Many of you have this simple problem.

The guitar keeps getting in the way of the vocal. It drowns it out with the rocking riffs or spacious chords.

Not that the guitar isn't sounding absolutely amazing. 

It's just that the vocal is kind of the main point here. It's all about the vocal. Unless there's a solo, the guitar shouldn't be drowning out the vocal.

However, before you start resorting to tricky EQ tricks like scooping the high-mids out of the guitar to make room for the vocal - a trick commonly used to make those two instruments fit together - try this.

Turn the Guitar Down

Just use the volume! 

That fader is a great mixing tool. Especially if you also automate it so that it weaves up and down with the vocal.

Maybe the guitar is drowning out your vocal because it's just too plain loud. If you are a guitarist(and I am) then you have probably made this mistake time and again(I have).

If the vocal fits with everything else, maybe the guitar is just being a big fat bully. Turn that sucker down and notice how much space the vocal gets immediately.

There's this tendency to keep pushing the volume up on everything while you're mixing. 

The first order of business while mixing is to get the levels right. You can make a well recorded song sit right from the start by just using the faders. 

Then, after all the EQ and compression, you should keep track of how that affects the levels you set in the beginning.

Side-Chain Guitar Dance

If you can't get a good result using just the volume of the guitar, try using side-chain compression to make the guitar breathe with the vocal. 

That way the guitar can duck out of the way every time the vocal comes in. It's a nice little dance between the instrument that works well without you having to resort to any drastic EQ changes.

However, EQ is still your most valuable tool when it comes to mixing. Side-chain compression and fancy mixing tricks are great when you just can't get instruments to fit together, but EQ is still your first stop to creating space for everything in your mix.

Let's take a family photo!

Think about the frequency spectrum like a big family photo. You have to put everyone together and uncle Rick can't stand in front of little cousin Sally. Fucking Rick. Always being an asshole. 

Move him into the back with the other black sheep and you'll have a nice family photo people can still stand to look at in ten years...

You know who I'm talking about. There's always one in every family. If you can't figure out who it is...hate to break it to you bub, it might be you... :/

Anyhoo...that's exactly what you do when you're EQ'ing. You give each instrument a little space in the frequency spectrum. And then you try to get rid of the annoying frequencies as much as you can.

That includes you Rick. No...further back...yep...just a little further. Yep, actually...just come back later. We'll photoshop you in...maybe.

To learn more about making all your favorite frequency fit together like a real loving family, check out EQ Strategies - Your Ultimate Guide to EQ