What order do you record instruments?

[666CODY666]

I just got my presonus firestudio project synced up to my pc and am using the cubase le 4 it came with. I plan on recording drums, guitar, bass, and vocals and was wondering which order I should record instruments and how I should have whoevers playing listen to a click track.

My guess was to record drums first while they listen to a click track, but I'm not sure how to set it up perfectly so it knows when to change tempos. Then just record guitars, bass, and vocals over it.

Also is there some plugin or something that lets me use cubase as a trigger for the drums? For example I recorded drums to seperate tracks; overheads, snare, toms, and the bass drum. Then use cubase to replace every bass drum hit with a pre recorded sound from a library.

Thanks!
cody

 

[Track Rat]

I try to track the entire band together in a single take with the vocal as a scratch take (but if the band likes the scratch, I'll use it). If the guitar player uses stomp boxes at different points during a single tune, I prefer to have those as punch ins on different tracks but again, if he likes to do it "live" then that's what I'll do. I like to avoid click tracks and never suggest one but if it's requested I'll stripe a track with a click. I do NOT like to track one instrument at a time as it can sometimes make the tune a little too perfect and sterile sounding. The happy accidents that happen when musiciains play together in a room can give songs some mojo and a prefer that.

 

[nubsy]

Well, I record by myself and in this order, typically:
-Scratch guitar to click track
-Drum track to scratch/click
-Replace scratch guitar with (usually) rhythm guitar, dropping the click
-Bass
-Fill'er up: with the above foundation, there's enough to add all the other elements such as vocals, keys, lead guitar, etc. Doesn't have the live band sound, obviously, but between my sloppiness and tendency to anticipate the beat, there's a whiff of that in there.

 

[Minion]

I actually allways record drums first ,I have problems playing my drums allong with Click tracks so I just play the Drum parts first and then do Guitar or bass and Vocals last....

It"s what works for me....

 

[Dogbreath]

Usually I'll have a melody in mind so I'll set up a click track, track the scratch guitar (or keys), throw the click out and track the drums to the scratch guitar. Then track the bass guitar, throw out the scratch guitar and track the real guitars etc

and then I drink beer.

 

[mikeh]

I'll assume we're talking someone who plays all the parts and records them one at a time (vs. recording a band)

First I'll go on record saying - I think having the drums tracked first, without the drummer knowing what the song will sound like, can really compromise the drummer's ability to play what's right for the song.

I normally think it is better to record a guide track (rhythem guitar or piano, etc) with a scratch vocal (played to a click track). This then establishes the song form - allowing the following performances to support that song form.

Personally, I normally have a song "written" and have performed it several times (at least in a rehearsal format) to make sure I know what the form will be. I then record a guide track (to a click) and then start to lay the rhythem section (guitars, bass, keys & drums). Which comes first often is a matter of what instrument I feel like playing (if I'm already warmed up on guitar - I may stay on guitar). Often, one of the last tracks that I record may be drums - since I then know what guitar riffs I want the drums to accent, etc. (naturally, this means all the other parts have to be played in good time to a click - but playing to a click is now very normal for me). In fact, I always have the click playing, unless it's a play back (or unless, I'm working with other musicians who fear the click).

Actually, since I normally have a song format already developed - I'll often (maybe 50% of the time) use a software program called Band-In-A-Box (a very good songwriting tool) to get a basic groove (triggering MIDI modules for the different instruments). I program in the chord progression and choose a style that is close to the feel I want. This gives me a "studio band" to work with (it's normally more enjoyable to play with a full "band" than to just a click).

Once BIAB gives me a groove to work with - I start to replace the programmed parts with my performances. Often this allows me to delay the drums to later in the tracking process. On a rare occasion, I actually like a given part BIAB lays down (perhaps a piano part or a bass line) - and I may choose to actually keep that part in the final recording.

 

[drossfile]

Well, I record by myself and in this order, typically:
-Scratch guitar to click track
-Drum track to scratch/click
-Replace scratch guitar with (usually) rhythm guitar, dropping the click
-Bass
-Fill'er up: with the above foundation, there's enough to add all the other elements such as vocals, keys, lead guitar, etc. Doesn't have the live band sound, obviously, but between my sloppiness and tendency to anticipate the beat, there's a whiff of that in there.

this is exactly how i do it, to the letter.

 

[santiu]

depends on what I'm recording.

If it's a band, no click track:
A) do the whole thing live. Overdub vocals. Done.
or
B) record the whole band together to get a solid drum take, and keep whatever other parts are workable. Then proceed to overdub the parts in this order: bass, guitar, keys, solos, vocals, misc.

If it's my own little project, then I track whatever instrument I'm feeling the most at the moment to a click track. Slowly fill in all the parts (again in the order that i feel like playing them), then go back an re-track anything i didn't like.

 

[mjbphotos]

Well, I record by myself and in this order, typically:
-Scratch guitar to click track
-Drum track to scratch/click
-Replace scratch guitar with (usually) rhythm guitar, dropping the click
-Bass
-Fill'er up: with the above foundation, there's enough to add all the other elements such as vocals, keys, lead guitar, etc. Doesn't have the live band sound, obviously, but between my sloppiness and tendency to anticipate the beat, there's a whiff of that in there.

Yup, me too.
Doing a scratch guitar track first without a click track (I use a repeating drum pattern) leaves your tempo going up and down all over the place, so it is near impossible to "write" the drum part to. If you have varying tempos during the song, you will need to set up a click track that does the same changes.

 

[disgruntled-inc]

I like to record scratch guitar and bass to a click track, then add a scratch vocal part. I then lay down a scratch drum track to the click track and the scratch tracks. I do this with just a couple of over head's and a kick mic.

Why you may ask?

If you're in a band that plays live you know that there is more life in a performance, so I try to set that up as best as possible in the studio. There are certain things I do in the middle of a tune as a drummer that queue certain things from the other performers. So by laying down scratch drums I can put some funk into it that helps the other guys get a better performace, which in turn helps me get a better performance when I lay the actual drum tracks.

So back to the topic at hand....

Scratch guitar/bass/vocals to click
Scratch drums
(Most) actual bass/guitar tracks
Actual drum tracks
Remainder of the actual guitar tracks
Actual vocal tracks

It may seem like too much work, but I think it gets a better performance on tape.

Also is there some plugin or something that lets me use cubase as a trigger for the drums? For example I recorded drums to seperate tracks; overheads, snare, toms, and the bass drum. Then use cubase to replace every bass drum hit with a pre recorded sound from a library.

Check out Drumagog, it does just what you want. I don't know about the Firestudio Project, but Drumagog LE came with my Firestudio 2626.

-Wes

 

[666CODY666]

Thanks for the help guys.
I think I'm going to go with recording a scratch guitar first to a click track. But what I would like to do is setup the click track to change tempos with the actual song. What is the easiest/fastest way to do this? I was thinking of using a program called tabit and actually tab everything out but this would take quite a while as some of the songs I'm recording may be up to 10 minutes in length.

Also I checked out drumagog and it's exactly what I was looking for. My firestudio didnt come with it, but I am currently downloading it

Thanks again for the replies!

 

[disgruntled-inc]

I think most DAW software suites have some sort of temp mapping function where you can build in time changes, I know Reaper does.

 

[skigib]

Usually I'll have a melody in mind so I'll set up a click track, track the scratch guitar (or keys), throw the click out and track the drums to the scratch guitar. Then track the bass guitar, throw out the scratch guitar and track the real guitars etc

and then I drink beer.

I like that, except I start with the beer!