• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Do you prefer ?

#23
Chris cook said:
Your band is In studio
#1) Do you lay it down playing the song (LIVE)
meaning drums , bass , rhythm guitars
some Vocals maybe , lead guitar when their ready lol
Or recording
#2 ) Each band member
Drums , bass , rhythm, leads , vocals, keys , etc
each recorded Separately in studio, with your entire band watching you from behind the glass. ?

U only have 2 choices
The decision is yours to make
#1 ?
#2 ?
Click to expand...
depends on the artist, style of music, the budget, etc.

Generally it's rhythmic section live, usually with rhythm guitars and a scratch vocal. Lead vocals and guitar overdubs later.
 
#24
#1. Love the live band sound, and playing with original bands, it is very natural for me, to do it as a band. Fixes can be punched in later and the 'real' vocals can be done later.

This is definitely a me issue (I'd suck as a session musician, lol), but I find it much easier to record when everyone is playing and we do the song together and all the way through. Recording individual parts and sections seems to really bring out the clams in me.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dbsfgyd1
#26
Chris cook said:
Your band is In studio
#1) Do you lay it down playing the song (LIVE)
meaning drums , bass , rhythm guitars
some Vocals maybe , lead guitar when their ready lol
Or recording
#2 ) Each band member
Drums , bass , rhythm, leads , vocals, keys , etc
each recorded Separately in studio, with your entire band watching you from behind the glass. ?

U only have 2 choices
The decision is yours to make
#1 ?
#2 ?
Click to expand...

Since there are only two choices given. #1. When recording time is money. The more tracks you can do at one time reduces the cost of the project considerably. There is also an apparent synergy when playing live together that is hard to replicate doing individual tracks.

That said, the best advice I can give on the subject is to have a very good idea what you want your parts to sound like before you go to the studio.
 
#27
Anatosuchus said:
Definitely #2. Way more control, ability to re-record one track (or even part of one and splice it in), mixing is way easier etc. etc.
Click to expand...

Our drummer amazed us on our last record, by re-recording his whole drum track on one song, over a group take, and we weren't even using a click! As we recorded the whole thing with the #1 method, we didn't think that he could do it, but he did.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop and dbsfgyd1
#29
Lucas Carioli said:
We always used the #2. It allows more freedom to change and improve.

But the #1 could be good to, and well done it, could sound more organic, let'ssay.
Click to expand...

RE: Freedom to Change

This used to be the case using anolog recorders, but today's digital recording you either cut and paste a fix, or you just re-record the offending track. With #1, all the recorded instruments are on individual tracks, subject to editing if needed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikewalker
#34
By far, my preference was to hone the tracks to be recorded on the bandstand, then when they were fully formed and the band found the sweet spot, dash in and catch them in their best possible shape.

Most are rarely fortunate to do it that way.

And to me the inverse was the worst, to try and record completely unplayed tunes, magnified by doing it without everyone present, in pieces.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Lee Moses, dbsfgyd1 and Neil Folkard
#38
Both are fine by me, and have advantages and disadvantages.
But if it was my call, I would decide depending on how band is tight and members are individualy acurate. I know couple of guys who wing it live, but can't cut track in studio to save their life. In that case, honestly, I would do my tracks (one, two takes max) and leave them to go for their 17 takes. Not nice, but I just can't watch that struggle any more.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 31HZ and Lucas Carioli
#39
#1 prefer always live...any overdubs, punch-ins, leads, doubling would come individually later if needed....have done it individually but the organic flow of the song wasn't there...its just sterile imo.
 
#40
Guitarist in the room with the drummer, guitars on headset. Record the drums with separate rough guitar track so it's easier for drummer to follow where the changes are. Use that track for reference while laying down bass. So mostly #2 with a little #1 mixed in
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back