Usually i record one instrument at a time. But im getting more efficient and thinking of letting the drum loops play and change patterns between chorus and verse. And the same with textured samples/voice recordings. Then just noodling a melody on a keyboard. But recording live all together is it wise if your a one man show? Recordings go into Ableton for mastering etc.
Either mix ahead of time if you’re planning on recording a stereo track with everything in, timing warts and all. Or multitrack over USB or a multi-input soundcard and mix as usual.
Thats the thing if its warts and all and the timing is slightly off does this add to the ‘flavour’ or ruin what may(hehe) be a good track(who am i kidding). I can do both ways but are live performance recordings okay in the electronic world?
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…get urself some digital mixer that is capable of recording individual inputs stand alone…
get a daw involved later, to mix those recordings…
the tascam model series are affordable and will do the trick…
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I guess it’s a wide world. You won’t find it happening much on the more commercial side of the spectrum. In more underground music there are plenty of examples
Of course. Quite a few people on here do it. @Fin25 springs to mind, for example. But it’s up to you what you think is best for your music.
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Ive got one, but would like to try recording all at the same time in one stereo track. Just to see how bad it can get 
He’s here loitering somewhere
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I’ve been recording everything love to a 2 track for about 4 years now. Takes a fair bit of practice to get it right and to figure out the setup that works best.
There are tradeoffs, mostly involving losing a bit of tightness with timing and compositions tend to lose a bit of complexity, but that’s all part of the fun, and nothing beats the energy of a live performance.
My reasons for doing it are mostly a hatred of using computers, in an ideal world I’d probably do a bit of a best of both thing, performing large parts into Ableton on a couple of tracks, then adding a handful of drum tracks after.
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Absolutely! They’re what make it stand out as unique and organic! The trick is to have confidence in yourself. Music is art! Imperfections are what people will connect with. Just make sure it sounds good to you and it will to someone else. < that’s where the confidence in yourself part comes in.
Good electronic music to me is about turning robots 
into living breathing organisms!
I almost exclusively record audio of live tweaking these days vs programming intricate automations or parts. Things happen I wouldn’t logically think of and I like them so they stay. It also means I have less time to dwell on something and doubt myself.
If something is really off you can use warp markers in Ableton Live to tighten it up, or just record another take.
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Another thing to bear in mind is the ‘natural’ summing that occurs when recording a stereo file out of a couple of boxes or a mixer. I often prefer smashing the upper limits of Digitakt, for example, versus stemming things out via Overbridge and trying to get the same thing happening within a DAW. Pushing hardware sounds better than pushing software, in my opinion. YMMV, ofc.
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I think your hatred of computers is matched by me having been around them since 1980 or so. I like the word energy because when listen to electronic music and it feels a bit lifeless. 2/3 tracks spontaneously intertwining sounds like fun rather than individual stems. Lets see how far i can run with this
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Oh boy. My confidence is low in the art world. Copying i can pull off but new novel me ideas are at a all time low. Im listening to a bit of Oora music and he lives for the moment. Im bored of stemming and what not and mixing tracks individually. Could be a new me
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Thats it Craig. I want a natural electronic sound not precision made engineered. Its a good character building exercise if nothing else
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I often listen to Drexiya, not just because they were the shit, but also because they laid down most of their tracks pretty much live (as far as I’m aware anyway).
There’s nothing particularly amazing about their tracks in terms of pushing boundaries or complexity or whatever, but the energy is so raw, so alive. For me, they’re the absolute high watermark of electronic music performers.
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Yes, exactly. Also, I think speed is an important consideration. If I can create the bulk of a new tune in the space of a single evening, mix it, and record it the following night, then I’m free to move on to the next one. Better to create 20-30 tunes and choose 10 for release than agonising over mixes for weeks or months with the endless tweaks DAWs allow.
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Another benefit to focusing on live recording is the way it develops all aspects of your musicianship. Everything happens once and in the moment. That is some beautiful stuff.
This is exclusively how I’ve been making music for the last few years….mainly because I make music for my own enjoyment and anything that I labor over never brings me that much joy. I like just laying somethjng down and moving forward. Spending hours tweaking little details leaves me feeling so meh.
Also, listening back to these recordings is always helpful for improving aspects. So I’m a huge supporter of this approach.
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I cant tell you the best way to mix your stuff for recording live takes.
I’ve been recording my stuff live for the last 6 years or so. My latest album was all live performances, recorded a single stereo mix straight from the mixer. New Brain Acid | Mike E River
So can it be done? Yes it can.
Warts and all? If you dont like the recording, you can do it again. Practice makes perfect.
Is it wise if you’re a one man show? Well I say yes. If I cant do it in the studio, I cant do ut on stage.
Also… recording a stereo mix from my mixer, sounds better than multi track into ableton, every single time. Capturing the moment is way more important to me, than possible benefits of post editing, and ideas of ‘perfection’.
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Detroit raw afro-futurest at their best…
It’s something you should ponder to try and change your perspective.
It’s not better or worse. People are going to criticize, share with you their shitty opinions. Look down on you like you’re an amateur. You’ll be even harder on yourself.
It doesn’t matter.
There isn’t any right or wrong (guidelines maybe) it’s just you making stuff and having the guts to share it. Better than 99% of those critics in the first place.
Lots of good thoughts/advice going on in here:
- working fast and moving on
- recording live with raw shitty imperfections sounds so alive and good
- making a ton of tracks (much better learning process) while having carefree fun instead of polishing one turd in agony that you’ll hate anyway. You’ll end up and old angry regretful person who spent their whole life to make 3 songs they hate.
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