Mike Freze
New member
Hello! I have been doing a lot of experimenting with my recording lately (I use Cubase LE). It seems most books on the subject encourage one to record the drums first (alone or with the bass track) to get that foundation/rhythm part of the project down first so everything else you record later follows that foundation.
Then you here of doing your melodic instruments next (rhythm guitar/piano) along with a "rough" vocal track. Then comes the orchestral instruments for added arragements, maybe followed by the last step of final vocal tracks to finish it off.
If one is promoting original songs, I sometimes wonder if it's best to start out for your initial track with the melodic instrument FIRST (say, rhythm guitar or piano) along with a rough vocal track to set the foundation for the rest of the recorded tracks. THEN lay down the drums/bass tracks secondly. Why? Because the basic song dictates what type of feel, foundation, style, etc. you are shooting for. That means listening to the melody line, the way the vocalist phrases a song, the ebb and flow of the melody and vocals, and so on. In other words, have all the recorded tracks work around the basic melody, style, and melodic tempo to keep the song as the main focus (not the background insstrumentation).
How can foundational tracks (drums/bass) record their parts first if they don't have a clue as to the structure of the song, the style, or have a vocal melody line play against to compliment that song? Seems to me it should be in this order: rhythm guitar or piano track first along with a rough vocal; then the drums and bass; then the orchestra sounds, and final vocals re-recorded after all the music is laid down.
Am I wrong in this approach? Recorded drums and bass first is great if you are composing and looking for a "groove" to build a guitar or piano part around (you could even use a drum/bass pattern off your external electric keyboard for this). It might suggest a certain type of guitar rhythm, the types of chords (and how many) you play along with the foundation, the genre you want to write in, and so on. But sometimes doing this makes one "force" his new songwriting project to adhere to what drum or bass pattern that was pre-selected.
Any suggestions or insights you may have would be greatly appreciated.
Mike Freze
Then you here of doing your melodic instruments next (rhythm guitar/piano) along with a "rough" vocal track. Then comes the orchestral instruments for added arragements, maybe followed by the last step of final vocal tracks to finish it off.
If one is promoting original songs, I sometimes wonder if it's best to start out for your initial track with the melodic instrument FIRST (say, rhythm guitar or piano) along with a rough vocal track to set the foundation for the rest of the recorded tracks. THEN lay down the drums/bass tracks secondly. Why? Because the basic song dictates what type of feel, foundation, style, etc. you are shooting for. That means listening to the melody line, the way the vocalist phrases a song, the ebb and flow of the melody and vocals, and so on. In other words, have all the recorded tracks work around the basic melody, style, and melodic tempo to keep the song as the main focus (not the background insstrumentation).
How can foundational tracks (drums/bass) record their parts first if they don't have a clue as to the structure of the song, the style, or have a vocal melody line play against to compliment that song? Seems to me it should be in this order: rhythm guitar or piano track first along with a rough vocal; then the drums and bass; then the orchestra sounds, and final vocals re-recorded after all the music is laid down.
Am I wrong in this approach? Recorded drums and bass first is great if you are composing and looking for a "groove" to build a guitar or piano part around (you could even use a drum/bass pattern off your external electric keyboard for this). It might suggest a certain type of guitar rhythm, the types of chords (and how many) you play along with the foundation, the genre you want to write in, and so on. But sometimes doing this makes one "force" his new songwriting project to adhere to what drum or bass pattern that was pre-selected.
Any suggestions or insights you may have would be greatly appreciated.
Mike Freze