Tallah Guitar Mixing: Josh Schroeder on Chainsaws & Clarity

Mixing guitars for a band as sonically diverse and aggressive as Tallah isn't for the faint of heart. When you've got a blend of tones from different eras, including older EP material and freshly tracked power, creating a cohesive yet face-melting guitar sound requires a smart approach. In a deep dive into his session for Tallah's material, producer Josh Schroeder (known for his work with King 810, Lorna Shore, and Varials) shared some killer insights, particularly focusing on the guitar mix bus. Let's break down how he wrangles these chaotic six-strings into submission, from raw tracking philosophies to nuanced bus processing. If you're looking to elevate your own heavy guitar mixes, these techniques are gold.

The Foundation: Rhythm Guitars as the Unshakeable Core

Josh emphasizes that rhythm guitars are paramount – they're the constant, the backbone of the record. While leads and effects (reverbs, delays, chorus, wah) provide color and excitement, the rhythm tone needs to be undeniably solid.

When approaching the Tallah record, which you can explore in depth on Nail The Mix, Josh encountered some pre-existing tracks from an older EP. These presented unique challenges, particularly with oddly center-panned guitars that risked clouding the vocals. Without a clear understanding of the original recording philosophy (due to lineup changes and time passed), Josh had to manage these existing elements carefully, often relying on EQ strategies to make them sit right. This highlights a crucial point: understanding the "why" behind tracking decisions can save a lot of headaches in the mix.

For the newer material, however, the approach was more direct and focused on raw, authentic tones.

Capturing the Beast: Minimal Editing & Pedal-Driven Aggression

When it came to the main rhythm guitars, like those in "Overconfidence," Josh’s philosophy was clear: keep it raw and let the performance shine. He points out guitarist Derrick is a fantastic player, and heavy editing would strip away his unique feel, sanitizing the "animalistic" nature of Tallah's sound. The goal wasn't a hyper-gridded, "super fantastical" production, but something that felt alive and untamed.

A significant portion of the tone was achieved "on the way in" during tracking, with a heavy reliance on Derrick’s substantial pedalboard. Key to this was the infamous Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal. Josh loves its iconic "chainsaw" character, particularly the Japanese-made versions, which are highly sought after for their specific gnarly buzzsaw quality. He even mentions having made similar wave-shaping tones with a Kemper, though the original pedal has a unique magic. The resulting tones are described as reminiscent of a 5153 – just pure, unadulterated aggression.

Sculpting the Sound: Strategic EQ and Pitch Enhancement

Even with great source tones, some shaping is always necessary. Josh walked through his guitar bus processing, revealing how he refines the raw power.

EQ Moves for Punch and Definition

The initial rhythm guitar tone, while powerful, could sound a bit dull without some EQ. Josh's approach involves:

• Boosting Top-End: To bring out clarity, he found himself liking frequencies around 4.7kHz.
• Adding "Air": A subtle boost around 1.4kHz (though he humorously admits he might not even hear that high!) seemed to add a pleasant airiness.
• Surgical Cuts: Boosting highs can also accentuate unwanted frequencies. He identified and notched out a "toothbrush whistle" type of sound – a reminder that targeted cuts are just as important as boosts. For more on refining your EQ skills, check out these strategies.

Adding Weight with Post-Distortion Pitch Shifting

For an extra layer of sonic mayhem, particularly on tracks like "Murder Seed," Josh employs a pitch-shifting plugin after the distortion. This creates a different effect than using a pitch pedal like a Digitech Whammy before an amp, where the pitched signal itself gets distorted. Here, the already distorted tone is processed, adding a low octave that, when combined with the HM-2, sounds absolutely sick and nasty.

Widening the Field & Streamlining Workflow

Beyond fundamental tone shaping, Josh uses a couple of other tricks to enhance the guitars and his overall process.

Subtle Stereo Enhancement

To give the rhythm guitars a bit more width without introducing phase problems, Josh uses a simple stereo enhancer – in this case, a default Reaper plugin. He stresses that he doesn't push it too hard, relying on his ears to find the sweet spot. It’s a great reminder that you don’t always need complex or expensive tools; understanding basic stock plugins can yield excellent results. Trust your ears – if it sounds good, it is good.

The All-In-One Session Advantage

A quick but valuable insight into Josh's workflow is his preference for keeping the entire album within a single DAW session. This allows him to jump between songs instantly, compare tones, and maintain a holistic view of the record. For him, it speeds up workflow and helps manage his "ADHD tendencies," ensuring he can always switch focus if he gets stuck or bored with one particular track.

Dynamic EQ: Making Space for Maniacal Vocals

One of the most interesting techniques Josh reveals is his use of multi-band filtering (essentially dynamic EQ) on the guitar bus to create space for Justin Bonitz's intense vocals.

Justin’s vocal delivery is often described as "animalistic," sometimes even occupying a similar frequency range as the guitars. To ensure vocal clarity without sacrificing guitar power, Josh sets up a multi-band filter (he mentions using two instances for different purposes) on the guitar bus.

• High-Frequency Ducking for Vocals: One filter is sidechained to the main vocal bus. When Justin's vocals come in, this filter subtly ducks some of the high frequencies in the guitars. This carve-out is dynamic; when the vocals stop, the guitars regain their full high-end presence. Your ear naturally follows the vocals, and then when they pause, the slightly brighter guitars draw your attention back. He keeps this effect relatively subtle, but effective.
• Low-End Mud Control: Another instance of multi-band filtering is used to tackle low-end buildup, especially during heavy chugging sections. This helps clean up muddiness that can accumulate and make the mix feel cluttered.

This approach aligns with the principle that a listener typically focuses on one primary element at a time. By intelligently managing frequency clashes, Josh ensures the vocals cut through when present, and the guitars remain engaging and clear when they take center stage.

Bringing Tallah's Calculated Chaos Together

Mixing Tallah's guitars is a masterclass in balancing raw aggression with intelligent, surgical processing. From embracing the character of pedals like the HM-2 and preserving the player's natural feel, to strategic EQ carving and dynamic vocal-ducking, Josh Schroeder employs a range of techniques to achieve a powerful, clear, and undeniably heavy sound.

Want to see exactly how Josh Schroeder dials in these tones and makes every element of a dense metal mix like Tallah's "King 810" sit perfectly? On Nail The Mix, you get to watch pros like Josh mix entire songs from scratch, using the actual multi-tracks. You can dive deep into this specific Tallah session and learn how to apply these concepts to your own productions. If you're ready to move beyond presets and truly unlock your sound in modern metal mixing, seeing these techniques in action is invaluable.