Overdub

Overdubbing is a technique used by recording studios to add a supplementary recorded sound to a previously taped musical recording.

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The overdub was first used by inventor and guitarist Les Paul on his 1947 "Lover (When You're Near Me)", featuring eight different electric guitar pieces. His later work would be seminal in the popularization of multi-track recording.

Related Topics:
Les Paul - 1947

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Overdubs can be used for a variety of reasons. One of the most obvious is for convenience; for example, if a bassist is temporarily unavailable, the recording can be made and the bass track added later. Similarly, if only one or two guitarists are available but a song calls for multiple guitar parts, a guitarist can play both lead and rhythm guitar (such as in Cream's hit, "Sunshine of Your Love", when it would have been physically impossible for Eric Clapton to solo and play rhythm at the same time). Singers who also play an instrument find overdubbing a convenience, since it allows them to focus on one role at a time.

Related Topics:
Bass - Guitar - Cream - Sunshine of Your Love - Eric Clapton

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In other cases, overdubbing can be used to enhance the quality of a track, such as adding orchestral pieces (i.e. "A Day In The Life"). Obviously, the alternative (fitting an entire orchestra into a recording studio) would have been less attractive. The members of Queen overdubbed their voices to create the chorus effect for Bohemian Rhapsody.

Related Topics:
A Day In The Life - Queen - Chorus - Bohemian Rhapsody

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Numerous recording artists have made albums with only (or mostly) themselves performing, using overdubs to serve as their own 'one-man band', including Paul McCartney (McCartney and McCartney II), Todd Rundgren (Something/Anything?), and Prince, on many of his 1980s classics.

Related Topics:
Recording artists - Paul McCartney - McCartney - McCartney II - Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything? - Prince - 1980s

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Overdubbing can at times have a negative connotation, when it is seen as being used to artificially enhance the musical skills of an artist. The early records of the Monkees were made by groups of studio musicians recording backing tracks to the songs (often in a different studio, and some before the group was even formed), which were later overdubbed with the Monkees' vocals. While the songs became hits, many critics cried foul, and Michael Nesmith in particular disliked having to "duplicate someone else's records" for their television show. No cheating was intended in the practise (with the emphasis on the TV program, and the four members not an experienced group, it was felt that using studio 'ringers' would be more efficient), and numerous other singers and groups had studio help, but this didn't save them from critical and public scorn.

Related Topics:
Monkees - Michael Nesmith

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