Have you ever wanted to see what really goes in to making a pop rock song that sounds big and wide? First, you need to make sure that you get the best possible recordings of the instruments. Second, you need lots of layers, and the guitar parts need to have a bit of variation.
In this video, I am working on a song with David of The Workday Release. We started by recording acoustic guitar tracks and finding a position that had the right amount of percussive character that fit his finger picked part.
Next we moved on to the electric guitars. I wanted the electric guitars to sound wide, without having to use power chords. So, we went to lots of layers of an arpeggiated part that I came up with. I did 2 things to make the part sound big and full. First I played the part on several different positions along the guitar’s neck. Second, I played some parts with no effects, and some with vibrato and delay.
Finally, we added the bass guitar. Usually, you might see somone play the bass earlier in the recording process, but I chose to do it later so that it might inspire a more melodic part.
Take a moment and watch this video to get an inside look at what I do every day inside of Spitfire Studio while making records.
Thank you ever so much for watching the video. Please leave comments and questions below! I would love to hear from you!
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Have a marvellous time recording and mixing,
Warren
man, you make it look so easy! Sometimes it’s the ‘simple’ playing that’s hardest to record. The layering is amazing. I love these videos – inspires the heck out of me and want to get home and record.
Thanks so much for all you do!!
Tony P
Wow thanks ever so much tonypistilli!! I really appreciate your kind words!! I agree, simple is the hardest thing to do! Our aural inclination is to overplay every time! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Very cool. Are you also recording a DI track for each of the guitar tracks?
Hi @disqus_IzL4qmiq5Y:disqus, yes indeed! There are two reasons for that. Firstly it’s great for either a) reamping through a real amp b) using a virtual amp and secondly having a DI on heavy/distorted guitars makes discovering transients/initial hits for potential editing so much easier! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Hi Warren, i always learn a lot from you!!! Your studio is a mess (full of boxes) and i love it!! I kept my boxes too. This behind the scenes, explaining the workflow, the knowledge you put on the arrangement!! It’s so mind-blowing… The little details!! The criteria of being a producer, that’s always the key!!..
Keep the good work!!
Sorry my rusted English!! Greets from Ecuador!!
Haha @disqus_4cUhRf5u2d:disqus!! I’ve got so much equipment to test!! Hence all of the boxes!! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
i use a rode nt1 but i dont know why i dont get such acoustic guitar sound , 🙁
Hi @plap-disqus-da796dcc49ab9fc5ac26db17e02a9e33:disqus I am actually going to do a Rode NT1 test very soon! Have a marvellous time recording and mixing, many thanks Warren
Hello Warren, very nice video, I always learn some nice tricks when watching your video, this technic of layering the electric guitar is very cool