Being a newbie, I was wondering how you lay your tracks for recording? Like do you do guitars first then add bass then drums then vocal? Any insight appreciated. Thanks

Are you recording a cover song, or composing?

If I am recording a cover song, I'll set tempo; find some drums midi grooves for the song (I use Easy Drummer or Slate Drums 4); record bass; guitars; vocals; some keyboard if needed.

If I am recording some song I created, I'll set tempo; record guitar riff or bass grove to that tempo; find some drums groove; record vocals/keys.

If I am looking for some inspiration, I'll choose some drums midi grooves and try to create a nice bass groove. Guitar riffs will come later in this case.

Well, those are some ideas. I bought an Epiphone acoustic guitar, and I'll try some song composition with it, but nowadays I'm more of guitar riff "composer".

If you are starting, I suggest recording some basic cover songs. It's a lot of fun recording/mixing!! I am a hobbyist and sometimes spend hours and hours playing with Pro Tools and Eleven Rack.

Cheers

I usually start with some drum loops, then bass. Get a solid foundation of those 2 parts. I then take time to set markers of all transitions, so I don't mistakenly play a part past the transition. Then I usually play the guitar parts. Then comes the rest.

Thanks so much.

Thanks so much. I appreciate the input.

First I set the tempo and I record the guitar riffs with methronome on.
Then I create the drums parts and re-record the guitar parts that aren't in sync with the drums.
Then come bass and vocals.

I'll usually find something noodling around either in my head or while practicing some licks or some chord riff will sound cool I will then take it and put it on a track that will be a scratch track to help find the other parts of the song through the other instruments I have a friend that likes to use a metronome (the one built into pt so that he can keep everything in time from the very beginning this is a good idea?... also have an old BR 1600 CD recorder that has built-in drums. I very easily and quickly can draw up a drumbeat and change the tempo however I want and then just let my fingers do the riffing. The one thing I usually have trouble with his finding a good Bridge the other parts usually come pretty easily for me but it is the bridge that I always have trouble coming up with.

This is how I do it:

http://youtu.be/4yAdmYeQn9c

Thanks

Thank you