The first step to record multiple instruments or vocals at the same time is to choose the right equipment for your needs and budget. You will need a recording device, such as a computer, a digital audio workstation (DAW), or a standalone recorder, that can handle multiple inputs and outputs. You will also need a mixer, an audio interface, or a combination of both, that can connect your instruments and microphones to your recording device and control their levels and settings. Additionally, you will need enough microphones, cables, stands, and headphones for each instrument and vocalist.
I respectfully disagree. This is good general advice but the first step is developing a goal and references for your soundscape and performances. How much room do you want to hear? How "live" do you want it to sound? Will you be overdubbing instruments that are expected to believably sit on the same "stage"? Having a clear understanding of your vision will positively inform the deployment and choice of equipment.
This is exactly right , we used to record bands this way, everyone did back in the day before people stopped rehearsing and started to rely on the grid. Bands use to show up and where well rehearsed, and would knock out a record in three weeks. That is with everything done even the mixing and mastering . It’s not hard to record full bands like it has always has been done. Unless you have bands that do not rehearse and have there songs down really good. If you run into that then everyone goes one at a time. It really depends on how well the band plays together and if they actually come prepared . If they come prepared and well rehearsed, they will no exactly what they want to sound like and you just let yhe music record itself.
You don't necessarily need a mixing desk. A multiple input interface will suffice depending on the amount of instruments you are recording
My bread and butter is recording bands as together as possible.I have a large room with a 22 foot ceilingand 3 iso booths. The room is everything. I got rid of the largemixermyears ago,and the one I have is barely used, My Protools rig is 24 analog in,and 16 digital. I rarely use the digital, but its there if its a particularly large session. I have accumulated a great collection of pres....specifically tailored for specific use. Mostly recording blues,Jam, rock. Little or no pop. And yes, tons of mics, all kinds. I have been doing bands for 40 plus years. Iys second nature to me. That said the single toughest thing is the headphones.You need alot of quality phones, and enough feeds to handle all.
I agree no mixing desk , just need a solid interface and good computer . Your interface just needs to be able to handle as many things your recording. The better the recording the better mix and master you will get and from my experience do not put up a vocal booth a large to medium room really captures the dry vocal way better than a booth . Your going to compress and d-sss and saturate the vocals anyways . So good computer, interface that can handle what you are recording and good understanding of how your Daw works .
The second step to record multiple instruments or vocals at the same time is to set up the recording space to optimize the sound quality and minimize the noise and bleed. You will need to consider the acoustics, the isolation, and the placement of your instruments and microphones. You can use acoustic treatment, such as foam panels, blankets, or carpets, to reduce the reflections and reverberations in the room. You can also use baffles, screens, or headphones to isolate each instrument and vocalist from each other and prevent their sounds from spilling into other microphones. You can also experiment with different microphone techniques, such as close miking, distant miking, stereo miking, or multi-miking, to capture the best sound from each instrument and vocalist.
Consider Acoustics: Evaluate the room's acoustics. Use acoustic treatments like foam panels, blankets, or carpets to minimize reflections and reverberations, ensuring a clean sound environment. Isolation is Key: Prevent sound bleed by isolating instruments and vocalists. Use baffles, screens, or headphones to create separation, allowing each source to be recorded without interference. Microphone Techniques: Experiment with microphone placement: Close: Place mics close to each source for detailed, direct sound. Distant: Position microphones farther away to capture a natural, ambient sound. Stereo: Utilize two mics for a spacious stereo image. Multi: Use multiple microphones for each source to capture different aspects of the sound.
A well-planned recording space is crucial when capturing multiple sources at once. I’ve learned that proper microphone placement and acoustic treatment can significantly reduce bleed between instruments or voices. In one session, placing partitions between vocalists made all the difference in isolating their sounds. The space can often make or break your mix later. How do you set up your studio for larger sessions? Any tips to share? #RecordingStudio #SoundIsolation #AudioSetup #RecordingTips #StudioLife
The third step to record multiple instruments or vocals at the same time is to check the levels and balance of each input before you start recording. You will need to adjust the gain, the volume, the pan, and the EQ of each input on your mixer or audio interface to ensure that they are not too loud or too quiet, not clipping or distorting, not overlapping or masking each other, and not creating feedback or phase issues. You can use a sound meter, a headphone monitor, or a VU meter to help you check the levels and balance of each input. You can also do a test recording and listen back to it to make sure that everything sounds good.
Also it’s important to make sure the electrical connections are grounded to avoid humming entering the system. And avoid electric shocks.
Most DAWs interfaces have meters. Best to sound check every input at the loudest level. EQ is not necessary on every input on recording into DAW mainly decibel levels. Best to peak around -10db.
Balance Each Track: Ensure instruments and vocals are well-balanced to avoid one overpowering the mix. Pan Appropriately: Use pan controls to position each track in the stereo field for separation. Equalization (EQ): Apply EQ to shape the sound and remove unwanted frequencies. Avoid Clipping: Watch for clipping (distortion) and adjust levels accordingly. Prevent Overlap: Make sure tracks don't overlap or mask each other in the mix. Minimize Feedback: Avoid feedback by positioning microphones carefully and using monitors. Phase Issues: Check for phase issues, especially with multiple microphones on the same source. Use Tools: Utilize sound meters, headphone monitors, or VU meters to assist in level and balance adjustments.
Take I consideration that most the home audio interfaces have simple convertors for A/D so if your gain is hot can be translate as a digital clipping. take in consideration that 0 dbf in digital is +24 dbu. You always can add more gain after recording so a good start point is -12 to -18 dbf with equals 0 in analog world.
Recording multiple sources simultaneously requires careful attention to levels and balance. Once, while recording a choir and a piano, the piano kept overpowering the vocals. Adjusting the levels on the fly saved the session. Always monitor your mix live, because what you hear during recording will save you hours of frustration during post-production. Have you ever had to make on-the-fly adjustments? How do you ensure balance in real-time? #AudioLevels #RecordingTips #MixingLive #SoundBalance #RecordingEngineering
The fourth step to record multiple instruments or vocals at the same time is to record the tracks. You will need to decide whether you want to record everything in one take, or in separate takes with overdubs. Recording everything in one take can save you time and preserve the live feel, but it can also limit your editing and mixing options later. Recording in separate takes with overdubs can give you more flexibility and control, but it can also take longer and lose some of the spontaneity. You will also need to decide whether you want to record with a click track, a metronome, or a guide track, to help you keep the tempo and timing consistent. You can also use a cue system, such as a talkback mic or a headphone mixer, to communicate with your performers during the recording.
It is important while recording, to have a good communication with the music producer therefore musicians can record as a team and not only as individual performers. As a recording technician is such a waste of time recording over and over when there is no team work either a common objetive among producers and musicians.
Layering multiple sounds in real-time requires a solid game plan. I often label each channel and double-check inputs before hitting record. During a multilingual e-learning session, precise organization ensured every narrator stayed on their track, saving hours in editing.
The fifth step to record multiple instruments or vocals at the same time is to edit and mix the tracks. You will need to transfer your recorded tracks to your DAW or another software program that can edit and mix audio files. You can then use various tools and effects, such as trimming, cutting, copying, pasting, fading, crossfading, compressing, equalizing, reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, or distortion, to enhance, modify, or correct your tracks. You can also use automation, panning, volume, or EQ to create a balance and a stereo image of your tracks. You can also use buses, groups, or submixes to organize and process your tracks together.
The already recorded tracks are then edited and cleaned from any unwanted noises that occured during the recording stage. In the mixing process gain staging is a major factor, that means setting the proper gain levels for every instrument/vocals. Also panning individual tracks is a great element of mixing. There are also tools that are used in the mixing process in order to get a nice polished sound, such as the equalizer(EQ) which you can use to cut/boost/filter wanted/unwanted frequencies. There's also a great tool called a compressor, saturation, reverb, delay, chorus, phaser, flanger and many more!
This step brings it all together. I once had a podcast panel with overlapping voices. Editing the session was tedious, but careful EQing and panning gave each voice space. Mixing is where your tracks evolve into a cohesive masterpiece.
The sixth step to record multiple instruments or vocals at the same time is to export and master the tracks. You will need to export your mixed tracks as a single audio file in a format and quality that suits your purpose and platform. You can then use a mastering software or service to apply the final touches and polish to your audio file. You can use tools and effects, such as limiting, maximizing, normalizing, dithering, or EQ, to optimize the loudness, the dynamics, the frequency spectrum, and the overall sound of your audio file. You can also add metadata, such as the title, the artist, the genre, or the album art, to your audio file.
Best to master tracks at 48khz 24 bit. At a minimum. Limiting track as close to 0.07-0.1db. With maximum -3db of gain reduction
This super subjective to everyone, people like Andrew sheps , never looks at a meter and when the master engineer gets the mix it’s at +9-10 db’s. When I mix I do look at my master track , I keep my mix around -27 db and i actually master all my tracks as well . I limit my tracks to -2 and redline the vocal.
Honestly, if you've never done this before, go to a studio that does this all the time. You'll get it done right the first time, and, more importantly you will now be informed on what you need to do this in your own studio. Depending on the complexity of the session, this could be as involved as acquiring an actual console, a mic collection and a headphone system, or conversely a few decent mics and a way to give everyone their own headphone mix. Either way, hiring a studio to do this first will save you countless mistakes if you just try and guess how to do it on your own.
to add to the last comment on mastering levels, one needs to check where the files are going to determine the levels that should be used, for example -3dB might be too hot for some streaming platforms. Check with them first. The technique used for recording many instruments at one time is based on the type of orchestra; is it instrumental, do they need headphones for vocals , often a stereo pair of microphones might be enough if people are seated accordingly. For rock I move amps and drums in another room(s) to separate the tracks and mic close to keep the amp levels low and minimize bleed making retakes possible. The distance between 2 sound sources should be at least 3x the distance from the source to the mic to avoid phase problems.