elvis

[dobro]

Elvis recorded multiple (we're talking many, here) takes of vocal tracks when he started out. Nowadays, singers come in and do 1-3 takes of the vocal, cuz they're trying to capture the feeling and they don't want to wear things out by doing it to death. But I've heard those Elvis tracks. Were the vocals any less good because he did thirty takes per vocal? I don't think so. Do as many takes of any track as you like. If you're happy when you're recording them, they'll be great.

 

[witzendoz]

Not only did Elvis do multiple takes, it was the whole band that did multiple takes. Musicians today have no stamina LOL. I get vocalists that moan if I ask them to sing a song more than once, "can't you cut and paste?" wimps, get it right.

Alan.

 

[bongoboy]

Not only did Elvis do multiple takes, it was the whole band that did multiple takes. Musicians today have no stamina LOL. I get vocalists that moan if I ask them to sing a song more than once, "can't you cut and paste?" wimps, get it right.

Alan.

A yes, "can't you fix that with software?" .

 

[Btyre2013]

I have the same approach as Elvis, it's actually the best way to work, get it right at the SOURCE, just like the best film makers who will make actors to hundreds and hundreds of takes, like kubrick...to me it's just a normal part of recording.

 

[gecko zzed]

Not only did Elvis do multiple takes, it was the whole band that did multiple takes. Musicians today have no stamina LOL. I get vocalists that moan if I ask them to sing a song more than once, "can't you cut and paste?" wimps, get it right.

Alan.

Hmm . . . these days I am the one with no stamina! I really have little patience for singers who want to do take after take. There is a point of diminishing returns, and I have to make a judgement about whether the best will come from another take or whether to cut the losses and make do with what's there.

I am from the school of thought that says the best take is usually within the first half-a-dozen. I record practice run-throughs, because sometimes they end up being the best.

 

[c7sus]

Bob Dylan is known for doing very few takes.

According to Greil Marcus the released version of Like A Rolling Stone was the 6th take and the only take that contains the entirety of the song.

 

[witzendoz]

I am from the school of thought that says the best take is usually within the first half-a-dozen. I record practice run-throughs, because sometimes they end up being the best.

I do not disagree with this, however the number of times the singer says "thats the best I can do" which translated means "you will have to fix up what you have got coz I don't feel like trying anymore" is disappointing.

I find that I will try to record 3 takes of the vocal one after the other, and if there is not a stand out look at comping the 3, what I find usually happens is that the start of one take and the end of another seems to make the vocal work. Well, thats how I do my own vocals anyway. Some singers won't do 3 takes as they are exhausted LOL, how the hell do they do live gigs? Thats what I was referring to stamina.

Alan.

 

[c7sus]

I think three or four takes is a good place to quit, move on to something else and come back to it later.

If stuff isn't happening it's not happening. Trying to force it isn't gonna make it work out most of the time, IMHO.

I remember a Youtube vid of the Byrds flipping a bunch of shit at their drummer when he couldn't get it right. Pissing people off when they are on the clock isn't gonna get the desired results.

 

[scorpio01169]

Over the summer my old guitarist and his new band came to me about recording them and we discussed doing things as natural as possible and because I use an analog board and 24 track recorders instead of a daw we decided that we would take our time and dial in the drums and get the best sounding drums as possible. The drummer had been in the studio before and used triggers and was excited about hearing his drums. We were happy with the sounds coming from the drums, But.....the drummer was having problems with performances on a few songs, and my old guitar player let me know it wasn't a nervous studio issue because he had the same problems at practice. So after a full day of recording drums and not being able to come up with a decent full take on drums, we decided that they needed to practice and work out his issues. 5 months later I have come to find out they are gonna record somewhere else and use triggers to fix his issues in post. I'm disappointed by the fact that they're gave up on trying to get the drummer to be a better drummer, but more angry that they didn't have the balls to tell me that they're going elsewhere and I had to find out through social media.

 

[brownta_30240]

It just happens that I live in the same small town as Elvis' & Roy Orbison's producer/ recording engineer. Next time I run into him at the store I'll have to ask him about this & report back.