Some questions
Hi all you experienced n Trackers,
Is there a preferred order that you like to lay down your tracks?
eg. Keyboard, Bass, Drums, vocals etc
Is there an option that really works well for you and why?
Question 2:
Do you record with a left and right track and say choose to put a acoustic guitar on say a left channel and electric or Bass on the right channel?
Question 3:
When and how do you assign any effects such as EQ, Reverb etc.?
Question 4: Are you doing all recording /editing in n track or using other programs?
Thanks in advance
Hi, What we’ve done is record a click track (how you do that is a debate of its own!)then record a guide vocal and maybe guide keyboard. Then record drums then Bass Guitars etc then re-do keys and then re-do vocal last. Once you’ve got the drums recorded it can be an idea to mute the click and just work from the drums particularly if the drums were not exactly in time with the click.
Quote: (One-way @ Mar. 14 2008, 6:11 AM)
Hi all you experienced n Trackers,
Is there a preferred order that you like to lay down your tracks?
eg. Keyboard, Bass, Drums, vocals etc
Is there an option that really works well for you and why?
Question 2:
Do you record with a left and right track and say choose to put a acoustic guitar on say a left channel and electric or Bass on the right channel?
Question 3:
When and how do you assign any effects such as EQ, Reverb etc.?
Question 4: Are you doing all recording /editing in n track or using other programs?
Thanks in advance
Well everyone will be a lttle bit different.
Question 1:
For me, I think that the order that the tracks go down is dependant on a few things... For example: How many people are you recording at once? What defines the song most completely?
In your case I think you are only recording one track at once so my first point isn't relevant.
Being a guitar player, when recording by myself, I nearly always record a guide guitar track first. Nearly always with a click track or a basic programmed drum track. Then I build from there depending on what drives the song - for example if the keyboard part is vital to the feel of the song I would probably do that next. If I'm programming the drums I do a rough outline first and then embelish as the song grows. If I'm doing real drums I like to get the bass down first as it gives me something to work with.
Sometimes I'll re-visit a track that I recorded earlier and re-do it if the song dictates or the feel or sound isn't quite right when the other instruments are added.
Question 2.
I suspect you may not quite understand the relationship between mono & stereo tracks. Stereo is just two mono tracks - one panned left, the other panned right; sometimes combined into a single - two track "stereo" file for "convenience". It's much more versatile to record your tracks as mono tracks as it allows you complete control over the panning and track placement. Even when recording "stereo" instruments such as a drum kit, or (for example) an acoustic guitar with two mics, I'd still record each mic on a separate track and then pan accordingly.
Question 3.
The answer to this question is both technical and artistic. You may apply EQ to get rid of (for example) low end rumble on a mic, but usually you use EQ and effects to "paint" the sound of the song. EQ can be useful to make subtle (and not-so subtle) changes to the sound of an instrument that can make it "behave" better in a mix or with other instruments. Reverb and delay allow you to add "space" to sounds. Reverb tends to push things "back" in a mix but can also make things sound more interesting or real.
There's loads of good books on the art of mixing that would be worthwhile reading as they give good insight into these kind of things.
Question 4
Horses for courses I guess. I do use different DAW software from time to time. Waiting patiently for n-Track v6 though. I very, very rarely need to go outside of whatever DAW I'm using to manipulate a track as n-Track (and the others) pretty much have everything I need within them. The exception, of course, is things like effect plugins and instruments which I guess count as "software".
You've certainly come to the right place One Way. Lots of folks here are very experienced and helpful.
Keep asking questions and trying things out.
One-way, are you recording a full band at one shot, or is it just you doing a lot of overdubs, or something else?
Quote: (TomS @ Mar. 14 2008, 12:11 PM)
One-way, are you recording a full band at one shot, or is it just you doing a lot of overdubs, or something else?
Hi Tom, I made an assumption based on One-way's previous post and his songs posted in the other part of the forum that he is recording one track at a time.... but I could be wrong - it wouldn't be the first time :-)
Aha! You are verily a Holmes, Mark 
!
Quote: (TomS @ Mar. 14 2008, 6:08 PM)
Aha! You are verily a Holmes, Mark
!
When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth
I was formulating my answer after reading your question, but after reading Mark A’s response, that is exactly what I do, well said.
The click track I usually always use is a drum machine track, as clicks (and even cow bells) are too hard to follow. If the song I’m doing has no drum/percussion, I will start with one recording of me playing my guitar and singing into one mic as a starter guide, then I rerecord the guitar(s), then the vocals, ultimately deleting the starter guide track.
I record a click track for all songs, even simple voice/guitar or voice/piano songs with no intended percussion. That way, the timing is less prone to be all over the place, and if I decide to add other accompaniment later it’s much easier to do so in a not-quite-as-sloppy way. Also by doing this, if I want to add a tempo-based delay or other effect, i can type in the click track tempo and do so.
good luck!
jdet
www.soundclick.com/bands/johndoeseviltwin
See a common theme here? CLICK TRACK. It took a while for me to learn my lesson, but now I even sit and noodle around with a click or a drum loop running. ALWAYS use a click. When you start editing, you will be sooo… glad you did.
D
Thanks guys,
I appreciate any good advice I get. This is a great forum with lots of helpful people.
Im at this early stage of learning n Track I am doing all the tracks myself.
I have plans later on to use a female voice for vocals as Im not a great singer and a Bass player /drummer as well.
The lady in mind has written a few really good worship songs we use at church and I thought it would be neat to record them. How and when I dont know at this stage but certainly once I have learnt a lot more about the program /recording equipment.
I did a rough version of one of her songs but deleted my poor vocals to show her what sort of thing that is possible. Actually I did find the vocals useful for signposting the song so I knew where I was at when I did a short guitar riff and also as a fade out.
Is there an advantage over using a click track verses the built in drum machine if you are ending up with recording the drum machine?
I could see if you aim to record live drums you would probably only want a click track.
I do understand how a stereo track is made of two mono tracks. What I meant is; if you have an acoustic l&r track and a electric l&r track, when doing a mixdown is it better to delete the acoustic r and guitar l to end up with a stereo track with acoustic and electric on opposite channels?
I have been reading your post here and can only say that for me, yes, I do use the click track no matter what I’m recording. I think it lends for better timing regardless.
As for the L and R channels, well it depends on what you want for panning.
The acoustic and electric guitars are recorded in mono. Unless you are going to double the parts or are using two mics on them. Now, are you referring to panning one left and the other to the right? If so, I think this can have an effective sound sometimes. It can have a stereo effect on the ear.
My electronic drums are recorded in stereo but guitars are mono, but to get around the mono, I will often double them by recording the same part 2x to get the stereo effect, especially on an acoustic part that may seem weak without it.
I hope this is what you are asking?
best of luck in your music
If I have a song with an acoustic guitar and an electric guitar I sometimes pan one left, one right.
If the electric is lead, it’s usually best dead center.
I sometimes give my acoustic guitar mono track a stereo sound using Voxengo’s Stereo Touch vst plugin.
It is quite effective and I think sounds pretty good.
I think the preset called close works best, but YMMV.
Remember if you use that plugin to go to the track properties and click the box that says something like “make track stereo”, otherwise the effect won’t work.
NOw the electric guitar lead can sit and the middle and not fight with the acoustice for space.
I Use A CLick track, then record drums, then guitars, with all the efects, distortion and compresors going IN to the recording, dont like to use it afterwards, then bass, here maybe i’ll add a little compresor just to bring it lo life, and then vocals, on vocals is where i use effects like delays, reverbs and stuff. the mix, master and thats about it.
Daldo.
I’ll go along with pretty much what everyone else is saying about the basic order. Definitely use a click track. Snap it to a grid and if, or when, you ever decide to get into MIDI it will be a lot easier to match up with your other tracks. It was a year or so before I found that out.
welcome to the forum…
cliff