Recording Drums/Guitar

[Rich606]

Whats the best way of recording a raw drum track with the guitars? I figured this would help the drummer not get lost. I was thinking either headphones,or another room split. Any opinions?

Thanks.

 

[scrubs]

If it's an electric guitar, just run it direct (no amp) and feed it to the drummer's headphones, along with a click.

When I record alone, I typically track a "scratch" track with rhythm guitar and vocals + click. Then I lay down the drums and track everything back over that.

 

[mrface2112]

<Scrubs gives EXCELLENT advice>

+1 here

run the guitar direct, give it and a click to the drummer (and to the guitarist if they want it too), and throw out the guitar later (unless it's really inspired and rockin). the click is essential here, so get the drummer used to playing to it.

when i record myself, i do the same thing--guitar and vox to a click as a guide track, then record drums over that, and then redo the guitars and vocals and add more to that. again, the click is essential here, so get the drummer used to playing to it--the guitarist too, if the guitar part's going down first.

my band's lead guitarist is coming over thursday for some overdubs on some songs we've got 80% there. i play rhythm guitar in the band these days, but i used to play drums (i'd rather play guitar given that i write 1/2 our songs...anyway).............anyway, i'm gonna rope him into laying down tracks for one of his tunes--i don't play the straight rhythm part and haven't been able to lay a decent scratch track to build from.

long story short(er)--we're gonna do the "live guitar with keeper drums" thing from above. we're both used to playing with a click, so i suspect it'll be a quick couple takes and we'll be done. i'll post some "results" over in the mixing clinic in the next couple weeks. look for Jalapeno Cornbread.


cheers,
wade

 

[aidan_m]

If possible track the drums using click only... If you have a guitar/vocal track it can throw off the performance of the drummer... And more often than not, the guitar track won't be bang on with the click track (especially if the guitarist knows it's a throwaway track!)

edit: this doesn't apply to Mr.Face above or if your guitarist is bang on with a click! Still from a drummer point of view, I perform best with just click.. (not as much fun but results are much better!)

 

[Rich606]

Thanks guys for the second,and third opinions. I'll run it into my mixer,and just edit it out after it's all done. I also considered micing the amp,and doing it all live. Pearl Jam did this alot with Riot Act (haha). If you're a fan you know why. I was laughing. lol

 

[RAMI]

See what works for you. I do all my tracks first and the drums last, so that I'm playing to a click (drum machine beat) and the rest of the tracks. Whatever works.