MAXIMUM HOME RECORDING

Beds, Overdubs, Mix

In the pro studio environment this is how it's done. The band plays the songs together but the only elements that are kept are the Drums, Bass guitar and sometimes the rhythm guitar. These together constitute the "bed Tracks" Next we begin the overdub process. This is where we layer on the additional guitar tracks, add things to sweeten the mix like strings, or synthesizer work. This is also where you might add accents like brass etc. Once you're done the process of layering it's time to mix the song. It's been done like this since the birth of multitrack recording for one very good reason. It works!

Beds, Overdubs, Mix, Redux

Some of us produce music without a band or are lacking some of the needed musicians to make up the usual band unit. My advice for those of you in this situation is this. The closer you stay to this format the easier your life is going to be. If you are a programming drums lay down a click track first and play your instrument to click and then lay down the drums, then add the other bed tack elements until you have at least the bass guitar and drums. Then proceed to your overdubs. It sounds too simple to have to be explained but you'd be shocked by the number of times I am asked to help someone with a recording project only to find that the problem they are having is that the entire track is completed except for the drums because they just can't seem to find anyone who can play in time with it!

Why Does it Work?

Well, in laying down the drums first you lock into a framework that is then finalized. There's no adding a few bars or taking some away as drums are difficult to edit. This forces you to think about your song structure BEFORE you build up the track and decide that 2 minutes is a little long for a guitar solo. I once had a recording session where the client insisted that he just record his voice and guitar to a click track, and I was to build up the track from there. He played the song three times and I recorded it. The Structure of the song was different all three times and third take was a minute and half longer than the first. I ended up learning the song, making the structure decisions for him and then had him back to sing to my new version of his song. At the end of the session the client was amazed how much better things went! Recording is a process no different from baking a cake or designing a better tube sock. The right decisions made in the correct order almost alway give you the best result. In fact I have found that adhering to this strict method of recording actually gives me more freedom and flexibility in terms of what I can do with the layering of the tracks. It also almost always gives you better performances from vocalists and other soloists when they can give their performance while hearing a nearly completed mix in the headphones.