Huge Guitar Sound Using a Doubling Effect

Double-tracking, or just doubling, is a technique in which a second identical performance take is recorded on top of the first. The purpose is usually to produce a stronger or bigger sound than can be obtained with a single take. It's a form of overdubbing. The distinction, though, is we're doubling a part instead of recording a different part that interacts with the first. Vocal harmonies are an example of the latter. The effect of this technique can be further enhanced by panning one of the performances hard left and the other hard right.  The double-tracking effect is very beneficial for vocals or guitars, but it's worth saying it can also be used for various audio sources. The following tutorial will show you how to apply it on a guitar riff to make it sound bigger. As usual, we have prepared a short sequence in our SoundBridge: DAW. It contains all the essential elements of a full mix and a guitar riff. Let's have a quick listen.

~Full Mix - Guitar Riff (Unprocessed)

Our riff can sound wider and be more present in the whole mix. To that end, we will use the double-tracking concept. We can't ask the guitarist to perform another take for us now, so we'll need to use audio effects for the task. Many exist that are suitable. In this tutorial, we have chosen the MDoubleTracker by Melda Productions. Let's start by adding an instance of it to our guitar track.

The MDoubleTracker Parameters

As we can see from the picture above, the interface of the plugin is very straightforward. On the top part, there is a section with big DRY/WET and Focus knobs. DRY/WET, as you probably know, controls the balance between unprocessed and processed signals. The Focus defines the minimum frequency from which the stereo expansion will start to act. You can avoid widening and phasing issues in the low part of the frequency spectrum. Below, we have Space, Saturation, and Output gain parameters. Space controls the overall delay sizes used by the algorithm. This results in the feeling of smaller or bigger spaces in which the processed audio resides. You can essentially control the stereo field with this parameter. Saturation defines the amount of saturation applied to the signal. This generates higher harmonics, which makes the signal richer and more exciting.

Finally, Output gain establishes the level of processing applied to the output signal. Now, we have the Algorithm section below. In this section, the first thing is the mono switch, which is very useful to quickly adjust the parameters for maximum mono compatibility if that's relevant to your needs.  Moving forward, the Depth defines the length of the delays being used. Depth width controls the depth difference between the left and right channels. Delay lets you delay the stereo signals compared to the dry signal, and Delay Width controls the delay difference between the left and right channels. Detune defines the pitch shift applied on both channels. Aetune width controls the detuning difference between the left and right channels. Finally, we have the slope, which controls the separation between the bands - the higher the slope, the less overlap between bands. 

Doubling the Guitar

After introducing the MDoubleTracker and its control parameters, it's time to move to some practical audio examples.

As you can see from the picture above, we have set the DRY/WET parameter to 100%. The Focus is set to 200 Hz. The Space parameter is at 50%. We have increased the Saturation amount to a light 30% while the Output stayed at its default setting of 0 dB. In the algorithm section, the depth is around 26%, the delay is 25%, and the detune value is about 14%. Finally, the band separation, or slope, is at 6dB per octave. Overall, it's a rather subtle processing of the original sound. We can compare before and after in the audio examples below.

~Guitar Riff (Unprocessed)

~Guitar Riff (Processed With MDoubleTracker)

Finally, let's listen again to the guitar riff before and after processing in the context of the whole mix.

~Full Mix - Guitar Riff (Unprocessed)

~Full Mix - Guitar Riff (Processed With MDoubleTracker)