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Big_Grand
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:59 pm
Posts: 624
PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:16 pm 
 

So this thought came to my head recently about how I should be recording my tracks (guitar and bass) and what I should be listening to when I record them. I've always recorded my tracks while listening to a metronome as well as either the drum track I programmed or the midi of the song I'm recording I made in Tux guitar. My question is how do you guys go about recording your tracks in terms of what you listen to? Do you guys play the other tracks on headphones, the drums at least, a midi of the song, metronome, do you guys practice enough that you can record the track while listening to nothing?
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Cynical
Asshole

Joined: Wed Jun 02, 2004 12:16 am
Posts: 244
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:20 pm 
 

Sure as hell don't record to nothing lol. That's how to make a trainwreck.

I usually record with the drums in my headphones, and my amp loud enough to hear it over the drums.
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Twisted_Psychology
Metal freak

Joined: Sat May 16, 2009 8:22 pm
Posts: 6260
Location: United States
PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 5:27 pm 
 

I've always recorded with the drums in headphones for Spirit Division but I did play my bass parts to a click track on the demo that my new band Lavaborne just put out. The only time I've not played to some sort of beat was the acoustic EP I released which wasn't ever guaranteed to have percussion on it.

Either play to the drums or learn how to roll with a click.
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Awblaster
Metalhead

Joined: Mon Feb 08, 2010 6:07 pm
Posts: 617
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:08 pm 
 

My process goes like this:

I write with tuxguitar, so once that's all sorted I'll export a MIDI file from that and import it in to Pro Tools.

I'll then use the MIDI drums and a click track to record scratch guitar and bass tracks. I'll sometimes put in some vocal tracks as well, either straight up guide vocals or just directions/counts/reminders/abuse to make the recording easier.

I then record the drums, using the click and guide tracks.

After that, bass, using the click and drums mostly, but with some of the guide tracks as well. The priority here is locking in really tightly with the drums.

Guitar is next, and by now I should have a nice tight foundation. So I'll sometimes ease off on the click a bit and play to the drums and bass, but obviously with any guitar breaks I'll be playing to the click.

For vocals, I usually turn the click off and go with the music. Sometimes I'll bring the click back in though, if the vocal part is particularly rhythmically complex.

The only times I wouldn't use a click would be if I was doing some super groovy doom with a shit hot drummer, or playing total chaotic punked-up shit. With this release, we didn't use a click, and we just about got away with it - the tempos do change and flow about a bit, but it still feels mostly alright. We're most probably going to use clicks for the album though, we're pretty tight playing live, but not tight enough for total precision.
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thrashinbatman
Metalhead

Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2010 6:31 pm
Posts: 1534
PostPosted: Tue Nov 07, 2017 9:26 pm 
 

What you're doing is pretty much right. If you're really confident you can go to just the click, but I'd recommend going with a click as well as a scratch track of some sort. Since you're talking about bass and guitar, I'd recommend going with some programmed drums to help groove and make sure the song won't fall apart.

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RichardDeBenthall
Metal newbie

Joined: Tue Apr 19, 2016 2:46 am
Posts: 354
Location: United Kingdom
PostPosted: Wed Nov 08, 2017 11:02 am 
 

The only times I've recorded I've used a click track but honestly I've usually found it fairly off-putting.

We're going to record analogue at Toe Rag studios in London in February next year and we're doing that completely live. Obviously we're practicing our pants off now to get this right but tbf we play Doom and NWOBHM tinged rock music so its not like it makes much difference we're off beat occasionally.

They sure as hell were anyway. For more complex music I imagine being as tight as hell really does make a difference.

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ShaolinLambKiller
King Asshole

Joined: Fri Dec 07, 2007 6:10 pm
Posts: 13320
Location: United States
PostPosted: Wed Nov 08, 2017 2:07 pm 
 

pretty much work like this:

write/practice song on guitar. track scratch guitar with nothing. drums... listen to scratch guitar, guitar and bass... listen to drums with the scratch down low, once one of the final guitars are done I listen to them instead of scratch so they can be even tighter to each other and drums.

happily use click if someone sends it to me for me to record drums for their material. or if they have programmed drums I can use thta as a click and basis.
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Big_Grand
Metalhead

Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 11:59 pm
Posts: 624
PostPosted: Wed Nov 08, 2017 7:31 pm 
 

I'll admit with all the recordings I've done for Perdu en Soi or Satan Pope back in the day I've never done scratch tracks, I've only played to the midi until the track sounded good. Either I would delete the track if it wasn't satisfied, or I would mute it and compare to other tracks I record if I'm not quite sure. I think I will give that a shot for future recordings to see if it leads to better final recordings.
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newp
Veteran

Joined: Mon Apr 21, 2008 2:07 pm
Posts: 2697
Location: Canada
PostPosted: Thu Nov 09, 2017 6:44 pm 
 

I usually like recording scratch tracks for everything, but I'll mute whatever instrument when doing the final take.

Same with drums... I'm not a particularly good drummer mind you, but for whatever reason I always find playing to just a click a bit clunky, but playing to a click plus scratch or full tracks of the other instruments works way better for me.

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