Recording Order...

[Jon_Syrett2]

Hi there,

As you may guess, i am very very new to this. I have read loads of info about seting up equipment and which mics to buy and loads of other stuff...

Just one question still remains, not sure if it's a really stupid question but i'm going to ask it anyway..

I'm in a 4 piece band - guitar + vox / bass / drums / lead guitar. I want to record us but i'm not sure the best order..

What do i record as a timing track? Do i mic up the drums and the bass amp and record them together? But will the sound leak onto the other tracks? Will the snare vibrate when i play the bass? Then whoes next? Am i asking too many questions?

Any help would be great...

Cheers,

Jon

 

[rayc]

It really depends on the number of simultaneous inputs & how much separation the recording area allows.
What are these parameters for your set up?
Cheers
rayC

 

[Jon_Syrett2]

Hi,

We're using a Tascam US-428 which has 4 inputs linked to a laptop running cubase.

 

[mx_mx]

Hi,

We're using a Tascam US-428 which has 4 inputs linked to a laptop running cubase.

I personally would do drums first to a click. 2 overheads, snare, kick.
Then bass.
Then one guitar
Then the other
Then vocals

 

[Dogman]

I personally would do drums first to a click. 2 overheads, snare, kick.
Then bass.
Then one guitar
Then the other
Then vocals

As a guitarist, this route works best for me. I like to play along to the drums myself, instead of a click....I don't have real drums, use samples.
So, if the drummer can play to a click, this might make the process better for everyone else. Gives them a good feel for the song as a whole.

 

[Kevin Deschwazi]

Try recording a scratch bass track direct when you record the drums, then you don't have to worry about bleed from the bass cab or the rattling snare and the drummer will be able to play along with the bass player in his cans.

Check out how the bass sounds, you might like it!

If not the bass player can overdub his part with the cab mic'd and the recorded drums in his cans.

 

[studiomaster]

I would record all the drum parts first..especially to encounter the proper beat of the song. And then i would follow the steps mx_mx suggested. They are in perfect order.

 

[rayc]

For me it's basic drums & bass WITH a guide vocal - so the dynamics & emphases are in the right places. THough you could have the singer do the vocals into a loop so they're not recorded that'd give you bass guitar, bass drum, snare & OHead for the cymbals.
Getting the rhythm section ging together means that some swing can happen between them.
Isolate the bass amp & mic as well as the vox if you can to avoid spill.
Then you have a meaty track to add to.
Bump all that into the HDD & go again with guitars & the other stuff as needed.
BUT BUT BUT make sure evryone's fully & totally rehearsed otherwise you'd be best to create a live all in track for everyone to follow later.
Cheers
rayC

 

[epic]

If you can get your drummer to play with a click track, it is simply fantastic. They can record first with the click with the previously suggested set up of:
2 Overheads, Kick, Snare (that takes care of the 4 inputs)

from there you can add any instrument you want, as long as the drums are solid on the click. When you record with a click, you open up the door to many more editing, sequencing, and tracking possibilities.

If your drummer can not play with a metranome/click track, it would be very very beneficial for them to learn how, not only for recording, but for their own general practice/knowledge/experience.