Doubling Parts

[SilverCarvin]

I've seen references to doubling guitar parts, solos, etc. Is this usually done by actually re-recording the part, or via a cut and paste of the original part into a new track and using the mix to create a bigger effect?

 

[EdWonbass]

I've seen references to doubling guitar parts, solos, etc. Is this usually done by actually re-recording the part, or via a cut and paste of the original part into a new track and using the mix to create a bigger effect?

I think it can be done both ways. Copying a track can give you the same take but you can process the audio differently on the copy track to give it a different sound. Doing a completely new take of the same part will give it some thickness because of the parts not being exact.

 

[LRosario]

I think it can be done both ways. Copying a track can give you the same take but you can process the audio differently on the copy track to give it a different sound. Doing a completely new take of the same part will give it some thickness because of the parts not being exact.

Oh no no, watch out with that. Copying the sound isn't the same as playing the part a second time. If you pair up two identical copies, you basically get one big odd and thin sounding thing.


Silver Carvin: Try this if you can...



Record a basic guitar part (distortion, power cords galore, etc). Then pan it all the way left or right. Record that same thing again along side the previous track, pan it opposite to your previous track. You now have a summed mono, fatter sounding guitar.

That's what you refer to as doubling. But once you realize that you can get wicked complex with that ( imagine 16 tracks of similar guitar parts) then the creativity suddenly goes up a few notches.


It's not limited to guitars...so try it on vox, bass, horns, etc....see what you get

 

[SilverCarvin]

Yeah I've done that sort of thing before with guitar parts (strumming a chord on one track and arpeggiating it on another), but I've never payed with the mix much. I didn't know if doubling meant an exact copy or something like you just described.