Average number of tracks on your songs?

[Engine Swap]

I usually record only 3-4 tracks (drums, guitar, bass +lead sometimes)

Today, I recorded a song that had 4 guitar parts, bass, and drums. Sounded more “pro” for lack of a better term. I don’t have to worry about (ever) playing this stuff live - LOL!

A coworker is in a 6-piece band and said most of the stuff they record has 60+ tracks.

Curious how many tracks do you typically use and for what?

 

[Jim622]

6 to 8

 

['64 Tele]

8 to 12 (using a Tascam 24 track)
Drums (either digital electronic set or digital machine) direct
Bass direct
Taylor acoustic direct
Electric using Friedman Mic No Mo box (1 or 2 tracks)
Digital piano direct
Organ (Roland VR09) direct
Lead vocals condenser Mic
Background vocals condenser Mic
Percussion (maracas, tambourine) condenser Mic
Harmonica condenser Mic

If I'm doing everything myself, each instrument or vocals will have individual track.
If working with others, background vocals or percussion will be on single tracks with multiple singers or players on a single mic/track.
That's how I work...but I'm old.

 

[suthol]

The least is 3 ( 2 acoustic tracks & 1 vocal ) and the most around 60 including sub busses

Typically around 15, including sub busses for drums, the band & harmonies

 

[Geoff738]

I’m fairly low track count. Most of my favorite records are too.

I don’t record live drums anymore. In some ways I miss it, but in truth it’s a pita. But I use a similar approach in the box. So….
Kick in and out
Snare top and bottom (phase flipped). Live I might go with just a Beyer 201 on the side of the shell.
Hi hat usually not miced
One mic on each Tom. Let’s say three total.
Two overheads
2-4 room mics.
Live, there might be a ride mic if the tune was ride heavy, or one a few feet out about the height of the top of the kick. But usually not, and I don’t think any of my itb kits have those options.
Bass is DI’d. One.
If there’s a rhythm acoustic, it’s often doubled. Let’s say two.
Electrics can be three or four.
Vocals can be one. Or up to four.
Percussion might add a couple more
Keys rarely, but let’s say an organ and piano on two tracks each

So, less than thirty. And usually considerably less. And very rarely would all the instruments be going at once in the arrangement.

Cheers,
Geoff

 

[loudboy]

For a full rock/country production, generally between 25-35.

I tend to split up tracks for different sections, for levels and processing, etc.

 

[bottlenecker]

I've been over 80, but I usually keep it under 40 now. I keep multiple takes and originals when I edit a take, so lots of clones. When I mix I start dumping the extras, but they get replaced with other things. One track might have nothing but a two second part that's flown in. I make wet tracks when adding reverb, so most tracks have a 100% wet clone.
I only record eight actual mics when tracking with a band.
When I play all the instruments it gets more out of control. Sometimes I'll put a lot of instruments on before throwing most of them away.

 

[Masmus]

I’ve run as many as 60+ but try to keep it somewhere between 20 and 30.

 

[Engine Swap]

Thanks for the replies!

I grew up with a 4-track and for some reason, I always felt like I was “cheating” if I use more tracks. I’m currently using Garage Band and don’t live mic anything.

Adding a few textural tracks of guitar and an extra percussion track really took the sound to another level. Still have a lot to learn, but happy to the kinds of tools that are available these days.

 

[ETMusic777]

I usually record only 3-4 tracks (drums, guitar, bass +lead sometimes)

Today, I recorded a song that had 4 guitar parts, bass, and drums. Sounded more “pro” for lack of a better term. I don’t have to worry about (ever) playing this stuff live - LOL!

A coworker is in a 6-piece band and said most of the stuff they record has 60+ tracks.

Curious how many tracks do you typically use and for what?

I have many songs which I am working on which have 40 to 60 tracks. This includes Midi drums. Real drums and percussion. Keyboards, pianos and synths. Orchestration horns, strings, and sometimes real strings, bass, vocals, guitars. One of the reasons why there are so many is that working alone, I am the performer, engineer and producer. When recording its difficult to be able to wear all 3 hats and evaluate the tracks for what they are on the spot. So I record a bunch of tracks, and then whittle them down deleting the ones eventually....that I like the sound of less than other tracks. Even then though, the songs are going to have at least 30 tracks.

Usually it comes down to sound that I am looking for and rarely due to performance errors. This is why it is taking me so long to finish this damn album. If I had myself as a producer at the same time, it would go much faster. I only trust myself with the songs that I am working on.

 

[Dismalhead]

I just did a song with four guys and I used 14. Normally when I record by myself it's probably half that.

 

[Lou Tencodpees]

Seldom less than 12, often more than 20

 

[matman14]

Somewhere in the low to mid 30s is typically where things end up for me.
On really heavily produced stuff sometimes we use 12 or more just on drums and percussion, but I've been increasingly stepping away from that kind of work.

 

[Digital Larry]

I think about 15 is the most I ever did. I've done a few that are in the 4 or 5 range. If I try to get too clever I get wrapped around the axle.

 

[Ben Harmless]

I'm working on two separate projects for bands that have two guitars, bass, and drums each. I've tracked a ton, but when I've comped and edited and I'm mixing, it'll probably be about 15-20, including 2-3 reverb/delay busses.

I recorded a friend recently and used two tracks - a couple of figure-8s for her vocal and guitar. It was in a large-ish, well-treated vocal booth, and extra mics weren't really going to get me much. I did add a reverb bus, so in Reaper, that's track three. It was still one of my best pieces of work - though at that level, it was more her work than mine.

Sun Studio has six tracks, and they've gotten by.

 

[woodman]

After four years (off and on) in the making, I recently finished up a "folk-funk symphony," totaling 91 tracks. Of course half of those tracks were a full orchestra. Haven't posted it yet because it's profoundly bizarre even by my standards. It'll never be what you'd call a pop standard. Working up my nerve to put it up!

 

[Ron R]

I usually record only 3-4 tracks (drums, guitar, bass +lead sometimes)

Today, I recorded a song that had 4 guitar parts, bass, and drums. Sounded more “pro” for lack of a better term. I don’t have to worry about (ever) playing this stuff live - LOL!

A coworker is in a 6-piece band and said most of the stuff they record has 60+ tracks.

Curious how many tracks do you typically use and for what?

Typically 14-16, but 8 of those are drum tracks (3 overheads, 3 separate tom mics, snare, bass drum)
1 for bass
1 for rhythm guitar
1 for lead guitar
3 separate vocal tracks
Then depending on the song there may be a track or two for acoustic or effected guitar parts to sit back in the mix as underpinning.

 

[WireLine]

20-ish…

I play drums one instrument at a time, so each voice gets its own track. Bass 2 tracks (one DI, one mic)…

Usually 2 acoustic tracks per take, 1 neck 1 sound hole…

2-3 mono electric tracks

Anywhere from 1 to 8 vocal

 

[gimmeatele]

I have branched out to six and am hoping for more now I some skill on piano and sax

 

[InstituteOfNoise]

Typically 35-40 audio tracks average. Many times there will be just a small section of audio for specific parts, so probably 20-25+/- may have full audio throughout. Now adding in submix aux tracks e.g Drums, BG Vocs, or Rhy Gtrs, etc and aux effect sends could easily add up to possibly 20 AUX tracks used. Plus mix print tracks and finally master buss.

Drums tend to take up most with 12-15 tracks (includes sub groups for Snare, Kick, Tom, Room mixes if multiple setup), plus drum reverb aux, snare reverb aux, and mono reverb for each tom (usually 2-3). For the rest of the tracks vocals, gtrs, keys will many times get their own dedicated fx to run to, and especially with vocals there may be multiple reverbs or delays being automated on and off depending on sections of the song... verse may get a tight reverb and short delay and choruses may get bigger reverb and stereo delay to give more width, depth and bigness to build the production.

This is in my templates whether it's my own project or ones I mix for others. There's a lot of detail, which may or may not get used in a session, just depends on the choices needed.