached, phasey sound. Joel even shares a story about a client getting actual headaches from mixes where he had overused stereo widening! This was a wake-up call for him to use it much more judiciously. If it starts to sound "weird" or disconnected, dial it back.

Mono-Compatible Options: Boz Digital Labs Side Winder

For situations where mono compatibility is a high priority, Joel showcases a plugin like the "Side Winder" (likely referring to the Boz Digital Labs Side Winder).

• Mono Safety: Plugins designed for mono compatibility aim to give you that wide stereo image while ensuring the mix still sounds solid and retains its punch when collapsed to mono. This is a significant advantage over some older or simpler widening algorithms.
• Different Flavors: Such plugins often come with different modes or algorithms, allowing you to choose a widening character that best suits your material.

The Manual “Haas” Widening Technique: Total Control

If you want maximum control and a potentially more natural-sounding width, the manual method is a powerful option. This technique leverages the Haas effect by creating slight time differences between signals panned to opposite speakers. Here’s how Joel breaks it down:

Setting Up Your Tracks for Manual Width

Imagine you have your main rhythm guitars, typically a Left-panned track (GTR L) and a Right-panned track (GTR R).

1. Duplicate Your Guitars: Create duplicates of both your GTR L and GTR R tracks. Let's call them GTR L_FX and GTR R_FX.
2. Swap the Panning: This is crucial.
   • Pan GTR L_FX (which contains the audio from your original Left guitar) hard Right.
   • Pan GTR R_FX (which contains the audio from your original Right guitar) hard Left.
3. Color-Coding: Joel suggests color-coding these FX tracks differently from your main guitars to keep things organized.

Dialing in the Phase Shift (Time Sliding)

Now, with your original GTR L panned Left and its FX counterpart (GTR L_FX) panned Right (and vice-versa for the Right guitars), you need to introduce a time difference.

1. Slip Edit/Nudge: On the GTR L_FX and GTR R_FX tracks, slightly shift the audio later in time. Most DAWs allow you to "slip edit" audio within a region or nudge regions by small increments (milliseconds).
2. The Haas Window: You're aiming for a very small delay, typically within the Haas effect window – generally under 30-35 milliseconds. This tricks the brain into perceiving the slightly delayed signal as part of the original sound, but coming from a wider space, rather than as a distinct echo. Joel mentions pushing it "pretty far" back in his example but still within reason to avoid a sloppy echo.
3. By Ear: The exact amount of delay is best set by ear. Listen for what sounds wide and cohesive without becoming messy.
4. Blend to Taste: Link the faders of your GTR L_FX and GTR R_FX tracks. Start with them muted or very low, and slowly bring them up underneath your main GTR L and GTR R tracks. You'll hear the image widen as you blend in these phase-shifted, cross-panned signals.

Next Level: Frequency-Specific Widening with EQ

Here’s where things get really cool. Joel demonstrates how you can use EQ on your manually created "width" tracks (GTR L_FX and GTR R_FX) to control which frequencies get the widening treatment. This is a fantastic way to add targeted width without making the entire guitar signal feel overly processed.

• Targeting Highs for Airy Width: Remember how higher frequencies are easier to perceive as wide? You can exploit this. On your GTR L_FX and GTR R_FX tracks, try adding a high-shelf boost or a wide bell boost in the upper frequencies (e.g., around 5kHz or higher, as Joel demonstrates). When you blend these EQ'd FX tracks in, the high-end of your guitars will sound significantly wider and more airy, while the low-mids and fundamentals remain more focused. This can be great for adding shimmer and definition.
  • Pro Tip: To really get surgical with these kinds of EQ moves, explore advanced EQ Strategies for Mixing Modern Metal.
• Targeting Mids for Thicker Width: Conversely, you could boost a range in the midrange (Joel tries around 1kHz and also lower mids) on your FX tracks. This will make the width itself feel thicker and have more body in that specific frequency area.

Experiment with different EQ curves on your width tracks to sculpt the character of your stereo image. This offers much more finesse than a simple broadband widener.

The Trade-Offs: Don’t Go Overboard

As with many mixing techniques, moderation is key. Joel emphasizes the trade-offs:

• Too Wide = Disconnected: The wider you go, the higher the risk of your guitars feeling separate from the core of your mix.
• Phase Issues: Aggressive widening, especially with less sophisticated tools or extreme manual settings, can lead to phase incoherence, making your guitars sound hollow, thin, or just plain weird, particularly in mono.

So, while these techniques are powerful, always A/B your changes and listen critically in the context of the full mix. Does it really make the song better, or is it just a cool effect in solo?

Want to See This in Action (And Learn a TON More)?

Watching Joel Wanasek explain these stereo widening concepts is one thing, but imagine seeing him, or other world-class metal producers, apply these and countless other techniques to real songs by bands like Gojira, Periphery, or Lamb of God.

That’s exactly what Nail The Mix offers. Each month, you get the raw multitracks from a massive metal song and watch the original producer mix it from scratch, live, explaining every plugin choice, every fader move, and every creative decision.

You’ll see firsthand how pros:

• Dial in face-melting guitar tones.
• Get drums to punch through the mix.
• Make vocals sit perfectly.
• Use automation to bring their mixes to life.
• And yes, apply techniques like stereo widening with taste and precision.

Beyond the monthly live mixing sessions, you get access to a massive library of tutorials, exclusive mixing plugins, and a supportive community of fellow metalheads all striving to improve their craft. If you’re ready to move Beyond Presets and Unlock Your Sound in Modern Metal, this is the place to be.

So, try out these guitar widening techniques on your next metal mix. Experiment with plugins and the manual Haas method, and don't forget the power of frequency-specific EQ on your width tracks. Happy widening!