Recording Perfect Rhythm Guitar Tracks - But is it Cheating?

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  • Опубліковано 20 гру 2024

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  • @allendotson8379
    @allendotson8379 2 роки тому +17

    I did this for an album once, it came out a bit too clinical for my tastes now, but it worked wonders. Record the raw guitar, do your edits, then re-amp it. The end result is much better than editing the already distorted signal. I also ran the raw tracks through melodyne before re-amping to help fix intonation and timing.

    • @kronabus199a
      @kronabus199a 2 роки тому +1

      I don’t do this with everything, but if there’s one late or early note in an otherwise perfect take, I’ll nudge the ill-timed note. I don’t have any issue with it, as I’m just a hobbyist, but I also don’t have a lot of free time. I could either spend a fair bit of time doing take after take, or I can fix a note or two and move on to the next thing.
      And the pro’s have been cutting/comping forever, even on tape. Hell, even Eddie playing Eruption was a few comp’d takes. If it’s ok for him, then I’m quite fine doing it too, lol.
      But to your comment; I never thought about using Melodyne to fix a sour note on a DI prior to reamping, I’ll need to give that a try.
      Thanks for the tip!

  • @abriction
    @abriction Рік тому +4

    i used to do this when i sucked at guitar, and i would intentionally slide my hand up or downward after the strum so that when i pieced it together i could fade the tracks together and you could hear my hand sliding and it sounded like i recorded it in one take

  • @lillehammerexperimental
    @lillehammerexperimental Рік тому +17

    I think people don’t realize a lot of times the records they are measuring themselves against performance and result wise have been heavily doctored to achieve the great final sound - yet we try to repeat those tones and performances with one guitar and one take of live playing

  • @WGandTM
    @WGandTM 4 роки тому +10

    Agree with everything you say. For us, it's like playing live vs recording. People only to get to hear a live performance once so the mistakes and anomalies don't matter - in fact they make it unique. But they get to hear a recording many times over and those squeaks and glitches can get to be a distraction after a while. Keep everything consistent with the integrity and objectives of the band and the song but then do what sounds good.

    • @MichaelWWestbrook
      @MichaelWWestbrook  4 роки тому +1

      Yeah, I like that mention it being distracting. That was a big part of doing it this way in the video. The fret noise would be distracting from some of the other key parts in the song. The rhythm part isn’t a key part so I didn’t want to draw attention to it in that way. It’s just there to support and make things full

  • @chessking7347
    @chessking7347 11 місяців тому +5

    Not cheating. There are artistic liberties that can and should be taken in the studio. This is a worthy technique and one of countless techniques within the art of recording. Being a studio recording artist/engineer etc., is its own thing-very different from playing the same song in a live setting. Both are wonderful and both have their place. All good. 🙏🏻

  • @pressonc
    @pressonc 4 роки тому +5

    I was actually debating on doing this on a track just yesterday. Don’t love the feel of doing it, but sometimes it’s what’s necessary to get the song to sound right.

  • @rickfowler3710
    @rickfowler3710 5 місяців тому

    Stealing that one for sure. Thanks Michael. Hearing how well that works makes me think of how often people use that technique. I'm suprised at how smooth that sounds considering its just hard cut

  • @chandlernigh2913
    @chandlernigh2913 4 роки тому +4

    I do this all the time XD - Adding some crossfades between each chord helps me to make it not sound to "perfect" too. Awesome video love ya homie

  • @ryanwhite5482
    @ryanwhite5482 4 роки тому +2

    Haha gearing up to the reveal I was sure you were going to suggest a de-esser to cut down string noise. Cool idea

  • @steveparkins6854
    @steveparkins6854 4 роки тому +1

    hi from oz--great channel and videos, glad I found you Mike :)\

  • @jasonlee8497
    @jasonlee8497 Місяць тому

    I’m old. I was a teenager in the 80s. I still record like it’s a 4 track. Looking to get better at comping parts together.

  • @swaffstudios
    @swaffstudios 4 місяці тому +1

    Whatever it takes!

  • @mvyper
    @mvyper 7 місяців тому +2

    Hysteria by Def Leppard was literally just recorder one phrase at a time, and th tape was stopped each time they had to change the hand position. So no, it's not cheating. Not more than steroids in pro sport. Everyone is doing it, so it's just evening things out.

  • @philf4086
    @philf4086 3 роки тому +5

    Not cheating. You use the tools like you want to. Did Picasso cheat when he painted the Sistine Chapel (homage to Animal House)?

  • @michaelinloes776
    @michaelinloes776 4 роки тому +2

    I heard that Def Leppard would do this with single notes of a chord. I used to be the same way and think that anything beyond the “traditional way” is a sin. But in the end I think whatever gets you the sound you’re looking for. Much like you, I’m slowly realizing “clean” equals bad

  • @antioche6276
    @antioche6276 4 роки тому +1

    How did you get all that attack when splicing ? I tried to do so on a lot of projects but it always sounds horrid :c

    • @MichaelWWestbrook
      @MichaelWWestbrook  4 роки тому

      You have to get a good sharp/quick attack on the front end - no dragging the pick through the strings.

  • @kevinmusso2397
    @kevinmusso2397 4 роки тому +1

    It’s all good. Totally ok

  • @DavidSJ_DAP
    @DavidSJ_DAP 4 роки тому +2

    People always celebrate players who "play for the song", and to me this trick is no different...it's all in service to the song, so if it makes the song sound better, why not? It's not like a live performance with all kinds of backing tracks, sequencers, and processors actually playing the music while the band acts out the performance...

    • @MichaelWWestbrook
      @MichaelWWestbrook  4 роки тому

      For sure! Especially as a supporting part that is buried in the mix it helps everything else shine!

  • @ExposingEvil_
    @ExposingEvil_ 2 роки тому

    I've observed that I am sometimes ahead of the beat by a single 32nd note. I've been adjusting a track for the past day to correct these issues. I've left a few anamolies here and there where I don't feel its neccessary, and to maintain the natural feel.
    I've also had to correct a few licks that I played really quickly, mainly moving them over a 16th note to properly line them up with the quarter beat.
    Is this ethical or a sign of bad rhythm? I practice with a metronome and I try my best to keep in time. But this feels like cheating.. idk, you tell me

    • @yannna4445
      @yannna4445 Рік тому

      I would like to know aswell. I’m often of beat by a tiniest amount. But it drives me mad , so I edit it

    • @joseredc
      @joseredc Рік тому

      @@yannna4445 if the tool let's you, you use it, as simple as that, I by no means consider myself a pro, not even close, but I want my albums to sound as good as a AAA band, so I record the rythms chrod by chord, and then move the notes where they belong and so on, why cheating if on live gigs you can perform as good? Just do whatever you want, you can even slow down the speed rate of a song in your DAW if you have an impossible riff that requires perfection. Just make sure when live, it sounds great. End of the story.

  • @ChrisAllenCombs
    @ChrisAllenCombs 4 роки тому +1

    It works!

    • @MichaelWWestbrook
      @MichaelWWestbrook  4 роки тому +1

      Totally! But it feels so wrong 😂

    • @ChrisAllenCombs
      @ChrisAllenCombs 4 роки тому +1

      I understand the way I play for myself vs how I record on a song are usually 2 different mindsets. Not always though. I am enjoying your viddies. Keep it up!

  • @CanalMetatron
    @CanalMetatron Рік тому +3

    Souds like a keyboard

    • @chasetheacewest
      @chasetheacewest 7 місяців тому

      It’s possible when he put the edit together..the attack of the guitar pick got chopped off. I’ve seen some people slip back the start of all those edits to add pick attack back in.

  • @RetroDaydreamMusic
    @RetroDaydreamMusic 4 місяці тому +1

    Been trying to write progressive metal and realized.... wait this can't be real 😅😅😅 especially in the 7 and 8 string type writing I hear. Some wizard stuff going on.

  • @SugarySerial
    @SugarySerial 2 місяці тому

    def not cheating. Tools are tools and different ones work in different scenarios. I guess a gate might've eaten in to that long sustain?

  • @SweetDeat
    @SweetDeat 4 роки тому +1

    Cheater! Jk. Great video my friend!

  • @Ray_Wood_1984
    @Ray_Wood_1984 9 місяців тому

    😊👍 🙇‍♂️

  • @gr500music6
    @gr500music6 4 роки тому +1

    Glad you don't like it; I agree. This way of working may be necessary for people who can't play. But it prevents someone like you, who can, from delivering the thing you do best - putting human feel into the strings. Why generate a zillion identical instances of something when each one could be a little different, and all good in their own way?

  • @NathanFerrazzi
    @NathanFerrazzi 2 роки тому +1

    I don't like this, sounds like a better version of a MIDI guitar, not organic.
    But thanks for the information bro!

  • @markbrookman8233
    @markbrookman8233 3 роки тому +4

    Why would you feel "bad" for doing what Professional Music Producers have been doing for 60 years now? ...
    Imagine the Beatles, Led Zep, the Eagles, ELO, without this kind of "heavy" editing?
    It's standard within the industry, and absolutely nothing to feel "guilty" about. 😉

  • @pedrolourenco2707
    @pedrolourenco2707 4 роки тому +2

    sounds like a sample, ahahha! Dont like it, I would rather hear some "noises"

    • @MichaelWWestbrook
      @MichaelWWestbrook  4 роки тому

      😂 it basically is! I’m just creating them myself for the specific song. I get it, most of the time the slight flaws help give it character!

  • @joseredc
    @joseredc Рік тому

    Meh, I record everything on my album, chord by chord - If the compass has 5 palm mutes and 3 open chords, I do not waste my time listening to the song, I just record the amount of chords I need, and then edit them in place exactly where they need to be, and so on all the song and all the album, f@ck it - when gigging you can execute just fine, and album music is super edited, if people think you have the time to sit down a record 8 guitar layers with rythm x 8 songs...... they are insane, hell no. Just practice so that in your gigs you sound closely perfect enough, album music is by no means identical to live music, live with it.... especially if you are recording complex technical music such as progressive or jazz or the sort... simply not the time to record and tolerate those horrible string slides nobody likes, it is just chords, stop the snobbism...
    it is simply NOT cheating - nobody records their tracks in a single pass, and not even close, go ask whatever famous rockstar, simply not. Recording in sections and doctoring every single detail is how it is really done, and you can also mimic timing so that it sounds human...
    You can also lower the rate speed on your DAW if you want a complex riff to be recorded perfectly, some snobs think it is cheating, go ask me, I would record my solos at 20 tempo if necessary, I dont care.