Tracking guitars for bands with three gutarists?

[MaellaJohn]

What do guys usually do in that situation given that all three guitarists will be playing the same thing for the most part. Every once in a while, one guitarist plays a lead while the other two continue the rhythm.

Would you do the regular one hard left, one right, and lead-only stuff in the center?

 

[JamesNorman]

Why do they have three if they play the same thing? personally I'd tell them to put thier ego's aside and quadtrack guitars ( if really needed?) and then do leads!

However I would take a production role on this and say that of thy all play the same thing there is no need to layer things up, so I would double track, then push one of the guitarists to do leads and one of them to do harmonies having these panned in the stereo field!

You'll end up with a much clearer recording to put your name on!

 

[MaellaJohn]

That's what I was thinking. I see a lot, on the forum, that people who used to quad track stopped and just dual tracked.

I was thinking, since the live play would consist of all three guitarists playing the same thing, except for the lead guitarist who would play the lead parts when they come up in a song, that maybe it would be an accurate reflection of live play if three guitars were tracked--two hard left and right, playing the rhythm, and one playing rhythm and lead when it comes up.
Though I'm not sure how that would come out sounding.

It's for my personal band.

 

[JamesNorman]

I always track rythems with the same guitarist, it's not till you get to recording you realise one guitarist picks slightly different than the other, or is a but slopper, softer on the strings! The best guitarist is the one that tracks rythems, I've never had a problem when ive explained this to a band.

Then the leads it us up to you, but personally I would strive to get one if the guitarists to play harmonies of the lead, doesnt mean he has to harmonies everything, just somethings. Not only will this help you in the recording it will also help your live shows.

 

[JoergieN]

I've never really understood the point of having three guitar players in a live band. Every now and then I'll hear some badass counter points using three guitars but other that that using two guitars and a bass seems to be plenty to me.

 

[FIXXXER]

let the most skilled guy record everything and if the other two guys start bitching.
explain why it's a big benefit to the record if the recordings were as good as possible.
if they need to pose and compare the length of their dicks, they can do it on stage but not in the fucking studio!

cheers
S.

 

[Virgil.]

I've never really understood the point of having three guitar players in a live band. Every now and then I'll hear some badass counter points using three guitars but other that that using two guitars and a bass seems to be plenty to me.

You must have never heard of Iron Maiden.

 

[JoergieN]

Oh trust me. I'm a big iron maiden fan. And although at times they do use badass counter points, most of the time I just don't feel that it needs it

 

[Tommy Gun]

I was in a tech-melodic death metal band with 3 guitars (15 years ago, LOL).
What I would do, in this order...
-Tightest rhythm player handles most guitars.
-Maybe let the most soulful/natural player handle most of the melody lines.
-2 tracks hard L/R on faster stuff that's only one guitar part.
-3 tracks for 2 parts. One part hard L/R and one up the middle. (Mustaine style)
-3 tracks for 3 parts.
-Triple track anything you might usually quad track. (Thicker parts, etc.)

It'll take more automation than usual, but I think this would be the easiest and make for the most cohesive mix.

 

[Sloan]

I've never really understood the point of having three guitar players in a live band. Every now and then I'll hear some badass counter points using three guitars but other that that using two guitars and a bass seems to be plenty to me.

Lynyrd Skynyrd.

 

[MaellaJohn]

I would pick up a guitar and play as well, but I don't have equipment, I'm not skilled, and I'm busy screaming.
We're a sort of djenty prog death metal band with hardcore style breakdowns. I don't want to say deathcore because of the ridicule that the genre gets, we're heavily influenced by Between the Buried and Me, The Faceless, and The Contortionist. So it's kind of more prog and weird with really heavy palm muted/technical death metal riffs, and even some really pretty parts to contrast.

The main reason for the three guitarists is because our composer, who is the lead guitarist, often writes stuff that would otherwise have to be backtracked and frankly, backtracking is a pain.

I'd like the opportunity to stop the band from playing to do something unexpected like piss on some girl, without having the backtracked guitars continuing on.

But that's way OT. I think what I'll just do is have the most skilled guitarist track the majority of it--just double tracked. For the random riffs our lead guitarist composes to accent the particular parts of the songs, I'll just add in a mid left/right track around 75% panned. And lead stuff in the center.

I don't think any of the guys would whine about having the most skilled guitarist track mostly everything. It's less work for them.

Oh, and this is pretty OT too. I feel weird when I browse this forum, knowing pretty much every user is a guitarist. Though, I'm a vocalist. I feel out of place.
It's just motivation to learn guitar quicker.