Recording - 1 - tracks

Let's say you want to record a song. Just the voice and an acoustic guitar to start with.

The simplest way to do this would be just to sit in front of a mic and press play - except that a recording like that isn't going to sound up to much - unless you have a very high quality powered mic. You can record 'live' like that (and it is, to my mind, the best way to do things), but to do it effectively on a budget requires a little extra preparation (which I'll cover later) - if you have only one mic and two instruments (the guitar and the voice) and you want to get a good recording with a modicum of control over what you record, you will have to record them onto separate tracks.

This is where practice comes in - know your song before you start. Record yourself on a tape recorder or dictaphone and work out what exactly you are playing. It makes life a lot easier. If you are an instrumental player and accustomed to 'building' a tune from scratch, this will an easier process - but to sing and play requires confidence and performance. And that takes practice!

So - record the guitar part.

Select the first track on your recording software (some types of programs will just automatically start recording a new track once you hit record - others you need to 'record enable' the track). Make sure you can hear the guitar. Make sure it sounds alright, and experiment with moving the mic until the sound is a good as it can be. And make sure you are sitting in the most comfortable and natural position possible. It might take a few goes to get it right!

It's not a bad idea to have the song lyrics in front of you - even sing along internally to make sure you're getting the right feel and timing. Remember, you're going to have to sing over the top of this!

Hit record, and play. You might find it surprising hard to get it right first time - or indeed the fifth or tenth. Recording focusses the mind, and makes you think about your playing and mistakes. Relax, and just concentrate on getting it right. If you mess up, just delete it or 'undo record'. If you're not sure, save it and mute the track and do another. Keep the best one.

So...if you've got something down...save it!

(note - make sure you know where these tracks are being saved to, and keep stuff in a folder on your computer where you can find them - this will be part of the software set up process)

Now - the vocal.

Select another track. Listen to the guitar part. Sing along without recording. Get the feel of it, and the timing. When you're happy, record your vocal. Again, perform it, and listen back to see what it sounds like. If it's not right, do it again. This is a creative process, so be creative. Think about what the song needs, and what you like.

Got something - save it!