Multitrack recording (also known as
multitracking or just
tracking
for short) is a method of
sound
recording that allows for the separate recording of multiple
sound sources to create a cohesive whole. This is the most common
method of
recording
popular music. In the 2000s,
multitracking software for computers became widely used.
Process
Multitracking can be achieved with analogue, tape-based equipment
(from simple, cassette-based four or eight trackers to 2"
reel-to-reel 24-track machines), digital equipment that relies on
tape storage of recorded digital data (such as ADAT eight-track
machines) and hard disk-based systems often employing a computer
and audio recording software. Multitrack recording devices vary in
their specifications, such as the number of simultaneous tracks
available for recording at any one time; in the case of tape-based
systems this is limited by, among other factors, the physical size
of the tape employed. Some of the biggest professional analog
recording studios used a computer to synchronize multiple 24-track
machines, effectively multiplying the number of available tracks
into the hundreds. The rock group
Toto
recorded their fourth album on four computer-synced 24-track
machines, for example.
For computer-based systems the trend is towards unlimited numbers
of record/playback tracks, although issues such as memory and CPU
available will in fact limit this from machine to machine.
Moreover, on computer-based systems, the number of simultaneously
available recording tracks is limited by the sound card discrete
analog or digital inputs.
When recording,
audio engineers can
select which track (or tracks) on the device will be used for each
instrument, voice, or other input.
At any given point on the tape, any of the tracks on the recording
device can be recording or playing back, so that an artist is able
to record, for instance, onto track 2 and, simultaneously, listen
to track 1, allowing them to sing or to play an accompaniment to
the performance already recorded on track 1. They might then record
on track 3 while listening to track 2. All three performances can
then be played back in perfect synchrony, as if they had originally
been played and recorded together. This can be repeated until all
of the available tracks have been used, or in some cases,
reused.
At any given point in the recording process, any number of existing
tracks can be "bounced" into one or two tracks and the original
tracks erased, making more room for more tracks to be reused for
fresh recording.
Beatles producer George
Martin used this technique extensively to achieve multiple
track results, while still being limited to using only multiple
four-track machines, until an eight-track machine became available
during the recording of the Beatles'
White Album.
The Beach Boys'
Pet
Sounds also made innovative use of multitracking with
8-track machines of the day (1965-66).
Korg D888 eight-track digital recorder
Multitrack recording also allows any recording artist to record
multiple "takes" of any given section of their performance,
allowing them to refine their performance to virtual perfection. A
recording engineer can record only the section being worked on,
without erasing any other section of that track. This process of
turning the recording mechanism on and off is called "punching in"
and "punching out". (See "
Punching
in".)
When recording is completed, the many tracks are "mixed down"
through a
mixing console to a
two-track
stereo recorder in a format which
can then be duplicated and distributed. (Movie and DVD soundtracks
can be mixed down to four or more tracks, as needed, the most
common being five tracks, with an additional
subwoofer track, hence the "5.1"
surround sound most commonly available on
DVDs.)
Most of the records, CDs and cassettes commercially available in a
music store are recordings that were originally recorded on
multiple tracks, and then mixed down to stereo.
In some rare cases, as when an older song is technically "updated",
these stereo (or
mono) mixes can in turn be
recorded (as if it were a "submix") onto two (or one) tracks of a
multitrack recorder, allowing additional sound (tracks) to be
layered on the remaining tracks.
Flexibility
During multitracking, multiple musical instruments (and vocals) can
be recorded, either one at a time or simultaneously, onto
individual tracks, so that the sounds thus recorded can be
accessed, processed and manipulated individually to produce the
desired results. For example, after recording some parts of a song,
an artist might listen to
only the guitar part, by
'muting' all the tracks except the one on which the guitar was
recorded. If one then wanted to listen to the vocals in isolation,
one would do so by muting all the tracks apart from the vocals
track. If one wanted to listen to the entire song, one could do so
by un-muting all the tracks. If one did not like the guitar part,
or found a mistake in it, and wanted to replace it, one could do so
by re-recording
only the guitar part (i.e., re-recording
only the track on which the guitar was recorded), rather than
re-recording the entire song.
If all the voices and instruments in a recording are individually
recorded on distinct tracks, then the artist is able to retain
complete control over the final sculpting of the song, during the
mix-down (re-recording to two stereo tracks for mass distribution)
phase.
For example, if an artist wanted to apply one effect to a
synthesizer part, a different effect to a guitar part, a 'chorused
reverb' effect to the lead vocals, and different effects to all the
drums and percussion instruments, they could not do so if they had
all been originally recorded together onto the same track. However,
if they had been recorded onto separate tracks, then the artist
could blend and alter all of the instrument's sounds with complete
freedom.
Multitracking a song also leaves open the possibilities of
remixes by the same or future artists, such as
DJs. If the song was not available in a
multitrack format recording, the job of the remixing artist could
be very difficult, or impossible, because once the tracks have been
re-recorded together during the mixdown phase, they are
inseparable. Theoretically, one could use frequency selective
filters for this, but in reality this has not been done with any
great degree of success because of the multi-harmonic (having many
frequencies) nature of many musical instruments and voices.
History
The process was conceived and developed by guitarist
Les Paul in the 1940s with the financial and
inspirational assistance of
Bing Crosby
and the
Ampex Corporation,
resulting in the first 8-track machine which used 1-inch tape.
Through the 1950s, many popular recordings, notably those of
Les Paul and Mary Ford and
Patti Page used the technology to enhance
vocals and instrumentals. From these pioneering beginnings, it
evolved in subsequent decades into a mainstream recording
technique.
With computer
In the 2000s, many performers have recorded albums using only a
personal computer as a tracking
machine. To use a personal computer as a multitracking device, the
computer must have an
analog
to digital interface, and multitrack recording software must be
installed (software is available at all price ranges or even free,
in the case of
free software and
open source). As well, a
microphone is needed to record the vocals
of a singer and/or any other sources of sound.
This is all that is needed to use a computer as a digital
multitrack. Alternately, a standard personal computer
sound card can be used to capture sounds, albeit
with less fidelity. This is done simply by attaching either a
microphone to the microphone input jack if a vocal track is to be
recorded, or a stereo cable from the electronic device (such as a
synthesizer or a
guitar amplifier) to the
line input of the sound card. Computers with appropriate software
and hardware can record multiple audio tracks at once. This audio
interface hardware sends audio signals to the computer and may
interface with the computer via a PCI card, USB or FireWire
connections. There are a range of
analog to
digital interface options available. Popular brands include
Apogee, Digidesign, MOTU, Lynx and Prism.
The instruments and singers' voices are recorded as individual
files on the computer's hard drive, and function as tracks as per
traditional multitracking. Effects such as
reverb,
chorus, and
delays can be applied by the
computer software. When the musicians are happy with the sound, the
multiple tracks are mixed down onto two clean tracks, again within
the multitracking software. Finally, the final stereo recording can
be burned to a CD, which can then be copied and distributed.
The Digidesign 192 i/o.
An audio interface for the Pro Tools computer-based hard disk
recording system
Multitracking software for a personal
computer includes: Adobe Audition,
Pro Tools from Digidesign, Pyramix
from Merging Technologies,
SONAR from Cakewalk, Samplitude from Magix,
Cubase from Steinberg, and Logic Pro
from Apple
.
Mixcraft from Acoustica, Inc., Reaper from
Cockos and
N-track from FASoft are
affordable alternatives to high end multi-track software.
Audacity and
Ardour are popular
open source programs for multi-track recording.
Jokosher (
open
source as well) is quite new, but seems to be gaining
popularity among Linux users.
2007 Song Galaxy has released an Audio Multi-Track format that is
delivered in a single file, which loaded into the player software
gives the user the ability to mute or adjust the volume level of
individual instruments. Tracks can be exported as individual WAV
files which can then be loaded into other Multitracking software
for further editing.
Order of recording
In most modern popular songs,
drums and
percussion instruments are the
first instruments to be recorded . There are various reasons for
this. The drums are usually the rhythm leaders; it is much easier
for musicians recording later tracks to keep to the common beat of
the drums, also due to the precise attack of drum sounds. A drummer
might find it very difficult to play along with a backing track
recorded without percussion, due to the likely variations in the
musicians' tempo. Furthermore, in order to accurately keep to a
pre-established rhythm, a drummer would need the sound of the other
instruments to be very loud to compete with their drum kit; apart
from the possibility of the drum microphones picking up the sound
of the other instruments from the drummer's headphones, prolonged
exposure to such volume might very well damage their hearing. Also,
it allows the drums to be recorded for a few seconds, then looped.
Click (
metronome) tracks are also often
used as the first sound to be recorded, especially when the drummer
isn't available for the initial recording, and/or the final mix
will be synchronized with motion picture and/or video images.
Also, though the drums might eventually be mixed down to a couple
of tracks, each individual drum and percussion instrument might be
initially recorded to its own individual track. The drums and
percussion combined can occupy the largest number of tracks
utilized in a recording. This is done so that each percussion
instrument can be processed individually for maximum effect. A
common percussion effect is the slow back and forth panning of a
percussive instrument's sound in the stereo field from the left to
the right channel in a song.
Equalization (or EQ) is often used on
individual drums, to bring out each one's characteristic
sound.
The last tracks to be recorded are usually the vocals (though a
temporary vocal track might be recorded early on either as a
reference or to guide subsequent musicians, this is sometimes
called a "Guide Vocal", "Ghost Vocal" or "Scratch vocal"). One
reason for this is that singers will often temper their vocal
expression in accordance with the accompaniment.
Concert music
For classical and jazz recordings (particularly instrumentals)
where multitracking is chosen as the recording method (as opposed
to direct to stereo, for example), a different arrangement is used;
all tracks are recorded simultaneously. Sound barriers are often
placed between different groups within the orchestra, e.g.
pianists, violinists, percussionists, etc. When barriers are used,
these groups listen to each other via
headphones.
See also
References
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