Multitrack Recording Question

[lindberg711]

Hello everybody.
When recording, we have made an interesting discovery that we do not know the solution to and thought some of you could be of assistance. You see, although we always recorded using multitracking, we always recorded everything totally separate (Drums first, then guitar, bass, etc.). Now that we try to record more than one thing at a time, for example bass and guitar at the same time, we run into a problem. Although we are recording two separate tracks for bass and guitar, we get the same exact thing on both tracks. So rather than bass on one of the tracks and guitar on the other, we have two tracks of both the bass and guitar. I was wondering why this is and maybe how we could assign a certain channel to a certain track or something of that nature. The equipment we are using are a standard mixer, MBox 2, and a computer and protools for editing. If you have ANY information or suggestions on the solution to this, PLEASE post a reply to this with what you know. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and possibly post a reply to it as well, thank you for your time.
Happy Recording

[Dogman]

I believe what you need to do, is assign individual channels to each seperate sound, and do this throughout your chain. I don't use a mixer, so I can't help with that. I know in software, you need to make sure the input is exactly the one you want. Sorry, not much help, but just follow the path, and make sure everything is set to capture one thing, and do this with each sound you wish to capture.
Ed

[bennychico11]

are you recording with headphones on? if not, is it possible you are listening to the bass track through speakers which in turn is being picked up by the microphone and re-recording it?

i'm confused on what is exactly happening. There shouldn't be anyway to record two tracks at one time unless you tell Pro Tools to. If you create a single mono track and then arm that track and set it's input to Channel 1....when you press record it's only going to record what is coming in through Channel 1 and place it on that track only.

also, how are you sending signal into the Mbox? Are you plugging your mixer's main outs into channels 1-2? Could it be you're creating two mono tracks in PT, putting them both in record mode and sending the guitar track through the mixer via Channel 1 panned in the middle? This would result in the sound coming out of the mixer in both Left and Right channels, and sending the same guitar signal to Channels 1-2 of Pro Tools....which could be what is happening, maybe?

[lindberg711]

You pretty much answered my question in paragraph two of that post, which is to assign it to a channel... How exactly would you assign this and how would you assign it if it were to be a stereo track that is in 2 channels but you want it on one track? thx

[bennychico11]

in pro tools you have the option of creating Mono tracks and Stereo tracks. Stereo tracks are the same as two mono tracks panned Left and Right...but they are combined so that you have one fader for volume control and can add a single plugin to effect both L and R equally. Back in the old days of Pro Tools, stereo tracks were considered two mono tracks...it sucked.

If you're plugging in your mixer's outputs into channel 1 and 2 of the Mbox, you can record a stereo track simply by going to File->New Track and tell it to make one stereo track. In the Mix window you can click on the input section and tell Pro Tools to look at inputs 1-2. When you arm the track, Pro Tools will be looking at Channels 1-2 for signal...which will be from your mixer.

However, if you're recording a mono source like a bass or something...typically you want to record it in mono though. There's no point to record the same thing in both L and R channels. What you can do is pan the bass track on your outboard mixer hard Left. This will send signal out of your mixer only in the left channel (which is going to Input 1 of the Mbox). Then inside of Pro Tools you create a single mono track and set it's input to Channel 1.

Hope that helps.

[lindberg711]

It absolutely helps, especially that last paragraph. Thank you for your time! I will definately apply these techniques.