When + why do YOU multitrack guitars

T

TylerDrums109

New member
Wheres the need to do so?...i do artificial multitracking in which i double both guitar tracks and pan them hard left and right (two guitar players)...can't you achieve the right tone with just ONE track...i've been getting descent to good results with one track...so yeah shed some light on why YOU do it and when you tend to use it...whether you multitrack all the time...or rarely...again i know theres no Perfect and only time to do this...but i would like to hear some from you guys on the subject
 
Artificial multi-tracking doesn't get the job done. It just takes your one track and makes it louder. It's still the same sound. Even if you nudge it, your just creating a delay the hard way.

Actually playing the part twice introduces a myriad of subtle difference that go a long way to creating a thicker sound than one track can. Furthermore, when you record your second track with a different guitar, a different amp, a different mic, or different chord voicings, you're adding yet more texture to that guitar sound. Again--creating a "wall of sound" that a single (or duplicated) track can't create.

(Bonus round: consider all the above options with 4 takes spread across the stereo field!)
 
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TylerDrums109 said:
Wheres the need to do so?...i do artificial multitracking in which i double both guitar tracks and pan them hard left and right (two guitar players)...can't you achieve the right tone with just ONE track...i've been getting descent to good results with one track...so yeah shed some light on why YOU do it and when you tend to use it...whether you multitrack all the time...or rarely...again i know theres no Perfect and only time to do this...but i would like to hear some from you guys on the subject
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The technique of multi-tracking guitars, like any other technique, is used to achieve a specific sound. If you want your guitars to sound like most metal guitars, for instance, you typically can not get that sound without tracking multiple guitar takes. The reason being, the little differences between the two takes adds a thickness that you typically can't get by performing the piece only once.

Think of what one violin sounds like, vs. multiple violins in an orchestra.


*edit: bah, damn you white strat! Just a few seconds too quick for me :p hah
 
I do it because it's fun......:p
and I love that steam-roller, wall-of-sound, flatten-everything-in-your-way, judgement-day tone. Makes me feel all kinda warm.......:D
 
WhiteStrat said:
Actually playing the part twice introduces a myriad of subtle difference that go a long way to creating a thicker sound than one track can. .... Again--creating a "wall of sound" that a single (or duplicated) track can't create.
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steve.h said:
... you typically can not get that sound without tracking multiple guitar takes. The reason being, the little differences between the two takes adds a thickness that you typically can't get by performing the piece only once.
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ECHO ECHO Echo echo echo ....




:D
 
You can create some great soundscapes on tracks by multitracking and using different sounds, tones & effects. Listen to some Adrian Belew stuff. ;)
 
When recording a guitar player alone I like to record a direct track so I can come back later and tweak or create other sounds to replace or augment the recorded amp sound. One player I recorded and doctored his tones had me revamp his set up to get the tones I created.
 
I double track rhythm guitars and pan them out as standard. Not to achieve a hard rock/metal wall of sound type thing, just cos I've always done it and it ads a nice dimension as opposed to a single rhythm guit track. But lately I've been thinking maybe an acoustic guitar recorded in stereo would achieve what I'm attempting a bit better, could be more spacious and natural sounding than doubling guitars. My stuff doesn't tend to be very dense, mix wise, so I think I could get away with it. All this thinking will cost me money cos I'll need a stereo pair of sdc's to find out if I'm right or wrong. Doubled guitars sound cool though and it is kinda required at times, especially with harder stuff but basically I've been asking myself your very question for a while.
 
jimmi said:
I double track rhythm guitars and pan them out as standard. Not to achieve a hard rock/metal wall of sound type thing, just cos I've always done it and it ads a nice dimension as opposed to a single rhythm guit track. But lately I've been thinking maybe an acoustic guitar recorded in stereo would achieve what I'm attempting a bit better, could be more spacious and natural sounding than doubling guitars. My stuff doesn't tend to be very dense, mix wise, so I think I could get away with it. All this thinking will cost me money cos I'll need a stereo pair of sdc's to find out if I'm right or wrong. Doubled guitars sound cool though and it is kinda required at times, especially with harder stuff but basically I've been asking myself your very question for a while.
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I think you'll find that stereo recording an acoustic will do the job quite nicely and quite often. I usually try acoustic parts both ways--double tracked, and stereo. It varies by the tune and the mix, but I often use the single stereo take instead of the double tracked take.

I find the same to NOT be true for electric. If I'm going for that kind of depth, I double track. With an acoustic, there seems to be enough difference in the information the two mics are picking up to create a nice stereo spread--not so with electric. Just the same thing in two places--which doesn't create much depth.
 
You don't have to double guitars. But, it sounds alot better. The first episode of The Metal Shop Podcast explains this very well, check it out! (It gives examples of the differences)
 
Farno said:
You don't have to double guitars. But, it sounds alot better. The first episode of The Metal Shop Podcast explains this very well, check it out! (It gives examples of the differences)
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Thanks will do...i think the sound i have most recently gotten single tracked sounds fine...but maybe i should mic up my amp with both my SM57 and my Audix F12 (very different characteristics, both very nice) i can achieve a thicker sound. Sounds like a good idea no?
 
TylerDrums109 said:
Thanks will do...i think the sound i have most recently gotten single tracked sounds fine...but maybe i should mic up my amp with both my SM57 and my Audix F12 (very different characteristics, both very nice) i can achieve a thicker sound. Sounds like a good idea no?
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It could help, but you will start to introduce many phase variables to your sound, and it still won't be the same as two separate performances.

There are no short-cuts, my friend, and in fact, playing it twice should be the easiest thing to do if the player is at all well-practiced. If the player isn't well-practiced enough to double his/her parts, perhaps they shouldn't be recording until they are!
 
Steve.h the actual real double tracking is something i will have no problem doing...i just wanted to throw another option to try on top of double tracking out there and see how people responded.
 
steve.h said:
I was just making sure: it seemed like you were trying to find ways around it!
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Thank you for the solid advice...but no i would not try to find a way around properly doing something...if you dont do something right the first time your gonna have to come back and do it later if you wish to achieve the results you are after
 
TylerDrums109 said:
Thanks will do...i think the sound i have most recently gotten single tracked sounds fine...but maybe i should mic up my amp with both my SM57 and my Audix F12 (very different characteristics, both very nice) i can achieve a thicker sound. Sounds like a good idea no?
Click to expand...

Yup using two different mics can sound pretty cool, but you have to watch out for phase issues like Steve said. Actually there is no reason to not throw both mics up there and still double track as well.
I've started throwing up a second mic every time I record guitars I set up my trusty sm57 up against the grill where I know I'm going to get a decent sound and then use another mic to experiment with.
That way if the experiment is a failure I don't ruin a good take.
 
Double tracking has a unique sound which can't be faked. That being said, you have to be careful in building up too big a guitar track. I remember a Godsmack tune that just had this thunderous guitar sound. Then came the solo which sounded horribly tiny by comparison.

I'm not a metal player, so more often than not when I double track not only will I use a different guitar and amp but I'll typically play a different part or at least voice the chords differently to add some real depth to the track. When I really need to emphasize a line, I like to double it with a different instrument entirely such as bass or a synth line.
 
Yonce N Mild said:
Yup using two different mics can sound pretty cool, but you have to watch out for phase issues like Steve said. Actually there is no reason to not throw both mics up there and still double track as well.
I've started throwing up a second mic every time I record guitars I set up my trusty sm57 up against the grill where I know I'm going to get a decent sound and then use another mic to experiment with.
That way if the experiment is a failure I don't ruin a good take.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing. In fact, one of my amps usually has two mics on it all the time--a dynamic and a ribbon. I usually record with both of em. I still double track, but now I've got 4 options. Maybe I'll use the 57 from take and the ribbon from take 2--or vice versa. (Sometimes both from both! Lately I'm really liking the mix of a classic dynamic with a ribbon for distorted guitar.)
 
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