How do you go about editing guitars?

[coreysMonster]

So how do you guys usually edit your guitar tracks? how many takes do you usually cut from, how big is the margin of "uncleanliness" you keep in the guitar tracks?

or do you record it all in one take?

 

[muckypup1]

No way do I record it in one take More section by section. I like to record each verse and chorus section separate, then if I need to, I'll edit the fuck out of each note and shit.

 

[TheWinterSnow]

I think recording multiple takes shows lack of ability both in playing your instrument and your own songs. I try to play from beginning to end, until I fuck up or come to the end, and then go back and punch in the not as strong passages. Its actually quicker that way for me and a lot of time is saved in editing during the mixing process.

 

[muckypup1]

I don't really record multiple takes, I just find it easier on my wrist to record shorter sections of songs than in one long 6 minute take or something, because I've strained my wrist and arm. And I don't normally edit shit, only if one of the notes is totally out of time

 

[drew_drummer]

I think recording multiple takes shows lack of ability both in playing your instrument and your own songs. I try to play from beginning to end, until I fuck up or come to the end, and then go back and punch in the not as strong passages. Its actually quicker that way for me and a lot of time is saved in editing during the mixing process.

So wait... recording multiple takes is bad.... but punching in when you fuck up is okay? Surely if you REEEEAAALLY believe what you say, you'd delete the whole track and start again?

 

[006]

Personally I do however many takes until it's as close as it can get, and then edit it the rest of the way, using slip editing. Usually going section by section so that each one can be focused on individually while tracking it.

Pretty much the same for clients as well, however I have had a few guys that want to run through the whole song first, then punch in sections that we both feel need to be better. Sometimes that's a lot of punches, sometimes it's not haha. I haven't had a band come in yet that can give me as good of takes as I can do myself though...

 

[cloy26]

A mix of section by section, slowing down the speed a bit, slip editing, and random chug/note punches if necessary.

 

[narcossintese]

Section by section and lots of slices with fades if the guitar player is having trouble in playing the whole section.

By the way, I never slow down. Not because of principle, but because I don´t know how much bpm I can slow down during tracking without loosing fidelity when backing to normal. Does anyone know?

 

[AndrewPGlover]

If you're recording a DI track you can generally slow it down and speed it back up without noticing any artifacts.

 

[TheDriller]

Record a first run through and then section-by-section where it needs to be performed better. then Flex on the DIs, set to "Polyphonic" and with the "Complex" option checked.

 

[aortizjr]

I have considered slowing stuff down, never for clients, but for my own stuff... but then my ego gets a hold of me and screams LAME!! But whatever you need to do, I am not shy about doing some atrocious editing either. I have also had fellow band mates play my parts for me too. The drummer I work with has wicked right hand technique, but can't play any of the other stuff.

Depending on the client (including myself) and the song, we will run the whole song and then punch/edit pieces. Or just go in sections of verse/chorus/etc. A lot of times I will take a bar from the verse/chorus to fix parts rather than punching. Especially if there is a click.

With no click, punching is faster. But after a couple failed tries punching, then I will edit.

If I am mixing and catch something that we didn't catch during tracking, I will edit at the note level. But I try to avoid that unless it is really bad.

 

[Fragle]

depends on the music. the more complicated it is, the shorter the passages.
last band i did the guy was really good and well rehearsed, so he recorded one track of the whole song, we punched in on the sections that weren't that great, did the same thing for the second guitar, done.
i've gone as far as one bar at a time, though.
no slowing down here.
i'll edit start/stop passages and cut out the noise, or occasionally slip edit some stuff around, but nothing too fancy. it's much easier (and better sounding) to have the guy play the part again anyways.

 

[nwright]

I never really did the section by section thing until this last month since I've been tracking guitars for my band's next CD. I like it! I find that for quad tracking, it REALLY helps me vibe on a certain section, concentrate on that section alone to where I can lay down all 4 tracks for each section seemlessly. Before I'd just go as far as I could and then punch in fixes.

I think too many guitarist view their studio tracking as a completele performance (like playing a show) rather than looking at the chances to make it rock solid. NOT playing a part all the way through (IMHO) doesn't make anyone any less of a guitarist. While it's a necessity for many players who aren't the best, a good player in my mind will always go with the option that portrays their playing in the best light. If that means they cut it down and track each part on it's own, good for them.

I've found that the dudes who are most receptive to tracking part by part are usually the better players. It's usually the noobs who want to track a whole song at once.

 

[AdamWathan]

I never really "edit" guitars, I just track them in tiny tiny sections if they can't play it properly and then piece it together. The problem with actually "editing" guitar tracks is that pulling apart two notes that were played too closely together sounds like ass. You can get away with it with drums but not guitar. So just get them to play a couple notes and let the last one ring out, then the next couple notes, etc.

Cutting up an actual take is going to sound like crap, unless every single note was too slow and you are pinching them together. Always use full takes and leave extra tail at the end when tracking, even if that means each "full take" is only a single note of the riff.

If they can't play some 4 note section tight, don't record it sloppy and then cut it up and put it on time. Record the first 2 notes tight and let the last note ring, then do the same with the second two notes and put them together. If they can't do it that way, do it one note at a time. This will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS sound better than taking those 4 notes and trying to slip edit it around like drums, because if you pull 2 notes apart and end up repeating some of the tail you will ALWAYS hear it with guitars.

Any cuts in that image aren't actually cuts in one take. Every individual slice was recorded separately so that I had a full tail to work with any time I needed to move anything.

 

[JeffTD]

I never really "edit" guitars, I just track them in tiny tiny sections if they can't play it properly and then piece it together. The problem with actually "editing" guitar tracks is that pulling apart two notes that were played too closely together sounds like ass.

On things that are super closely played together (alternate/trem picking mostly), this is true, but otherwise, slip editing on guitars is super easy and sounds... well, you can't tell you've done it, so it sounds awesome. If I cut and pasted from different takes to compose super-takes, it would've taken me like 6 days instead of the 6 hours it did to get through the new Cephalic album.

 

[abt]

On things that are super closely played together (alternate/trem picking mostly), this is true, but otherwise, slip editing on guitars is super easy and sounds... well, you can't tell you've done it, so it sounds awesome. If I cut and pasted from different takes to compose super-takes, it would've taken me like 6 days instead of the 6 hours it did to get through the new Cephalic album.

Are you re-tracking bad sections a little bit slower so they can be slipped or are you just doing the whole thing slower so slipped?

PS your sig made me lol (and a little bit scared).

 

[greyskull]

totally depends.
I am a tracking nazi.
Tend to do sections which vary in length depending on the player/techincality of the riff.
then maybe drop in.
Depending on the band, i might avoid copy and paste.
In terms of editing i just go in and chop in gaps where they're needed. looser on hardcore/punky stuff, tighter on more polished/more metal stuff.
LONG process.... doing an albums worth at the moment.
then ive gotta edit the toms and trigger the drums.
Gonna be a FUN few days.
FUN

 

[nwright]

On things that are super closely played together (alternate/trem picking mostly), this is true, but otherwise, slip editing on guitars is super easy and sounds... well, you can't tell you've done it, so it sounds awesome. If I cut and pasted from different takes to compose super-takes, it would've taken me like 6 days instead of the 6 hours it did to get through the new Cephalic album.

You edited guitar tracks on the new Cephalic CD?

Anything else?

I did not know that. Cool.

 

[musickey]

If I cut and pasted from different takes to compose super-takes, it would've taken me like 6 days instead of the 6 hours it did to get through the new Cephalic album.

No shit! Didnt know that either. Xenosapien? or newer?

 

[JeffTD]

Are you re-tracking bad sections a little bit slower so they can be slipped or are you just doing the whole thing slower so slipped?

Neither - I didn't track, Dave Otero did, but they were all tracked at tempo and then edited after the fact. Slipping isn't only for speeding things up, but it was more for take comping/silence than actual correction.

You edited guitar tracks on the new Cephalic CD?
Anything else?
I did not know that. Cool.

Drums for half of it and bass for all of it as well, maybe shouldn't have posted that though.

No shit! Didnt know that either. Xenosapien? or newer?

Newer.