how much time do you spend drum & vocal tracking?

[jimwilbourne]

so I'm working on drum editing my most recent project right now.
and I'm just curious to see how much time everyone here spends drum tracking.

I know it's relative to how good the drummer is.
but how do you know when to say "okay, that's good" and know that drum editing won't be hell?
do you judge it by genre?

I feel like it's a call that's harder to make than bass or guitar tracking because you can punch-in/slowdown as much as you want with that.

in the same vein. I feel like vocal tracking (especially singing) is a bit the same. but I'm a singer, so I feel like I know when someone nails a take.

I just wanna hear some feedback on this one.

 

[chrisrivalry]

interesting question, I'd say when the rest of the band is happy with it that's a good starting point... but just compare it with the click track, check to see that everything is clean to in terms of punch ins if you have any.

 

[-Noodles-]

I'll answer this as someone who doesn't (or does as little) drum editing as possible.

I get a take where every one is happy, which is usually 4 or 5 takes in, and then get them to do another.

This translates to two great takes with parts in each making it unique.

Each song can take as little as 20-30 minutes and upwards of an hour depending on how the drummer is performing.
I also don't see any distinction between a drummer, guitarist, keyboardist, flutiest or singer - they play until the part is correctly recorded and they're happy with it. It may take the same time for each instrument, or longer.

The reason I don't do that much editing is because I'm not the player - and my expression should be done through the sounds, not the "playing".

If there's a click - I'll listen to it back with the track, and see if there's any major deviations. If there are - we retrack. If not and they're (the band) are happy ... then it's done.

 

[SimonTaddio_Qc]

Your job would be to get them to do near-perfect takes [as they possibly can] and then work from there.

 

[jimwilbourne]

okay cool. I feel like a lot of projects (such as the one I'm working on) call for the super tight deathcore playing style.

as I'm drum editing, I'm thinking "okay, while I was tracking it it sounded pretty on time at the moment"
but now that I'm digging deeper and doing all the edits, I feel like I missed a lot.

am I over-perfecting the drummer's performance?

 

[chrisrivalry]

that's not your job though, capture the best performance and put it out there.

 

[JeffTD]

Precious hours of my youth.

 

[Encaved]

Nearly the same time on each instrument and around 50% of the whole time to track vocals (double etc)

 

[Shaun Werle]

I once had a drummer track a whole full length in 6 hours, Edited for about 20 but, He was the best person i ever heard play to a click. Tempos all mapped out and switching on them at the right time. Usually an hour per song, 1-2 hours editing. (to perfection)

Vocals take forever!

 

[darthjujuu]

vocals depends HUGELY on the genre/singer. I did a 7 song EP for constructs and the vocalist cranked through the entire thing in just a few hours and it came out really well. Dude was just super prepared, had a really consistent yell, and it all came out really well. on the other hand, i'm wrapping up a 3-song EP for the sharpest (indie rock) and we had to take a weekend sabbatical to my parents cape house to really get in the zone and put in a ton of hours, and then I had to put in a ton more automating (since the vox go from a whisper to a yell on a dime) and it's just been a ton of work, but totally worth it. IM me if you wanna hear how that ones been coming out since I can't really put it up anywhere yet.

 

[jimwilbourne]

vocals depends HUGELY on the genre/singer. I did a 7 song EP for constructs and the vocalist cranked through the entire thing in just a few hours and it came out really well. Dude was just super prepared, had a really consistent yell, and it all came out really well. on the other hand, i'm wrapping up a 3-song EP for the sharpest (indie rock) and we had to take a weekend sabbatical to my parents cape house to really get in the zone and put in a ton of hours, and then I had to put in a ton more automating (since the vox go from a whisper to a yell on a dime) and it's just been a ton of work, but totally worth it. IM me if you wanna hear how that ones been coming out since I can't really put it up anywhere yet.

will do. I haven't heard much of your new stuff.
I have a couple things I need help with that I need to show you anyway.