How many tracks?!!

[NSGUITAR]

Hey guys. I was just wondering..



Sometimes I feel like I have WAAAYYYYYYYYYY too many tracks for a project..


Sometimes I end up with 70-80 tracks for a full production (including busses and such).


How about you guys? How many tracks do you guys end up with on a typical production?

 

[AllanD]

More recently around 30-40. I've pretty much learned to double/triple all vocals, regardless if I end up using them or not, they're very useful to have when you need a bigger chorus or emphasis on a few words in a verse. Separate tracks for natural and sampled drums, double/quad guitars, multiple tracks for bass processing, it adds up fast and eats at the CPU even faster.

 

[006]

There have been a few threads about this in the past, it's not uncommon, amongst a lot of the dudes here anyway, to have 70-80 tracks. Personally, my projects don't get too crazy, maybe 30 tracks or so, but I'm not working with bands that want to do a bunch of layers and no singers to do harmonies, etc.

 

[OneDaySky]

I have a crap load of tracks too. But a record DI and wet signals at the same time. Vocals and guitar tracking take up most of my tracks, then once I edit, I end up with about 6 tracks for vocals and 6 tracks for guitars (both including their DI's)

 

[JeffTD]

80-100, a lot of which are groups/busses.

 

[LeSedna]

It depends but you can organize yourself to limit their number.
For example, if I record many takes, and if I wanna store them, I do on another project. My mix project is the one consolidated and clean of useless midi or wav tracks.

If you include samples or ambient noises you can put them all in a same track one after the other, and apply one eq for each on their object and not on the track so that you don't end with 10 ambient tracks but only one or 2.

 

[crillemannen]

40-50 With busses.

 

[AaronDylan]

The first thing i do after recording is throwing the trash in the can!

Last production i had was with a pop-punk band for audio college.

we ended up with 91 tracks mostly because of vocal layering and backup singer layers!

In the end i had to mix it analog with the schools console that has only 24 tracks!

Of course i had the possibility to send more tracks to one input of the console but in the end you only have 24 faders and i even managed to use 22!

having the possibility to use a huge amount of tracks these days is cool but look at the old days where a tape machine had only 24 tracks and the had to use two synchronised tape machines to have 48!
A lot of those productions sound bigger compared to a production with 120 tracks or so!

 

[Trevoire520]

I normally end up with 30 to 40 plus guitar DI's, I'm always trying to bring that number down to be honest as it makes the session easier to manage so you can spend more time being creative and less time trying to find whatever track it is you're looking for.

 

[Charles J]

40-50 With busses.

+1

MAX.

Commit and consolidate some of that shit!!

 

[amarshism]

Up to 80-100ish before committing things. Blended samples will get mixed down, rhythm tracks with multi mic setups, clip the Dis after your tone is sweet etc. Usually when I'm done the most moves are on guitar overdub automation and vocal automation. Drums are sweet as I end up with a bus for kick, snr, stereo toms, ohs and rooms. Stereo rhy Gtr mix and bass. So really everything ends up being mixed off 50 tops including all the vocal and misc production. Probably more like 20-30 busses.

 

[crillemannen]

+1

MAX.

Commit and consolidate some of that shit!!

Im with you man! If you're not doing some orchestra session i find it hard to get over 50tracks. I rather consolidate tracks to keep the session somewhat clean.
With me buying Slate trigger i got rid of some of the triggered tracks which was really awesome , a really good plugin

 

[Max Morton]

Up to 100 tracks while tracking. Then consoladating stuff and it shrinks to 30-50 tracks. But I love using one mic on a cab, no more then 10 mics on drums, etc. Helps keeping me concentrated.
I LOVE working with the bands that really know how to play. Then you can really concentrate on these 20-30 tracks and have fun mixing them.
UPD: If we're talking rock/metal here.

 

[AdamWathan]

Small as possible, but I won't consolidate two tracks if it is going to mean more work in automation later.

Vocals stay split up between styles (usually like 4-5 tracks for a band with one consistent vocal style due to doubles, overlapping lines, etc., up to 20 tracks if the singer does high screams, low growls, yells, clean vocals, and has panned backup doubles all over the place plus overlapping lines in the same style, yikes)

Guitars are just one L and R for the rhythms, then another 3 to 5 for leads and overdubs

Bass is usually one, sometimes 2

Drums are usually about 10-12, plus busses for toms and cymbals.

Usually 30-50 tracks including busses at the most.

 

[Mikaël-ange]

Depend of the style of course...

For Death, Trash and H&C between 40 and 60 tracks.
For modern rock between 80 and 120 tracks.

I don't list bus, aux tracks and VCA.

With this kind of session, organisation is the key.

 

[BLUElightCory]

Usually I'm in the 100-120 range including busses/etc. but not including auxiliary stuff like scratch tracks.

 

[Lasse Lammert]

Usually I'm in the 100-120 range including busses/etc. but not including auxiliary stuff like scratch tracks.

same here

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

same here

and here

 

[storming heaven]

20-25 tracks depending on the vocals. I like to keep it as simple as possible in terms of arrangement.

 

[greyskull]

Loads, but I try and trim the fat as quickly as i can!