Should I edit my guitar tracks...

[muckypup1]

I've been writing a lot of music for a instrumental heavy album, but the speed of some of the rhythm guitar goes beyond what I can play. So I'm planning to heavily edit the guitars and bass. My question is - do you think it matters if I edit the songs so they will be super tight and perfect?

My only problem with editing is that If I edit my tracks, I wouldn't be able to actually pull of playing the songs in front of people... Does this matter?

I mean if it sounds good, it is good, and they won't ever be used for playing live, I'm just wondering if anyone on here has done this, or if you stick with what your able to play?

 

[abt]

I've been writing a lot of music for a instrumental heavy album, but the speed of some of the rhythm guitar goes beyond what I can play. So I'm planning to heavily edit the guitars and bass. My question is - do you think it matters if I edit the songs so they will be super tight and perfect?

I personally don't think it matters but I'm predicting a few rants.

My only problem with editing is that If I edit my tracks, I wouldn't be able to actually pull of playing the songs in front of people... Does this matter?

It only matters if you are going to play the live. If you're going to play the songs live then you need to learn them or you'll look like a dick.

I mean if it sounds good, it is good, and they won't ever be used for playing live, I'm just wondering if anyone on here has done this, or if you stick with what your able to play?

I've tried a couple of experiments with this and it doesn't work for me, it just sounds weird, helicopter guitars. I know there are loads of bands out there that can't play for shit but their albums sound good.

I'd love to know how you do this and make it sound real. I work with film makers and quite often they want unrealistic things in a very short amount of time. To me it's just another tool.

 

[muckypup1]

I personally don't think it matters but I'm predicting a few rants.



It only matters if you are going to play the live. If you're going to play the songs live then you need to learn them or you'll look like a dick.



I've tried a couple of experiments with this and it doesn't work for me, it just sounds weird, helicopter guitars. I know there are loads of bands out there that can't play for shit but their albums sound good.

I'd love to know how you do this and make it sound real. I work with film makers and quite often they want unrealistic things in a very short amount of time. To me it's just another tool.

I'm not planning to play any of the songs live, I just want it as a good sounding album

 

[professorlamp]

I'd say if its just going on CD , then just edit it to buggery but dont act like you can play the guitar like Rusty cooley.
Or you could actually learn it and have alot of pride in your work, just how complex are we talking? maybe some guys on here could help?

 

[[UEAK]Clowd]

just edit it and learn it tight for when you have to play it live. any other way is inefficient and a waste of time.

 

[Erkan]

Be warned though; I tried editing guitars a couple of days ago and it narrows down the stereo width of double tracked guitars by a significant amount. I don't actually need to edit my guitars though, they're mostly tight enough but I tried it just for fun and I didn't really fall in love with the result so to speak. But then again, I chopped up almost every note and moved it pretty tight to the grid, maybe you will only be moving sections instead of note by note. If you plan on doing note by note, be prepared for some weird sounding guitars. They can still sound good, like without artifacts and stuff but you will probably reduce the stereo width.

 

[wiiii]

As stated before as long as you don't pretend you are as tight as your edits sound I don't see an issue. There have been threads on here pages long of people on both sides but if It sounds good it sounds good. Playing it live is another story

 

[muckypup1]

As stated before as long as you don't pretend you are as tight as your edits sound I don't see an issue. There have been threads on here pages long of people on both sides but if It sounds good it sounds good. Playing it live is another story

I'm not going to lie and say I'm a good guitarist, my playing is sloppy, and I can't play fast songs in one long take. But this is going to be a cd only thing, something heavy and groovy that should pummel your head!

The speed isn't going to be ridiculous, just lots of moving around, like Meshuggah's Destroy Erase Improve album, but more industrial.

I would learn it and play it tight, but I really don't have the time to practise at the moment, I'm getting close to my exams, and I've not worked enough for them the last few months...

 

[muckypup1]

Be warned though; I tried editing guitars a couple of days ago and it narrows down the stereo width of double tracked guitars by a significant amount. I don't actually need to edit my guitars though, they're mostly tight enough but I tried it just for fun and I didn't really fall in love with the result so to speak. But then again, I chopped up almost every note and moved it pretty tight to the grid, maybe you will only be moving sections instead of note by note. If you plan on doing note by note, be prepared for some weird sounding guitars. They can still sound good, like without artifacts and stuff but you will probably reduce the stereo width.

I'm not planning to edit note by note, maybe for a few breakdowns, but who knows what will happen with it

 

[professorlamp]

well either way, it better be fucking good and free!

 

[muckypup1]

well either way, it better be fucking good and free!

yeah! When I've got it finished I'll post the download link on here Only for Sneapsters

 

[Pablo333]

just record in 8 or 16 bar sections, doesnt sound edited if you dont stop dead at the end of the riff,

this way you can focus on getting every "riff" really tight, your not cheating , it just to get each riff sounding as best as possible.

i'd record some practice takes for a few days , then set aside a "Recording" day, were you get a "keeper" take.

you may find it easier than you think!

 

[muckypup1]

just record in 8 or 16 bar sections, doesnt sound edited if you dont stop dead at the end of the riff,

this way you can focus on getting every "riff" really tight, your not cheating , it just to get each riff sounding as best as possible.

i'd record some practice takes for a few days , then set aside a "Recording" day, were you get a "keeper" take.

you may find it easier than you think!

Thats how I've been recorded for a while, like my Obituary cover I recorded in sections

 

[ahjteam]

Be warned though; I tried editing guitars a couple of days ago and it narrows down the stereo width of double tracked guitars by a significant amount.

urdoinitrong. don't try to go sample accurate. I have lately actually gone to the oldschool way and actually try not to either time edit the guitars at all or only edit the lead guitars. Doesn't take the humanity away that way.

 

[Pablo333]

urdoinitrong. don't try to go sample accurate. I have lately actually gone to the oldschool way and actually try not to either time edit the guitars at all or only edit the lead guitars. Doesn't take the humanity away that way.

true, when i did my track "Terminated" - i did it as usual section by section, then i decided to try and edit the DI's for each riff so they were really tigh and time aligned

y'know what happened?

the original sounded way way bigger, and yes the edited version had less width and sounded un-rocking, for want of a better term.

 

[dcb]

if its only for a studio project, edit the shit out of it!
go !

this might be a little of topic, but i recently listen to the new deftones and must say that i love how they havent edited silence, where stef
stops, you can hear the amp noise in pauses. really organic sounding to my ears... maybe i will go back to more "real" guitar editing. but then again im mostly
working with bands that play live.

 

[muckypup1]

if its only for a studio project, edit the shit out of it!
go !

this might be a little of topic, but i recently listen to the new deftones and must say that i love how they havent edited silence, where stef
stops, you can hear the amp noise in pauses. really organic sounding to my ears... maybe i will go back to more "real" guitar editing. but then again im mostly
working with bands that play live.

I like that as well, the new deftones album is pretty good! much better than Saturday Night Wrist I like the raw sound they have got on it.

 

[Pablo333]

just go for it mate, stop worrying about the small stuff, practice and record a good take then mix it, just enjoy the fact that you can!!!

 

[joeymusicguy]

now adays i prefer punching parts in place, and only messing with the timing via time stretch if its worth it.

as in, the guitar player nearly nailed the part minus being slightly early or late when compared to the drums being almost over corrected
at that point, its really ok to just do some minute time stretching on the DI tracks.

honestly the time stretching algorithms today sound fine when applied on the di track, then that di track gets reamped

you dont lose anything if you use the proper algorithm in the right situation. always preview / compare to other algorithms if they could apply (a single string monophonic guitar riff could work in the monophonic algorithm or the polyphonic algorithm. test both and compare the sound. you might not notice a difference and that means that your edits are probably true to the original sonic character)

i use pro tools hd and elastic audio with great results.

 

[joeymusicguy]

I like that as well, the new deftones album is pretty good! much better than Saturday Night Wrist I like the raw sound they have got on it.

i dont think it sounds that raw, it still sounds overdubbed to me

the only thing that makes it scream real is the drum sounds

but all those technicalities aside, i love the deftones, and i love their new album. wouldnt change a thing.