Music Banter - View Single Post - Trying to record drums in synch with guitar

PerFeCTioNThrUSileNCe · 06-15-2009, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElephantSack

I disagree. Every time I have ever recorded in any studio, drums are always first to be laid down to track. One, they're the biggest and most complicated instrument to record. Two, rhythm and beat are the the foundation of the song. And when you record, its just like building a house. You start at the bottom with the foundation, get the basic structure of the song put up, and once its well put-together, you add on whatever extras come to mind.

My advice would be to start over. Record the drums first, then move to bass and guitar. And lastly, add the vocals. Trust me, it will be a lot easier next time around.

That has nothing to do with what I said about ACID at all. And I know the process of studio recording. Not only have I been in a band that has recorded multiple times, but I'm majoring in audio engineering.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

Hi, SATCHMO and Veridical Fiction,
Ahh! You posted new messages while I was working on my last one. Thanks for your support and suggestions! I do definitely want to figure out how to improve the recordings of my songs in a home setting. For me, this doesn't mean achieving perfection, because I realize that my skills are mediocre and may always be, although this doesn't mean one can't make music that one enjoys! :-) Also, my songs are driven by the lyrics, so less-than-perfect music might be forgiven by someone who actually likes the lyrics.

However, when I listen to the recordings I have made so far, I do see ways to improve the recordings (such as with the timing issues) that I agree should be solvable. Additonal problems are the pop at the beginning and end of the recordings (I always have the microphone on and then click on the ACID record button...perhaps I need to try the reverse or edit out the pop somehow), and ACID metronome ticks that seem to always be faintly in the background when I record a track using the ACID metronome (but listening to it through earphones, so there shouldn't be any sound reaching the microphone). The quality of my instrument playing and singing is a separate area I will probably always be working on!!

--Erica

The pops at the beginning and end of the track are normal. If you do punch-ins and spot edits you'll get them in the middle of the tracks as well. I'm not sure what the equivalent is in ACID but in ProTools there's a waveform editing tool (a pencil that allows you to redraw the waveform). Find where the pop is in the waveform (it may be a tedious process) and smooth out that section.