Recording Process

[john]

Hey

How do you currently put your tracks together?

in Sonar:

I tend to create a midi guide (unless I'm deliberately going for something with a more fluid, emotive feel). (sonar with creamware instruments and emu sampler)

I then lay down some guide tracks of real instruments (in wavelab, edit, then import to sonar)

Work up draft mix

Embelish any midi intrument lines

re-record draft tracks that need it

draft mix 2

edit audio, and work up midi parts.

draft mix 3

render midi as audio tracks

Change to mixdown set up

process audio effects and processors

Proposed final mix

Once I am happy with the mix I do some mastering in Wavelab. If I was releasing a cd I would get the mastering done by a mastering engineer.

Looking forward to seeing what you guys do, and what software etc you use.

Cheers

John

[Guest voclizr]

I do my tracking with my Zoom MRS802B workstation, which has a drum machine built into it. I start by deciding what meter I want, then I loop a click track in it. I do the basic keyboard part first, then vocals (if any are needed) next. Next I'll do bass then any embellishments. Then, if I'm going to collab with anybody, I'll do a rough mix with the beat and chords and email that to the person(s) I need the other parts from and tell them what key the song is in, the chord changes and where I want them to play & solo over. After I have my tracks recorded, I go back and program the final desired drum part.

My 802 is a standalone unit with the capabilities of mixing 8 tracks internally. It has 10 virtual takes per track for a total of 80 possible tracks. I don't use the internal mixer. I export my tracks to my PC and mix to Kristal Audio which gives me 16 track capabilities. The only setback doing it this way is that I can only monitor 8 tracks at a time, so unless I want to do a submix to monitor it all (which I find too inconvienient for it's worth) I have to wait untill I get all of the tracks recorded before I can hear everything.

After I have all the tracking finished, I tether the 802 to my PC via the USB connector, open the Zoom audio file manager I have on my PC which converts the proprietary Zoom V tracks to WAV files, then I open Kristal and begin the mix process starting with the basic rhythm tracks and build from there. I download the collabed tracks, if any, and add them here. I don't apply effects until I have a good dry mix. When the whole thing is ready, I go to the File menu and pick "Export Mixdown". If there is any post production work, like a fadeout, I open the resulting WAV to Audacity and knock off the time cue, do the fadeout and export to the final WAV or any MP3s I need.

John B.

Edited September 2, 2007 by voclizr