Recording a Band: Live vs. Overdubs by Cliff Goldmacher

Cliff Goldmacher is a songwriter, producer, engineer and the owner of recording studios in Nashville and New York City.  When he’s not writing songs, Cliff is also a regular contributor to EQ Magazine and Pro Sound News as well as a number of online blogs.  He can be reached at cliff@cliffgoldmacher.com

When I’m hired by a band to produce their album, it’s often up to me to decide the best approach to take in the studio.  The principal choices are live (all the band members at the same time giving a “live” performance in the studio) versus overdubs (creating a band sound by tracking members of the band separately and then putting all the instrument parts together in the final mix).  By reading a little about the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches, hopefully you will be better able to decide which one will be best for your band.

Advantages of Tracking “Live”

If (and this is an important “if”) the band coming into the studio is well rehearsed and experienced, a “live” studio recording can be a great approach.  I put “live” in quotes because the recording studio (whether everyone plays at once or overdubs one or two at a time) is seldom a truly live experience.  Part of the reason that studio recordings sound as polished and detailed as they do has to do with the fact that the studio is a very controlled sonic environment.  There are isolation booths so that individual parts can be fixed without having everyone redo their parts and even if everyone is in one primary room to record, it’s not often set up like the stage of a local club or venue with an audience, applause and general room noise.  All this to say that what “live” really means is that the members of the band are given the opportunity to listen and respond to each other while they’re all playing together in the studio.   If, as I said earlier, the band is well rehearsed then this arrangement can produce excellent results.

Disadvantages of Tracking “Live”

The studio is, by its very nature, an intense and often stressful environment.  By tracking a band all together and hoping for a perfect (or almost perfect) take, you’ve added a lot of variables that wouldn’t ordinarily be present in an overdub scenario.  For example, if the drummer is having an off day, it could color everyone’s performance.  This is why I brought up the well-rehearsed and experienced qualifier in the earlier paragraph.  The more rehearsed the band members are, the less likely one member won’t be able to hold his or her own when the light goes red.  There are, of course, ways to minimize the risks in a live tracking scenario including isolating each instrument in its own room or booth so that individual fixes can be made after the keeper take is selected.  Also, by using a click track while recording, the engineer and/or producer can create a composite (or “comp”) performance by splicing together the best parts of several performances.

Advantages of Overdubs

Using the overdub approach, the band has the option of tracking different instruments separately.  This allows the band, for example, to get the drums and bass parts exactly right before overdubbing electric guitars or keyboards. It also allows the producer and/or band members to focus on one thing at a time and get it the way they want it before moving on. The way I generally approach sessions like this is to track the drums and bass with a scratch version of one additional instrument and a rough vocal so everyone knows where they are in the song.  It’s also useful to have a click track running in these sessions as it provides a common rhythmic link that everyone in the band can use to keep him or herself in time. Then, when the drums and bass are solid and provide a good foundation, we add acoustic and electric guitars, keyboards and finally vocals and harmony vocals. This lower pressure and increased focus on individual parts can lead to tighter arrangements and performances.

Disadvantages of Overdubs

The risk of tracking one or two instruments at a time is compromising the overall dynamics and feel of the track.  In other words, unless the musicians and singers have enough studio experience to be comfortable in what is a rather unnatural musical environment, the performances can sound lifeless and disjointed.  The way to combat this is to make sure that if your band isn’t overly experienced in the studio you use a producer who is.  A good producer will help guide the band members through the process and their performances to help capture the spontaneity and energy of a live performance in a less-than-live environment.

No One Way To Do It

There is no correct way to record a band.  There are multi-platinum selling examples of both approaches.  Ultimately, the decision should come down to what approach leaves your band the most relaxed and focused in the studio which will almost always lead to the best-sounding results.  You may need to try both approaches to see what works best for your band.  No matter which way you go, there is never a substitute for rehearsing your band as much as you possibly can before you start the actual recording process.  Going into the studio confident and well rehearsed will make the whole studio experience easier and more enjoyable for everyone involved.  Good luck!

Let us know your thoughts here on the TuneCore blog.

Comments

[George Ziemann]

"There is no correct way to record a band."

First of all, it's good to hear someone say that. There's a corollary for this as well, wherein for every "wrong" way that I can think of to record any instrument or vocal, I can think of a popular song wherein doing that wrong thing "made" the song.

I like a combination approach, wherein the band is fully rehearsed and you record a "live" performance, but that's really only the starting point in the absence of a miracle, wherein the first take is golden.

We like to just play the rhythm tracks live with a scratch vocal. We'll do two or three takes, compare them and pick the best, strongest, tightest version (which is usually the first take, but not always), then go back and overdub the vocals and leads.

I have a bass player that likes to record the live tracks and play a very simple, steady part to hold the drummer tight, then go back and "do it like a real bass player" before the leads and vocals are added.

[Danny Makka Productions]

Very good article. I've used both methods over the years to advantage.

[Greg Alton]

A good read!