In what order do you prefer to record?

[MK-Ultra]

drum programming (my least favourite part of the process);
Rhythm instruments, either guitar(s) or keys;
bass;
lead vocals;
harmony vocals;
lead instrument(s)

 

[crosstudio]

drums (sequenced)
midi bass
midi rhythm guitar
keys
orchestra/pads/horns
lil' add ins, samples and stuff
real bass
real rhythm guitar
real rhythm guitar 2nd track
real lead guitar
back vocals
lead vocals

 

[Mark7]

Well, ideally, I'd work something like this:

Drums, bass, guide vocal and scratch guitar
Bounce drums to two tracks and add percussion as a live overdub
Acoustic guitar and backing vocals
Bounce bass, acoustic and b. vox down to two tracks
Lead vocal, lead and second guitars and keyboard

That's if I had a band to work with. As it is my method tends to be:

Drum machine (yawn), guide vocal and scratch guitar
Percussion
Bass
Bounce drums and percussion
Acoustic
1st backing vocal
2nd backing vocal
bounce as above
Lead vocal
Lead guitar
Second guitar
Cheap casio

It's a drag.

 

[Atterion]

Well we always try to record our stuff 100% live, and then solo the tracks to see what might need a re-record. And the order we re-record tracks (or record original tracks if we weren't all available to do a song that day) is:

Drums
Piano
Bass
(always try do those 3 together)

Guitars (Together or Rhythm then solo)
Synths
vocals (Together or Lead then Backing)
Second Bass Part or Re-amped Bass (From first part)

 

[Dr_Sbaitso]

I've done it many ways, in fact I can't really think of any recordings I've recorded the same way.

Its nice to start with drums, but because we frequently would work without a drummer we would jam on the guitar and bass til we were happy, and then work out some drums. then we would record the drums and guitar to a demo track. I'd use that to record the drums, then dump the first track. then we would add guitar and bass, then overdub more guitars until the arrangement was needlessly complex. then sometimes add keys and maybe vox.
My favourite stuff was just inviting a few friends over and playing. mic it up as best as we could, and go for it, recording as many seperate tracks as we could. they had bleed all over them, but the performance just worked so much better.

the band Im recording at the moment, we will generally just put down two mics and capture the song, then use that as a guide to go back and re-do it track by track. because its a home environment it works well, but in a bigger studio I guess we wouldn't have that luxury. as soon as the new mics and pre's arrive I think we will be able to do more completely live.

 

[vicevursa]

I track everything in this order, normally:
Drums (sequenced)
Main Keys
Bass
Guitars
Ambient keys (pads, strings, etc.)

When I mix:
Kick Drum
Bass
Main Keys
The rest of the drums
Guitars
Ambient keys (pads, strings, etc.)


Vice

 

[iwanarock]

Here is what I usually do:

1) Scratch Ryhthm Guitar
2) Burn Scratch Ryhthm Guitar to CD
3) New Recording
4) Drums (played to scratch guitar CD)
5) Mix Drums EQ,Dynamics, Effects, panning
6) Usually end up bouncing Mixed Drum Tracks to 2-4 Tracks
7) All Ryhthm Guitar Tracks
8) Mix Guitars EQ,Dynamics, effects, panning
9) Bass Guitar
10) Mix Bass Guitar EQ,Dynamics, effects,panning
11) Keyboards
12) Lead Vocal
13) Mix Lead Vox, EQ, Dynamics, maybe effects, panning
14) Backing vocals
15) Mix backing vox Eq, Dynamics,maybe Effects, panning
16) Any special effects
17) Mastering
18) Listen to it a ton of times till I can't stand it
19) Give my ears a break and listen to it again
19) Tweak if needed
20) Automate the mix
20) Burn Stereo Track
21) Burn CD

Only thing I want to try is doing Bass Guitar before Ryhthm Guitar directly after drums one time to see if I notice any difference in how a song comes out.

 

[iwanarock]

Just realized I left out a step and that is Lead Guitar and Guitar Fills if any are done after Step 11 (Keyboards) and Before Step 12 (Lead Vocals).

 

[channels3]

It depends..

Being a one man band, I usually start with the known, and proceed to the unknown. With a click track to start, rhythm guitar will usually come next to me. I like to record drums next, playing off the rhythm guitar. Then it depends what I am hearing.. If I hear a bass line in my mind, I go to it next. If I hear some synth, or additional percussion I go to it.. Most of my songs actually evolve and develop and record them. Very rarely do I have the full picture in my mind. I would probably record differently if I did.