Multitrack recording

Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the recording of multiple sound sources, whether simultaneously or at different times. This is the most common method of recording popular music. Musicians or singers can be recorded separately, then these performances can be edited together to create a cohesive result. It is also called 'multitracking' or just 'tracking' for short.

Related Topics:
Sound recording - Popular music

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During multitracking, multiple musical instruments and vocalists are recorded, either one at a time, or simultaneously, onto individual tracks, so that the sounds thus recorded can be individually accessed, processed and manipulated to achieve the desired results. For example, after tracking a new song with his band, an artist could then play it back, and listen to only the guitar part. He would do so, by 'muting' all the other tracks, except the track on which the guitar part was recorded. If he then wanted to listen to just the vocals that were recorded, he would do so by muting all the tracks, except the vocals track. If he wanted to now listen to the entire song, he could do so by unmuting all the tracks. If he did not like the guitar part or found there was a mistake in it, and wanted to replace it, he could do so by re-recording only the guitar part, and not the entire song all over again. This kind of editing freedom is one of the biggest benefits of tracking.

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Multitrack recording devices are available with varying capacities (number of simultaneous tracks available for recording). When recording a segment of audio, which is also known as a track, audio engineers and musicians may select which track or tracks on the device will be used.

Related Topics:
Track - Audio engineer - Musician

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Each of the tracks available on the recording device may be set to record or to play back. For example, a musician may record onto track 2 and listen on track 1 at the same time. This allows the musician to sing or to play a duet in harmony with a performance already recorded on track 1.

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Both performances can then be played back perfectly synchronised, as if they had been played together. This is a type of overdubbing and can be repeated until all of the tracks are used up.

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When recording is completed, the many tracks may be (and usually are) "mixed down" through a mixing console to a 2 track stereo recorder in a format which may then be duplicated and distributed. The records, CD's and cassettes commercially available in a music store are usually recordings that were originally recorded on multiple tracks, and then mixed down to stereo.

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