Recording problem!

[Christ-Hammer]

So I have a big problem, my band is starting to do recordings now and we are trying to make it pro quality out of my guitarists room by doing a live recording and then a track recording, the problem is when I try to record my drums are too loud and I can't hear the live recording through my guitarists noise canceling headphones. So can anyone suggest a solution or tips for recording. We aren't pros at recording or anything either so any recording tips would be cool too. One more thing, in this song were recording I have a drum solo, but when I try to record over it, it becomes too confusing to record it beat for beat and keep it on time with the other solo playing through the headphones so would anyone recommend me just keeping a constant click for the live recording just as a metronome instead of try to record over a solo that is really complex.

[Der Februar]

I'm not entirely sure I understand you, but I think I do. If the solo section is confusing, I would have you do your drum solo on the live recording with the band and have the guitar solo overdubbed, instead of the other way around. Just about everything you could ever want to know about recording can be found here: http://www.record-producer.com/. I HIGHLY recommend it. Good luck!

[Numberonefan]

I’m more of a live guy myself but we have toyed around recording @ home. I’m now happy to pay a studio to do it for me!

The best advice I can give is learn to play with a click. My son uses a programmable one and it’s helped immensely and saved a tone of money (in wasted time) in the studio. The better ones have a variable volume so you can always here it over the drums.

The other thing is to put on a set of hearing protection type headphones over the buds and this will help better isolate the click or the scratch track.

Depending on the level of editing you want to do you will hate yourself for not playing to a click… Later when you see your strokes on screen and realize how far you are off at times this will really limit what you can do with your tracks.

[Clayton_C]

The best thing you can do is record the parts separately, both playing to the same tempo with a metronome. This not only ensures that your time will stay great, but that the two tracks line up with each other perfectly. If you're REALLY against it, then instead of playing a full drum solo during "take one" with the live recording, just tap out quarter notes on your hihat for however many measures, and then record the full solo on the separate track.