Tracking rhythm guitars

[Jackal_Strain]

I noticed a while ago that whenever I track rhythm guitars, the first track is always the tightest. I always record the left track first and then the right track (I sometimes quad track as well, but that's nothing to do with this).
I always noticed that it was the right track that was most out of sync when I listened back to the recording to see if anything needed tightening up or editing, so I started to mute the previously recorded tracks whenever I would double (or quad) track and suddenly everything was way tighter.
I'm not exactly sure why this is happening, but I was wondering if anybody else have experienced anything like this?

 

[jval]

I think you answered your own question... it's because when you do the first track, there aren't any other guitars helping to mask your mistakes so you play tighter. When you track the double, it's harder to hear mistakes and you might be listening more to the other guitar than to the click/drums. Muting the first track helps, or just simply make sure your standards are just as high for the double.

 

[Jackal_Strain]

I've thought about that, and it may probably be that. I guess the question I tried to ask (in a convoluted and confusing manner) is what are you guys doing when you track the same parts more than once? Do you mute the previous takes or listen to them while you track?

 

[006]

Mute previous takes. Every take should get the same treatment as the one before it, since the first is by itself, so should the others. At least that's how I've noticed the better takes get tracked in my experience.

 

[RiF]

A reason for a second take being less tighter could be: Let's assume, the drums are tight (click or programmed), then comes the first take and you are guided by the ultra-tight drums, so this takes gets pretty tight. But it is not perfect (coz' played by a human...). Then you play your second take and you are guided by the first guitar take more than by the drums (at least that's what happened to my ears/brain/fingers). So you basically had two different references for each take: 1st = drums, 2nd = first guitar take. It's no surprise that the 2nd take doesn't match the first one perfectly.

That said: mute the first guitar takes to make sure you're tracking to the very same guide track (click or drums) each time. This should get you the tightest overall performance. And mute everything else that could disturb your guidance (sloppy basses, keyboards, vocals and what have you).

 

[JayB]

Mute previous takes. Every take should get the same treatment as the one before it, since the first is by itself, so should the others. At least that's how I've noticed the better takes get tracked in my experience.

This is how I always record

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

Yup, always mute the previous takes IMO

 

[Keregioz]

I'm the other way around most of the time. When I have a guitar along with the drums I tent to play better, I usually end up deleting the first take and recording it again while hearing the newer. But it depends on the part really.

 

[26]

another option is, record TWO new tracks to the first one and use those.

 

[Arsenu,]

i'm kind of a noob at quad tracking, but i think that quad just sounds worse than double

so, ever considered simlpy NOT to quad-track?
simplicity SO lost it's meaning lately.....

 

[drdan]

Either way you do it, you will need to record the best you can with the first track, add the others, and check for mistakes and fix them when it's all done. I find that having the first track on just enough to hear if the second track isn't lining up helps a lot. The hope is to set it up where the guitar player can be tracking to mainly the click and drums and I can still barely hear the first track so I can listen for inconsistencies.

 

[bryan_kilco]

I normally only double track and I play part-by-part and make sure I get the best take down before moving on. I believe you can get great sounds with just 2 tracks rather than the hassle of 4...just seems to muddy it up, yet some of that mud can be good...

 

[AntonioPetrole]

i'm kind of a noob at quad tracking, but i think that quad just sounds worse than double

so, ever considered simlpy NOT to quad-track?
simplicity SO lost it's meaning lately.....

A. You aren't panning the guitars the right way
B. Your playing is not tight enough

quastracking is such a great thing if you know what your doing and can play retardedly tight. It's great to double track the verses and other arts, and then quad track the chorus IMO. There's lots of great things you can do with it, it's just a matter of practice

 

[StefTD]

In your position, I would mute the previous recorded track.
I really like to listen to the previous recorded track (but only one)
that is panned to the center and really quiet, just to get all the
voicings right, playing everything the exact same way, if I don't
do it that way, it happens that I play a part only with down picking
and for the next take with alternate picking.
It works wonders for me that way, but that's just a personal preference.
My old guitar player never wanted to hear his guitar loud, just drums pretty
loud and a little bit guitar in the background, for the next track just drums
again and he actually recorded his leads just to the drums, no bass, no other
guitars-sounded great everytime and was really tight, but let him listen to
another guitar take while tracking and he fucked it up.