Keregioz
Kimon Zeliotis
+100
When a guitarist sends you the song he's "written" and wants to record in guitar pro tabs you know you're in for a loooong tracking session.
Anyone else dislike tracking?
- Thread starter Ermz
- Start date
+100
When a guitarist sends you the song he's "written" and wants to record in guitar pro tabs you know you're in for a loooong tracking session.
azistenostora
Member
Tracking can be a joy or a nightmare! In my experience, the most enjoyable tracking sessions are with musicians who have the right attitude and recording experience. If its a band full of prima donas , then it can be a nightmare. Young bands can be a pain sometimes, especially if a couple of them have been to engineering college!!
Most of the time tracking is extremely enjoyable but as I say, it depends who you are working with.
Most of the time tracking is extremely enjoyable but as I say, it depends who you are working with.
CatharsisStudios
trcksngsrpbngs
- Jun 25, 2008
- 2,198
- 10
- 38
Seth Munson
How do Amber Lamps?
I like tracking as long as everyone isnt rowdy and shit (seems to always happen at vocals for me)
I hate tracking when I cant even here what I'm trying to track, so I patiently sit there until they are ready to record. thats what I hate
But hell, its their money if thats the way they wanna spend it, so be it
I hate tracking when I cant even here what I'm trying to track, so I patiently sit there until they are ready to record. thats what I hate
But hell, its their money if thats the way they wanna spend it, so be it
metalfanat1c
Member
- Jun 17, 2010
- 491
- 0
- 16
I always love recording drums and bass, those have always been the easiest going for me, because they are usually superior in timing and accuracy(I know, right?). Guitar players are usually where the fence falls. They're either capable, or super horrible. I'm lucky enough to have only dealt with one really bad guitar player. The vocals are usually cool, the part that gets the most creative and in depth.
Melb_shredder
Orpheus: Melodic Death
I'm curious as a guitarist, what you guys would consider a bad guitarist etc. With our songs for example (think dark tranquiility styled riff and then some arch enemy), I can play our songs competently, but when I record, I definitely spent a few takes getting shit water tight. If I play through a riff that spans, say 12 bars, I'm sure I'll hit a palm mute or begin a note a little ahead or behind a grid etc. So I always redo it until I feel I would only need to edit 5% of the whole take to get it to perfection.
Most times, I'll the take in about 3 tries. Maybe more if it's tougher than most, and I'm being uber anal. But I have found annoying sections that have just got me stumped here and there... and I can readily admit, I've spend an hour dual tracking it to perfection
I've recorded some rock stuff before, and the redo's are essentially non existent. Go through the song a few times, and then some splicing maybe. So I guess it depends what you're playing. But again. To what degree would you consider tracking tedious etc, from the perspective of tracking a guitarist, or even a bassist etc.
Cheers,
Chris
Most times, I'll the take in about 3 tries. Maybe more if it's tougher than most, and I'm being uber anal. But I have found annoying sections that have just got me stumped here and there... and I can readily admit, I've spend an hour dual tracking it to perfection
I've recorded some rock stuff before, and the redo's are essentially non existent. Go through the song a few times, and then some splicing maybe. So I guess it depends what you're playing. But again. To what degree would you consider tracking tedious etc, from the perspective of tracking a guitarist, or even a bassist etc.
Cheers,
Chris
Melb_shredder
Orpheus: Melodic Death
It's always tedious for me, no matter the quality of guitarist. The fact that we have to break every few bars, tune, and repeat the process just drains all the fun out of it. With most guitars, even after I've intonated them, we literally have to sit there tuning for each chord in order for it not to ring out like shit. Half the time even better guitarists will fret a chord and bend one or two notes slightly out of tune, causing the whole thing to fight against itself. This is all stuff that lends itself to countless re-takes.
I've been playing it on and off for 9 years, but if I were to look at it objectively... It's a pretty poor design for a musical instrument.
I've been playing it on and off for 9 years, but if I were to look at it objectively... It's a pretty poor design for a musical instrument.
Melb_shredder
Orpheus: Melodic Death
^^^^ That's true! I imagine you've then seen the Vai video of his guitar with the retarded frets??? Keeps perect intonation because the frets are zig zagged, eg: set to intonate correctly at every point
And yeah.. My guitar is intonated perfectly, doesn't make it any better to keep chords in tune at drop B though... I'm still tuning at every pause essentially, generally just to be SURE
And yeah.. My guitar is intonated perfectly, doesn't make it any better to keep chords in tune at drop B though... I'm still tuning at every pause essentially, generally just to be SURE
abt
BT
I agree with you, it's a bad habit to rely on the grid. I don't really do everything by eye I was just making a point. I think way too many peaple use the grid to align stuff even when it doesn't really need it.
IMO any one who thinks they can play better than they can.
There's a lot of post here saying that they hate tracking because "I'm a shit guitaist" or "if the guitarists shit" this can be a factor, but for me that's not the problem. I'm not saying I'm a awesome guitarist guitarist, the problem for me is that perfectionist voice in your head that makes you hit the delete button and do the take again and again. There's probably nothing wrong with the take but you keep doing it anyway. Soon enough it all sounds terrible and you've wasted hours to get nowhere.
Melb_shredder
Orpheus: Melodic Death
^^^ That's exactly what I'm talking about. I do a take, it's good, and then i say.. NAH I'll do it again.. and then slowly learn how to unplay the guitar... lol
Ola Englund
Only gay in the village
Ermin, this was alone the reason I gave up running a studio couple of years back. Now I only track and blame myself.
What annoys me the absolute most is guitarists with just poor technique. It doesn't matter how in time to the grid they play or whatever, im talking about the guitarists who bend notes slightly out of tune without even knowing theyre bending it, palm mute so far up that it sounds scratchy and weak, general pick attack also scratchy...just don't know how to hit the strings. It doesn't matter how many takes I make them do, it sounds pretty much the same every time. Also a lot of times picking strings they arent even using. Sometimes I get a band that has a part with an open power chord held out for 4 measures...and I end up tracking it myself because the kid cant even hit it in tune or make it sound strong enough. Bad players will kill the guitar tone and mix straight away! I end up messing with the guitar tone forever before realizing that when I pick up the kids guitar it astonishingly sounds good again.
Anyone got any tips for recording these kinds of guys? I go through a lot of "no, palm mute closer to the bridge" and "you keep bending a few notes in that chord" or "you aren't muting the string in between that octave chord properly", but it never really works out. It's so hard to teach a guitarist to play better! I would bet Joey is super good at it though. Usually they don't even hear what you're talking about or understand what they're doing wrong. I'm also curious if you guys have ever been absolutely blown away tracking rhythm playing by a guitarist who doesn't record HIMSELF? I know that my rhythm playing got 1000x better when I started recording, and now it seems like everybody who doesn't record themselves has weak hand tone
/end rant
i like tracking....sometimes.
it's often a lot of fun, lots of funny bullshit talk etc. if the musicians are good even tracking is a breeze, but i've had my fair share of bad musicians and that's where it definitely becomes hard work imho.
i love tracking vocals btw, lots of production ideas being thrown around all the time, unlike drums/guitars/bass where it's more like maybe change a note here and there but overall the whole thing is basically set in stone (obviously).
btw, yes there are quite a few guys who are decent players without any real recording experience. most of them already did an EP or two before, but no recording on a frequent basis.
it's often a lot of fun, lots of funny bullshit talk etc. if the musicians are good even tracking is a breeze, but i've had my fair share of bad musicians and that's where it definitely becomes hard work imho.
i love tracking vocals btw, lots of production ideas being thrown around all the time, unlike drums/guitars/bass where it's more like maybe change a note here and there but overall the whole thing is basically set in stone (obviously).
btw, yes there are quite a few guys who are decent players without any real recording experience. most of them already did an EP or two before, but no recording on a frequent basis.
abt
BT
I've got to admit this does sound pretty painful though it did make me lol.
I'm only tracking myself so the only shit player in the room is me. I must admit a combination of perfectionist syndrome and red light fever makes guitar tracking unpleasant at best.
One thing I empathised with the players you talking about, I'm always astounded when I hear someone play something really badly but then play it again really badly but it's totally different every time. At least if they play it consistency but with the same error, be it a mistake or just a poor technique, you can work on that issue.
Wow, you guys sound like you have so much fun.
To me this is indicative of the problem with the modern metal production paradigm. Not to mention the product of the paradox of empowerment of the masses (through technological availibility/information dissemination) but disempowerment of the bands themselves from the process of making records. The svengali syndrome.
Enjoy the ride or find a different mode of transport I'd say.
To me this is indicative of the problem with the modern metal production paradigm. Not to mention the product of the paradox of empowerment of the masses (through technological availibility/information dissemination) but disempowerment of the bands themselves from the process of making records. The svengali syndrome.
Enjoy the ride or find a different mode of transport I'd say.
GeertSamuel
Member
this.
only exception is my own band. since the guitar players know i'm doing it, they don't feel they should really have everything 100% finished before recording new stuff. so this means during recording they're still discussing to change parts or learning parts to eachother that they didn't play completelly accurate in the rehearsal space yet. it doesn't matter how much i'm stressing them during rehearsals they don't care.
