Order of a recording.

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A7X

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When track recording is the best order drums, guitars, bass, vocals?

Because I want to record guitars before drums so it'll be guitars, drums, bass, and vocals. So does it make a difference?
 
There's no right or wrong, just what works for you. Typically, I record a scratch track (to a click) that contains guitar and vocals. Then I use that as a template for tracking drums. Next, bass, because I really want it to lock in with the drums. Then, I retrack guitar, vocals, etc.
 
On the other hand, I always track the drums first, then the bass. I follow that with one or two rhythm guitar tracks, add lead vocals, and somewhere in there I will add lead work and any backing vocals.

I like doing the drums first because it forces me to really focus on the guts of the song. I have to sit down and get the song firmly in my head, and I annotate it because I'm programming the whole song's worth of drumming on a Boss drum machine. So that annotation serves as a reference if I put a song away for a while.

But, as Scrubs said, do whatever feels right for you. :)
 
It depends.

Is it the first Sunday of the month? If so, and it is before 3pm, then you track the drums first, else the bass.

If it is the 2nd Thursday, before noon you track guitars first, otherwise the vocals.

All other days, you track the bagpipes first.


Hope this helps a bit.
 
A7X said:
When track recording is the best order drums, guitars, bass, vocals?

Because I want to record guitars before drums so it'll be guitars, drums, bass, and vocals. So does it make a difference?
Click to expand...

Hey, if it floats yer boat, record cowbell first....wait a minute, that's what I do, can never get enough cowbell. :eek:

I like recording drums with a click track and scratch guitars first. Then I use that as the foundation for the rest of the tracks.
 
I tend to record the group as a whole concentrating on getting the best drum performance, bass secondary, guitars third and vocals last, mainly because I'm a bass player and drummer and like to get the those locked down and tight and also because a lot more time and and tweaking are done w/ guitars (they never seem to be happy) and vocals last because they're usually prima donnas... LOL and need to have the right mood
 
if i had the mic's, and other hardware required, i'd do bed tracks of everything. then overdub as i saw fit.

but seeings how i can only do one at a time, i just do what ever i feel is right for the situation
 
I usually start with a basic drum track, then build from there. no right and no wrong. sometimes when your adding your instruments, it may change the face of how you wanted the song i nthe first place which often to many times turns out better than how you intended.

sometimes I may want a piano to be the lead with a guitar to be in the bacground. but i'll record the guitar first then realize that the guitar sound better being out in front and my song gets twisted around and sounded beter than it would have if i did it the way i intended.

hope this makes sense.
 
For me it depends on a few things. If I am using a drum machine and playing everything myself I will do drums then guitar or bass and then vocals. If I am playing acoustic drums then I tend to put down a scratch guitar to a click and then butcher the drum part over and over until I can compile a decent drum track. I'm starting to get a little better on drums. I almost suck now. :D
Then I do bass, guitar tracks, and then vocals.
 
I record vocals first, then guitars... just kidding!

I think scrubs had it best. You want everything to be in sync with the drums, so it's best to have those done first. If you can track a rhythm guitar at the same time it would be helpful. Bass needs to right with the drums so it's good to do that next. Rhythm instruments before lead instruments is the way I go
 
Just my $00.02...

I always set up a click track and record a take with an acoustic guitar. For some reason it's easier to work with than an electric for me to hear everything else I lay down accurately. I do the electric guitars last. At the end of the day it all comes down to the final mix anyway, so whatever way you choose, the end justifies the means... ;)
 
It all depends on what's the base of your song.

If the tune is based on a rhythm, get a rough guitar/vocals take on a click track, then make your rhythm section sound good

If the tune is all about guitar fiddles or emotionally sung lyrics, then focus on those, and add rhythm later to fill it up

Personally, I like to start with guitar, then bass, drums, keys, vocals, pads, solo's, but I'm pretty weird, so don't take my word for it :)
 
jaybriggs84 said:
I think scrubs had it best. You want everything to be in sync with the drums, so it's best to have those done first. If you can track a rhythm guitar at the same time it would be helpful. Bass needs to right with the drums so it's good to do that next. Rhythm instruments before lead instruments is the way I go
Click to expand...

REecording drums first is certainly no guarantee that everything will be in sync with the drums. In fact, I find that this happens easier when drums are recorded after guitars and bass to a click track. For me it really depends on the style of music, the people playing it, and their preference.

Two of the bands that I play in are currently starting albums at my studio. The first band is a fusion/funk/bluesy/jazzy project with a modern twist. This group is a three peice with no vocals. The songs are all written and driven by the guitar player, so I had him lay the song structures out on guitar to a click track. Then we did the bass. After that I found it was really easy to nail it on the drums. Did the first song this morning in less than an hour including all the setup and having to shuttle back and forth bewteen my drum room and my control room. Most of that time was spent not playing. Having a good guitar and bass track plus a click to lock me up really helps me focus on what I am playing and not being distracted but whatever else may or may not be happening.

On the other side of the coin my other band did some preproduction tracks tonight. Normally I prefer to have a click track while I am playing, but for the life of me I can not seem to do this bands songs with a click. As a result, the obvious choice here is drums first. With this indie/alt/pop/rock/pre post whatever band The songs almost need to not have a click track. Whenever I try it with this band it just does not feel right. Kill the click however and do the drums first and things went a lot better. In fact, during one of the songs tonight I had my heapdhones fall off about 1/4 into the song. I finished the song not being able to hear any instruments or vocals and ended up with a pretty decent take:)
 
I think you could look at who's the tightest musician. If the drummer doesn't know the song as well as the rhythm guitarist, go with him. Same thing happens with two guitarists, find out who the tighter player is and have him lay the first rhythm track.
 
jaybriggs84 said:
I record vocals first, then guitars... just kidding!
Click to expand...

I have perfect pitch and rock solid meter so I record vocals first then throw a little beat box down, then I put a click track down and add reverb.
I then mix, master, and dither. Then last I lay down the guitars and bass.
A friend of mine took a recording class and said that this is how the pro's do it.

Oh yeah... :D
 
you can do it any way that you feel works for you. i feel doing bass right after drums is good, and doing a scratch track is better.

but the only thing i perosnally find is, esspecially with "local" bands, that if you do guitar first, then timing is usually off. although i have gotten really good recordings doing guitar first. so it really depends on the band, and how you feel about it.

just try things out. thats the beauty of a studio, theres no right and wrong way. its art. everyway has a different outcome, most of which get all different sounds.

good luck
 
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