Recording my band for the first time- help. :/

[marchisgonebass]

Hey this is my first time posting here and I really need some advice. My band and I are going to try recording ourselves for the first time tomorow using a collection of mics that we have, and running through an 8 channel interface, into logic pro 9.

My first question is, which instrument is the easiest to record first?
like should we record guitars, then drums, then add bass, and then vocals last?

Also, when recording, do most people try to record their part straight through to the end? or break it up into sections and record each section?

I guess I am just confused with the whole recording process, becuase I have never actually been to a studio before and recorded :/

could you all enlighten me on your recording process?

thanks so much for the help

[RHCP250]

In my band we record the drums first, then lay all the tracks over that.

[tangentmusic]

Originally Posted by RHCP250

In my band we record the drums first, then lay all the tracks over that.

Yes for sure drums first. They are the hardest to get right, performance wise, EQ wise & Pan wise.
After the drum tracks are perfected, then layer the other instruments at will.
If your music is very guitar oriented, lay them down next. Etc...

[Bread Knife]

I generally like to do drums first, then get the guitar tracks done (at least roughly) before I record my bass part. Vocals can usually be done later easily enough. It's easier have drums/guitars to listen to, though.

I like to try for one solid take. This often takes a few tries at the whole song before I'm really happy with it. I usually listen for minor flubs and re-record those sections afterward as needed.

[marchisgonebass]

my problem with doing drums first, is that our drummer doesnt have a set beat that he plays for each song. he usually just hits the kick drum however he feels for the song were playing, to lock in with my bass and the rest of the song.
but if he records first, then he cant hear exactly how the rest of the song goes and probably wont accent the rhythm of the song correctly...

i cant explain exactly what im trying to say lol.. but what are some of the advantages and disadvantages of doing guitars first vs. drums first?

[Koog]

Lay down the rhythm section first....Drums....bass....rhythm guitar....along with a scratch vocal track. Build from there.

Koog

[Nagrom]

When people say "do the drums first" it doesn't necessarily mean the drummer is the only guy playing. For the album I'm working on right now, the songwriter introduces the song, we all play and record until its going the way we like, then focus on getting a real good drum take.

Once the drums are good, then individual pieces start to get replaced as needed.Like if I muff up the bass, then I can simply replay it during one of the guitarist 17-layers of....

Sounds like this would work for you too. Once the arrangement is agreed, and the drummer has a good take, play the bass to suit. Who knows, you may change the line later on as well depending on whatever else happens. Sometimes its best to do the final bass near the end after everyone else has finished noodling up the tune.

Recording is a great time to experiment and get instant feedback on what works and what doesn't. And if none of the recordings are sounding great, well maybe the song or the band isn't quite ready to record yet.

[sonic assassin]

the order in which you track depends on the band.

sometimes drummers like a clean slate. these drummers can play to a click and just dream up the entire song. a couple passes later, they are done.

some drummers need guidance. the best thing to do here is to track a scratch rhythm guitar with a click. send that into the drummers headphones and have him play along. it will feel a little more live that just bawk bawk bawk bawk bawk in the ears.

i normally do guitars next. i havent met a bassist yet that likes to work with drums only. i certainly dont. vocals definitely come last for me.

as far as tracking parts, if there are clean breaks, you can take them. some people dont like to. i do. it makes for a cleaner recording, assuming your players can play well enough to make it clean. if they cant, parts will be very disjointed.

you can even take breaks in drum takes if they dont end on cymbals. say theres a significant rest in the track. you can stop, take a break and count back in. you can always punch in a part if you screw it up.

until you get VERY good at precision editing, i wouldnt suggest trying to cut takes together on instruments mid beat, chord, or even note.

vocals are a completely different story. i like to open at least 2 vocal tracks at a time. move from track to track between breaks in the vocal line. makes for a lot less editing. bus them together and effect them together.

also take advantage of the comp function. take a couple passes at the vocal. try different melodies. i know my singer tries at least 5 different things and we pick later. everyone has their favorite, but it never hurts to try.

heres a tip for ANYONE recording. make sure the song is done before final tracking. record a quick live run through, make sure everyone is happy with the arrangement. make sure the tempo is agreed upon. not rounded to a nice number, perfect. that 2 bpm difference might make someones part drag and sound weird.

you drummer likes to randomize things? this is fine for live. but in the studio, get him to pick one and stick with it for the sake of the recording. show off later.

also, given that you have logic 9, you have access to hit replacement on drums and virtual guitar amps. for a novice engineer, it could really beef up the quality in a hurry.

but with that, i say this:

TUNE the drums. "good enough" is never good enough. crap in, crap out.

tune guitars. make sure all equipment is at its peak performance.