As I've stated a few times before I started cutting my teeth on home recording using Acid Pro.. Using Acid, it was easy to cut and rearrange recorded parts. I understand the same can be done with Sonar, but I haven't quite figured it out yet.
 
So, I'm wondering how do you guys record? Do you record an entire guitar/bass part all at once or 1 section at a time?

I think you'll hear different answers from different users, but it seems that most people dedicate a track (or more per instrument to create a multi-track recording that gets mixed down to stereo or 5.1 surround. 

On the other hand, if you mean, "can one record multi-track of a live session of multiple sources?" You can do this too. Sonar is very flexible to the point that you can record a singer-songwriter in one or tow tracks to a full symphony arrangement mixed for a movie score.

I hope this is what you were looking for.

That's good to know and likely answers other questions I'm sure will pop up, but not really what I was getting at. :)

When I was first learning Acid Pro I inserted a basic groove and just played what came to the top of my head just to have something to tinker with. After I finshed with all the editing I could do with what I had, it Turned out to be an ok song idea. That was quite a few years ago.

Recently, I found the raw drum track I made for that song and decided to splice it up to rearrange it. After getting the drum track laid out the way I wanted it ended up over 8 minutes long! LOL

Not a big deal on the time, but playing 3 different guitar parts plus a bass part it gets so repetative that it drives me nuts for small mistakes that sticks out like thunder to me. So I end up deleting the entire track and starting over with it.

I know there's bound to be easier ways to do it in Sonar, but not sure of the best method or how to do it. With Acid it was simply a matter of slicing, copying and pasting with a little tweaking to get it right.

http://streamworksaudio.com/products/swaCompleteSonarX2]http://streamworksaudio.c...cts/swaCompleteSonarX2


best regards,
mike

Bflat5


That's good to know and likely answers other questions I'm sure will pop up, but not really what I was getting at. :)

When I was first learning Acid Pro I inserted a basic groove and just played what came to the top of my head just to have something to tinker with. After I finshed with all the editing I could do with what I had, it Turned out to be an ok song idea. That was quite a few years ago.

Recently, I found the raw drum track I made for that song and decided to splice it up to rearrange it. After getting the drum track laid out the way I wanted it ended up over 8 minutes long! LOL

Not a big deal on the time, but playing 3 different guitar parts plus a bass part it gets so repetative that it drives me nuts for small mistakes that sticks out like thunder to me. So I end up deleting the entire track and starting over with it.

I know there's bound to be easier ways to do it in Sonar, but not sure of the best method or how to do it. With Acid it was simply a matter of slicing, copying and pasting with a little tweaking to get it right.

You have several options to solve this problem.

Cut + paste is one of them, punching in on a small section to correct the errant notes is another.

This is all explained in great detail in the manual, and also in Scott Garrigus's Sonar POWER X2 book

Sonar copy and paste is ... highlight a section ... + <ctrl> + drag.

Sonar can be intimidating, methinks, but you should be able to work almost as swiftly as with Acid.

Remember to place gain and/or volume envelopes, if you haven't already.  These automation envelopes are what most Sonar users spend the MOST time with.

Blessings,

I guess it depends on a few things.... 

Do you have the skill to record a complete track start to finish and have it flawless?  

I often will record a complete track and then go back through it looking for the mistakes. When I find them, I simply split the track before and after the mistake. I generally set the snap to grid to a specific resolution.... this keeps the splits on a certain beat resolution to make other copy/paste functions easier..... but that is not really necessary. 

I highlight the new clip with the mistake and set the punch in/out to that clip. Then I delete the bad clip and record through that part as many times as I need to in order to get it perfect. 

Other times I will start with recording shorter clips and work through the track in that manner. I mostly do this on twin leads where I need to figure out the primary part that will work and fit in the allotted space, and them also to figure out the harmony lead to match. Since this is meticulous work, it takes time and goes clip by clip. 

Once you learn the split/copy/paste function it becomes second nature. 

Just had to do this last night. I go for a single take and when I make a mistake move the timeline back a few bars and start record again. Then I go back after the track is done and slip edit or copy and paste the good and remove the bad. You don't want to come back the next day and try to re-record because your distance from the mic, even atmospheric conditions can change the sound.

Another thing, if it doesn't sound good in the tracking, it will be harder if not impossible to get a decent mix. Get your tones as you lay down the tracks. This often requires pre-thinking/experimenting with your arrangement and tones before you hit record. Taking time up front saves a lot of time when you are crafting your vision.

"So, I'm wondering how do you guys record?"





My M.O.


i typically use the DAW just like a tape recorder.

i'm going for captured performances, and rarely use it as an 'arrangement' tool.


i work out arrangements the old fashioned way, on paper, or thru practice, or by doing demos.

sometimes i use live drums, sometimes i program them in Superior Drummer...
but typically the drums are recorded first, and completely arranged in advance.

then i multitrack (overdub) the parts, track by track.
usually, guitars, both rhythm and solo, are recorded from beginning to end. 
Bass, is usually a single long performance, from beginning to end.
i'm not as adept at keys, so i'll do those performances usually a verse, chorus or bridge at the time, punching in on the same continuous track typically, but sometimes going to a 2nd or 3rd track, if i want them to overlap while mixing.

Vocals, are sometimes inspired, and i'll forego punching in to fix mistakes, for getting a vibe instead....and just go for a complete take.

but more times than not, i will punch in vocals line by line..... and then do the same thing for every harmony.



now sometimes i write, and am not sure of arrangement.. usually during the 'demo' phase....
so i will set up the metronome, and have it play a simple kick drum and snare drum, looped endlessly, and i'll record over that, and setting the snap controls for entire measures at a time, i'll cut and paste sections and move them around, in time, and 'invent' new arrangements, all the while knowing i'll go back later and write a proper drum part for the new arrangement.

maybe, i'll mix down a quick version of the final chopped up arrangement, live with it for a while, then start from scratch on a new file, with the whole thing realized in full from the beginning.

Now that I understand the question better (my bad), I basically do a combination of what has been mentioned. I generally try to record perfect takes, but as you can probably guess, they don't always make it to the end perfectly. Drums are the area where I try the hardest, because IMO they are the hardest to edit or punch.

So, on a guitar or bass track, I'll copy and paste things to get a full beginning to end track in place to serve as a guide for all the other tracks to follow. Last, I keep going back an re-recording full takes over the frankenstein tracks until I get one that sounds correct. It's a long process, but I find that I make changes to the parts and they generally get a better or more interesting as I go.

I'm currently doing a Metallica-esque heavy tune right now, and it's got all of the parts recorded in full takes, but I still am not satisfied with the recording or the mix. The bass sounds spot on, but the rest needs work. Thus, I'll go back and record a few more attempts with rhythm guitars to get the right tone and feel. The drums are tight, but I don't like some of the fills. It takes a month or two, but it beats my day job any day.