What's the maximum number of tracks you need to record a band?

[RyanR]

I have been planning my ADC upgrade for well over a year, and one of the last things I need to decide on is exactly how many channels I need. (FYI - I've narrowed down my choices to a Lynx AES16 coupled with an Apogee AD16x, multiple channels of Lavry blue series, or one of the new Lynx Auroras.)

I mostly record synths/samplers/drum machines, hip hop male vocals, and at max 2 channels of guitar/bass/violin/djembe/etc. at a time - so obviously 2 channels would work fine for that. But recently I'm getting more interest from people about recording thier band (mostly rock type stuff), not to mention I'm not too excited about all the repatching I would have to do with only 2 channels. I'm a novice at recording a band, so . . .

How many channels do you normally use to record a band? How many maximum? Minimum?

When not recording a band, how many channels do you use maximum?

[PlugHead]

Originally posted by RyanR
I have been planning my ADC upgrade for well over a year, and one of the last things I need to decide on is exactly how many channels I need. snip...
How many channels do you normally use to record a band? How many maximum? Minimum?

When not recording a band, how many channels do you use maximum? snip....

There is no maximum, tho 24 inputs is pretty safe for any band, shy of orchestra, strings, and/or big band(s) w horns...

A minimum would be 8, but that might include submixing a group to stereo (i.e. drum kit) so 16 to 18 would be ample for 90% of tracking duties.

IME, I usually use 8 - 16 channels, depending on the size of the group - 3 piece can usually be done with 8 inputs, 2 guitars and keys mean another 4 or more, and any extras (horn section, BG singers etc.) means more...

Hope this helps,

[Screws]

A lot depends on whether you have a room large enough to record "keeper tracks" for the whole band at once.

In other words, if you can set up drums, bass, guitar amps and keyboards all at once in your room and get enough separation and isolation between them to record great sounding tracks, then that's your number of A to D's .

For instance, 4 piece band with 5th member vocalist all at same time.
Drums - 2 overheads, 3 toms, kick, snare and hihat = 8 A to D
Bass - 1 on amp, 1 D.I. = 2 A to D
Guitar - 2 mics on amp, 1 D.I. = 3 A to D
2 Stereo Keys - 4 A to D
Vocalist - 1 mic = 1 A to D

Total = 18 A to D
There are a zillion variations ( drum room mics, 2 guitarists, vocalist plays acoustic guitar, etc.) but this is a basic look.

I have too small a room to do this, so I record bass, guitars and keys through D.I.'s and guitar preamps as "guide tracks" which are often replaced later. But I still end up needing 8 for drums, 3 for guitar (2 for the stereo preamp and 1 for the D.I.), 1 for bass, 1 for vocalist, 2 for keys = 15 A to D, or 16 if there's 2 guitarists.

Lots of variables here.

[NathanEldred]

Originally posted by Screws
A lot depends on whether you have a room large enough to record "keeper tracks" for the whole band at once.

Or if the band is able to deliver that level of performance to perform at once and keep 100% of it. Unfortunately, and I'd really like this to be different, with 99% of the bands out there (even many of the big dogs), this is not the case. Even the Stones, the Beatles, and Zep did overdubbs.

[Fletcher]

It depends on the song... I've done songs where the maximum number required tracks was about 12, I've done other songs where after half a bazillion compilation and submixed tracks we probably used 70-75 tracks during the production.

[Kenny Gioia]

I would say 16 would be a good number.

[natpub]

depends on if you are counting comps, reverse tracks, doubles, and stacked BGV's.

[Dave Martin]

It seems to me that he's asking 'how many inputs should my recording system have?', not 'how many different tracks might a rock band use on a song?'.

So I'll say that I VERY seldom have used more than 16 inputs at once, even on a full group tracking date.

For me, that's 10 inputs for drums, one each for 2 guitars and bass, 2 for stereo keyboard (or organ), and one for vocals. And you can certainly use fewer than 10 inputs on drums if you need them for something else...

Once basic tracking is done, you re-use the inputs for overdubs. Mixing (and the number of outputs needed) is another issue all together.

[7rojo7]

Depends on which music, you can end up with 22 mics 10 busses and 14 recording inputs or A/D just for drums. normal very good sounding Rock Band Basics can be done with less.
I think 16 would be your starting number, for years I was working with 8 and for some thing it worked but for other things I would use a studio and transfer the audio or take home the files on DDS2 tapes (I'm so glad I don't have to use them anymore) or rent some tape machines and a console for stage recording.
That worked fine for a while because I basically had and still have a mobile studio setup in a small CR with some small tracking rooms (a little bit bigger than booths). I now have 32 inputs or A/D and very seldom do I go over 10 to 12 channels for basics
6-8 on drums
1- bs
1 or 2-gtr
vox
If a big drum kit, 2 gtr players, bassist, keyboard, percussion, 3 horns, vox (a fairly normal group) walk in the door you can get to 22 real easy
You might want to start at 16, you would also need a mixer and some mics and you would need a patchbay and tie lines or a snake etc....

[jho]

sweet 16

[DirkB]

16 is enough for me. Even a big drumkit (kick in and out, snare, 4 toms, overheads, hi-hat, ride, rooms, 13 total) bass DI and 2 guitar mic's can be done with 16...

Yep, 16 it is .

Greetings,
Dirk

[Jules]

16 "quality" inputs do fine for me, after that we can move on to less cool converters & mic pre's etc...

[Crandall1]

I concur. 16 inputs for the basic tracks has always been enough for me when tracking rock stuff.

Chris Randall
Audio Damage, Inc.
http://www.audiodamage.com

[RyanR]

Thanks for all the replies!

First off, yes, I was asking "Whats the maximum number of ADCs you use simultaneously when tracking a band?", although the other tidbits of info are appreciated. I mix ITB, so (of course) I have unlimited tracks for overdubs, mults, busses, etc.

So, 16 channels appears to be the magic number. I think I was kinda hoping for less so I could justify the Lavry Blue series, but 16 channels of Lavry is out of my league. I suppose I will wait until the reviews of the Auroras start coming out until I decide bewteen that and the AD16x.

Besides that, I have an idea for the rest of the front end, so I rather not get into that topic in this thread - it's too large a topic and I would rather discover that on my own anyway. But I do have one more question:

I'm basement studio - I don't have a nice room to put everyone into and record, so my DAW will be in the same room as the musicians. (Luckily, that room is large at 15.5' x 33' x 7.4', already has some acoustic treatment, and I'm gonna get an isolation rack to reduce DAW noise) I'll run DI when I can to minimize leakage, but will depend on overdubs to get a better sound.

I had planned on getting headphones for everybody for the recording phase - is this the way to do it?

I have a DAC-1. I could use one headphone output for me, and split the other to everyone else. Is there a product that does this?

Thanks for all the help.