How many tracks do you average in your DAW?

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storoi90

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Hi everyone,

I am pretty new at producing (about 2 years), and i'm at a point where i am really starting to appreciate details in music, and discovering how i can incorporate details in my own productions.

One big thing i 've been noticing with my sessions, is the number of tracks i am using.. or rather lack of tracks.
I think this is what my productions are lacking to get a more professional sound, with more details and layering.

On average my sessions consist of roughly 20-25 tracks, and i've heard about sessions that uses up to 100 + tracks.
My sessions consist of various things like piano, strings, drums, bass, synth's, organ, guitar etc.


My question is in the title of this topic, and if you could, please tell me some of your techniques if you want to.

I am really curious of what all these tracks are made up of.. they can't just be duplicates can they?


And i am a Pro Tools 8.0.5 LE user at the moment, but i am in the process of upgrading both to an Mbox Pro and Pro Tools 10 to get better audio, more tracks and busses and so on.
 
I'm using about 20-40 tracks. I still have a lot to learn.
 
are you talking about tracks with full vocal recordings? if so, then it makes sense that the number of tracks can get really high... As far as instrumentals it really depends on the type of music you're making and how you arrange it
by the way... just because a project has 100 tracks doesn't mean its better than one with 5 tracks. You can make a great instrumental in 5 tracks:
1 drums
2 synthesizer1
3 bassline
4 synthesizer2
5 automations & sound effects

I do want to point out that layering in both drums and melodies can produce some great subtle details that set a song apart from the rest
 
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I personally never used more than 60 and I think that should probably be enough for any track without vocals. When it comes to vocals they can really add up like MFCS was saying, I know 50 Cent's and Jeremih's DOWN ON ME track was about 50-60 for the instrumental, and the rest which was vocals, ad-libs etc. added up to a final of 100 and something.
 
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You shouldn't really worry about it. As your workflow evolves, so will your track count expand and contract, like the ebb and flow of the tides and the flux of the expanding and contracting universe. The sounds in your head dictate the track count in your DAW. I probably average about twenty a song and most of my tunes are primarily instrumental. Sometimes one track is ten tracks I bounced down from another session though. I've had a number of songs with 4 or 5 tracks that have been well received.
 
I've seen REALLY good sessions with only 40 tracks, and I've also seen REALLY good sessions with 130 tracks... I think it depends on the type of sound you're going for. When you're using synths, programmed drums, effects, the tracks add up pretty fast. With live drums, it's going to be a little smaller (in my experience so far)
 
To me the idea of using more than about 30 tracks is rediculous, for the people that do are they all instruments if so is that not a massive pain to mix?
 
How do u guys get more then fkn 20 tracks?? JUSTICE LEAGUE used like 10 tracks for Astin Martin Music... (without vocals)
u dont need a super complex melody and millions of vst's... just do what sounds good and learn your own workflow
 
I tend to need a lot more tracks when I use outboard gear, for example if I am using an 808 I might end up recording the individual outputs to separate tracks so I can process or add effects to each individual sound, that's something I wouldn't need to do if I was using a VSTI.

If I am using outboard effects and processors I can't just create a new instance like I can with software, so I need to record a new audio track each time I want to use something, and if I want to make an adjustment to something without MIDI control I don't discard what I had.

When you are recording without the benefit of non-destructive editing you tend to use more tracks, if for example I was recording a real trumpet and I was unhappy with the take I can't just fix it up by dragging MIDI notes around, I need to record a new take.

When you only use software you must bear in mind that a lot of your tracks will be hidden from you, like each time you hit freeze you are rendering a hidden audio track and when you record a track and then delete it might not really be gone. Some programs will even record a hidden MIDI track for you so if you are playing away and did something you wanted to keep but you didn't hit record you can still create a MIDI track from it.
 
kevorkio said:
How do u guys get more then fkn 20 tracks?? JUSTICE LEAGUE used like 10 tracks for Astin Martin Music... (without vocals)
u dont need a super complex melody and millions of vst's... just do what sounds good and learn your own workflow
Click to expand...
ya, it depends. But if u use a track for each type of drum/percussion(snare/hat/kick/tom/conga/shake etc) and layering u can easily be in the 8+ range. Same for synth, brass, strings, or any sounefx/samples. Not saying its the formula, but 20+ is not hard to get to with common tech.
Now if u talking bout live musicians in a studio if might be diff.
 
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I like to keep the amount of tracks to a minimum because it can get pretty messy since I'm using Ableton. The largest amount of tracks I had was probably around 25 or something, but I usually I have 10-15. Using drum racks instead of a bunch of different simplers saves you quite a bit of space and tracks, for example.
 
those 100+ track sessions are with vox and aux tracks included...Alot of songs that have instrumentals with 20+ tracks are using alot of layering, sweeps, rises, ect. add in your efx aux tracks and thats where those high counts come from
 
If you are doing a full recording (ie single mic for every drum, instrument, vocal etc) you could have a huge track count. Remember that in the old days 16 tracks was it... no more. And a lot of older music is better (production wise) than anything produced these days. (think Pink Floyd, Metallica, Santana, Rolling Stones, Beatles, U2... Just about all their music produced/recorded 16 track analogue, not to mention a whole host of amazing early electronica outfits)
Less is very often more, and if you use your send channels and group channels effectively your production cohesion will go up whilst your track count goes down.
Remember: if it doesn't fit, IT DOESN'T FIT! don't spend an hour making something that doesn't fit go in because you are compelled to, because you like the individual sound. You will muddy up your piece and waste your time. There is an infinite amount of sounds that can be created, and the term 'overworked' springs to mind very often in a lot of new music. I often record/render my sounds that don't fit, and just give them away online under creative commons license... just for the hell of it. I don't use them anyway.
 
cmasn said:
To me the idea of using more than about 30 tracks is rediculous, for the people that do are they all instruments if so is that not a massive pain to mix?
Click to expand...

I'm with you on that, most tracks i've ever had was in the 20's I'd say and that was a lot I found and got to be a bit annoying when arranging and now trying to mix. So for those who have 100+ tracks :S That's just insane.
 
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