Multitrack Recording Setup and Concepts
by David Podeschi
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Fair warning, this article will necessarily get a bit technical and so I’ve put definitions at the end of the article. Terms with a definition are marked by an italicized number in red.
I became fascinated with recording technology the first time I laid eyes on a Wollensak reel to reel tape recorder in my high school’s radio station. What an intriguing, gleaming bit of technology with its spinning reels and ability to capture sound! The following year I started playing guitar and read about Les Paul’s use of the first 8 track (1) Ampex, (cost $10,000 1957 dollars), to do multitrack recording (2) and my fascination grew; I was hooked. I had to do it someday.
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Fast forward to today. We are in a digital age where just about anyone with a few readily available pieces of hardware and software can record multitracks at home. When I started playing recorder, I had no idea our network of players existed and so my initial goal was to multitrack record a set of duets by Harald Genzmer, playing both parts myself. I immediately discovered two things: 1) it is pretty easy to get set up and do basic multitracking and 2) it is fiendishly difficult to sound good on the recorder if you have never had a lesson! Let’s assume you can deal with the latter and dive into the former.
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If you have a Mac, you already have access to free recording software in Garageband, even on an iPad. If you don’t have a Mac there is free recording software for Windows such as Audacity. There is even recording software for iPads and smartphones. Most computers and all smartphones have a built in microphone. So you can get started with no additional investment. Two issues with this: 1)Built-in microphones have limited and non-linear frequency response(3), just don’t sound very good for music when played back on a decent hi-fi, and in my opinion can bring out the worst in the sound of recorders. 2) the free recording software usually lacks what I think are some key functions. So for this article I am going to assume you are interested in sounding good and being able to not only multitrack but also to edit and add effects such as a nice warm reverb that makes you sound like you are in a large cathedral!
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Hardware
First, one item you need but probably already have are headphones, or at least earbuds. When you record the first track, say the top line of a duet, you will want to have a metronome running in the software, often called a click track, and you don’t want the mic to pick up the click so you have to be under headphones.
Second, an optional item if you don’t have them are external computer speakers for listening to your dazzling recording while you edit, mix and add reverb. Yes, you can use the built in computer speakers, but they can sound pretty tinny.
Third, while you can definitely start with free recording software, I recommend investing in an external microphone and there are two ways to go:
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Option 1: Buy a USB microphone. Rode is a popular brand with models in the $99 to $229 range, they have a built-in desktop mic stand and pop filter(4) and plug in to the USB port so they don’t require a separate audio interface. There are many other brand options.
Option 2: Buy a traditional microphone (non-USB), a separate mic stand and an audio interface. This is the higher fidelity route. I use a large condenser mic which I think gives a better, warmer recorder sound. There are many options in the $99 to $199 range such as the Audio Technica AT2035. For a traditional mic you will need a mic stand, they cost about $30-$50, and I recommend a boom style stand for greater positioning flexibility. The 3rd item needed for this route is an audio interface(5). Focusrite has a solid entry level unit for $109 called the Scarlet Solo. There are many other options and you have to make sure the unit you buy is compatible with your computer, i.e. USB 2.0 vs. 3.0 vs thunderbolt etc.
Finally, I will mention that many musical instrument dealers, such as Sweetwater, have attractively priced bundles of a large condenser mic, headphones and an audio interface.
That’s it for hardware, so on to the recording software. Since every piece of software functions a little differently, I am going to stick with how the concepts work. You will have to read or watch tutorials on how the software you select works.
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The basic concept with multitrack recording is that you can record an individual part of a piece of music, rewind to the beginning and record another part in time with the first. Here is an image of recording software with 3 tracks lined up. |
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Before hitting record, it is important to set an input level so that your recording will be loud enough without overdriving the input channel(6) and causing distortion. This is a simple matter of playing the softest notes and making sure the input meter is bouncing enough, and playing the loudest notes and making sure it doesn’t go over the peak limit. How and where to adjust the input level will depend on your choice or hardware and software; there are controls on both for increasing and decreasing the input gain.
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When I record a duet, after rehearsing thoroughly with a metronome, I start with the bottom line as it is foundational, and record it to the first track I’ve set up in the software. I record under headphones with the software’s metronome running in the headphones. Why the metronome? Because there are no visual cues from other performers, it is just you alone in your studio! Then I listen to what I’ve recorded, get disgusted and delete the track and do it again. The beauty of recording is you get do overs, when you make a mistake or just don’t like the result you can delete and re-record.
Once satisfied with the first track, I add a second track to the software, rewind to the start and record the top part while listening to the bottom part track, again under headphones and with the metronome running. Once satisfied with the top part, I rewind and record the bottom part again, this time without the metronome, just playing along with the top part. I find this produces a more organic performance. Finally I re-record the top line playing along with just the bottom line.
When you are satisfied with your recorded tracks, it is time to mix. At its most basic, mixing is adjusting the volume balance between the tracks and panning (placing) the sound of each track across the stereo field from left to right. This gives the instruments a bit of separation in the acoustical space when listening through stereo speakers. Most recording software features a mixer view (see image below) where you can adjust volume sliders and pan the individual tracks left or right.
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Since I record tracks so that the loudest notes don’t overdrive, it is usually necessary to adjust the relative loudness of the two tracks to achieve volume balance. This is especially true when recording something like a tenor-bass duet where the tonality of the instruments can make one seem louder than the other. For duets I will pan one track about 35% left of center and the other 35% right of center to separate the two lines of music in the virtual physical space. For trios, I place the lowest pitched line in the center and the others left and right. |
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Once you are satisfied with volume and balance, you can add some reverb. Before adding reverb, you will find your tracks sound dry or close, like they were recorded in a small room with the listener sitting 2 feet from the instrument.
Blending in some reverb can make the recording sound like it was done in a more appealing acoustical space and move the listener back a few rows. Most recording software will come with a digital reverb module that will emulate various physical spaces like a nightclub, a theater, a church, a cathedral, etc. There are various ways to access the module and add it to the tracks depending on your software, so you’ll have to read the instructions or watch a tutorial.
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The last step is called rendering and is simply the process of outputting your performance from the recording software to a format accessible to others, like an mp3 or WAV file. Each digital audio workstation (DAW) will have a different render process so again, read your instructions. Mp3s don’t sound as good as WAVs but are ideal for sharing since they are a smaller file size.
I realize this is a very high level overview with not enough detail for some and too much for others. If you are interested in recording and want to know more, let us know.
Appendix
- In recording terminology, a track is a single stream of recorded sound residing on one location, e.g. the magnetic tape. In the early days of monophonic tape recording, there was one track on the tape so everyone had to play at once. Stereo added a second track but everyone was still playing and being recorded at once.
- Multitrack recording means the ability to record one part of a piece of music in its entirety on one track, say the top line of a duet, then rewind and on a separate track neatly lined up with the first, record the bottom line while listening and playing along with the top line.
- Limited frequency response means these mics don’t capture the full range of low pitch to high pitch sounds including the harmonics. Non-linear frequency response means that some pitches will be over or under emphasized vs. the natural sound of the instrument and response of our ears.
- Pop filters are screens in front of the mic that eliminate sibilants, the ‘pop’ of consonants like ‘p’. Nice to have if you decide to record vocals, not necessary for recorders.
- Audio interfaces are devices that turn the analog microphone signal into a digital signal and send it to the computer, and vice versa. They also include headphone jacks and controls for adjusting levels and monitoring already recorded sound, like that first track you need to hear while you play the second track!
- Channels are the physical ins and out where you plug in the mic or the speakers, e.g. an input channel feeds the mic signal to the track.
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ARS Board President David Podeschi is an amateur recorder and guitar player who lives in Prosper, TX. |
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