First off. lets analyze the mathematics here...
With ONE 4 track recorder, you will NEVER get 16 tracks of sound to it.
On the first pass, You can record all 4 tracks and foldback to a single track (regardless of the method used to accomplish this mix).
Second pass, you have 3 tracks remaining and replicate the process, returning to the second single track... this yields 7 existing on 2.
Third pass, 2 tracks recorded and mixed back to track 3... (9 parts existing on 3 tracks).
Final pass: add one... only... 10 is your max... period... unless you've got machines hidden somewhere that you're not telling us about!... well?...
Now lets analyze the feasability of making something good with only four tracks to work with... ahhh, anyone ever hear of a little item known as Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band? Four tracks... the end! Now granted, THAT was reel to reel and, there IS only one George Martin on the planet, but regardless, One needs to keep in mind that the technical specs on todays cassette recorders are better than the specs on the 'state of the art' studio gear of yesteryear.
Finally, not to side with anyone here, but:
Just what exactly might be wrong with recording Guitar, Bass and drums in that order and at different times? It occurs all the time...
The only thing I can guess is that if I were a guitar player and I had absolutely NO farging sense of timing, then it might be a bit tough on my drummer to make a beat fit after the fact....
Well, it just so happens that I AM a guitar player but I DO have a farging sense of timing and: I can (and HAVE) laid rhythm guitar tracks onto a machine all alone... no one else was watching or playing or listening or even there when it happened... and then, guess what?... somehow they end up good enough to find their way into the root of a recording... sometimes, they need to be tweaked... sometimes, they don't.
I will point out that there are many ways to 'skin the proverbial cat'... people who cant skin well may argue that the way their neighbor skins MUST be wrong! The neighbor however, may be a consumate pro and has skinned thousands of cats in thousands of different ways... each one successful. Be careful what you call a bad idea! You may just be speaking from ignorance... rest assured, there ARE others out there who are masters of the 'bunk' we may consider impossible.
My sermon concludes...
Good Luck and best wishes to all.
Cordially,
the guitar half of "RockNGunz"
[This message has been edited by RockIt Recorder (edited 08-22-1999).]
[This message has been edited by RockIt Recorder (edited 08-22-1999).]