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.

Flexibility of multitrack recording

If all the voices (including human and instrumental voices) 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 mixdown (re-recording to two stereo tracks for mass consumption) phase.

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If the artist wanted to apply one effect to, for example, a synthesizer part on track 3, and a different effect to a guitar part on track 7, while applying a 'chorused reverb' effect to the lead vocals on track 2, and different effects to all the drums and percussion instruments, occupying tracks 12-24, he couldn't do so if they had all been originally recorded together onto the same track, but if they have been recorded onto separate tracks, then the artist can blend the different voices that the song is comprised of, according to his vision, with complete freedom.

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Multitracking a song also leaves open the possibilities of remixes by future artists, such as DJ's. 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 voices have been 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 to any great degree of success, possibly because of the multi-harmonic (having many frequencies) nature of many musical instruments.

Related Topics:
Remix - DJ

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