What is Multi-tracking

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chinchek

chinchek

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hey guys, im a big noob in recording and i am embarrassed in asking this question only because i cant find it anywhere which i know is out there... anyway...

what is multi-tracking exactly????

is it recording a guitar riff in one track, then make a new track and record the same guitar riff (not copy and pasting)????? then panning left and right?
 
hey guys, im a big noob in recording and i am embarrassed in asking this question only because i cant find it anywhere which i know is out there... anyway...

what is multi-tracking exactly????

is it recording a guitar riff in one track, then make a new track and record the same guitar riff (not copy and pasting)????? then panning left and right?

That's a form of multitracking, but only one specific example of it. It's more general than that.

Multi tracking is simply recording the parts of a song separately so that each occupies its own track and can be edited individually when mixing.

When I record, the drums usually take 8-10 tracks. Then bass is one or two. Then a couple for each guitar. Then one for each vocal. Even if they're all recorded at the same time (live style) if each instrument goes to it's own track, you're still multitracking. (If you record them all at the same time with one mic, or two for stereo--then you're no longer multi tracking, since you can't tweak or edit each individual instrument).

BTW--recording the same guitar part twice and panning it L & R to make it thicker or heavier sounding, is often referred to as double-tracking, or simply doubling. (Vocals are often doubled too--though not necessarily panned hard L & R).

Confusing enough yet? :D
 
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thank you.
yes that is what i have been doing, every instrument has its own track.
since i record for my own pleasure i am using VST's for drums and synths. I am trying to record metal music, mostly Power metal like Hammerfall, Rhapsody, symphony X.. and the like.

i do find recording the same riff in different tracks makes things sound heavier but they are not turning out Loud and Clear like.. i got so many questions and so much reading to do on this forum =).

if you are still observing this thread, what is re-amp?
 
i do find recording the same riff in different tracks makes things sound heavier but they are not turning out Loud and Clear like.. i got so many questions and so much reading to do on this forum =).

A couple of things popped in my head...
Track metal guitars with less distortion than you normally would.
They seem to have more bite and are easier to mix.
Like if I jam live with my gain up to 8.5 or 9, I'll dial it back to around 7 or 7.5 maybe up to 8.

If you're in 24 bit, which I assume you are, do your tracking at lower levels.
"Track as hot as possible" is more analog and, to an extent, 16 bit.
With 24bit, ya got lots of room and you can keep everything cleaner and clearer all the way thru til it gets to mastering, be it your own or if you send it out to an ME.

My rms levels tend to be in the -12 to -10 range with peaks not shooting over -6.

ymmv but this is pretty close, I think.

Peace..............Kel
 
oh...and I don't know enough about re amping to offer anything other than a beer.

:D
 
I am using reamping to record guitar tracks someone else sends me and I run them through my amp and mic it up.

You record a dry, direct guitar signal, bypassing amps and mics. You take that recording, output it from your interface into a reamper, and then its ready to plug into an amp. Pretty straight forward.
 
Two books you should have on hand:

Home Recording for Musicians by Jeff Strong - $15
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...ce&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance
(Wish I'd had that when I started; would have saved me lots of money and time and grief)
You can also pick up this book in most any Borders or Barnes&Noble in the Music Books section!

Another good one is: Recording Guitar and Bass by Huw Price
http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Gui...=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215734124&sr=1-1
(I got my copy at a place called Half-Price Books for $6!!)
 
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