Editing Multitrack recording (section)

{{Short description|Separate recording of multiple sound sources to create a cohesive whole}}
{{More citations needed|date=November 2020}}
[[File:Tascam-16Track.jpg|thumb|The [[TASCAM]] 85 16B analog tape multitrack recorder can record 16 tracks of audio on 1-inch (2.54cm) magnetic tape. Professional analog units of 24 tracks on 2-inch tape were common, with specialty [[tape head]]s providing 8, or even 16 tracks on the same tape width (8 tracks for greater fidelity).]]
[[File:Stax Records, Memphis, TN, US (06).jpg|thumb|Scully 280 eight-track recorder at the [[Stax Museum of American Soul Music]] ]]
[[File:Digidesign 192 io.JPG|thumb|Digital audio interface for the [[Pro Tools]] computer-based hard disk multitrack recording system. Digital audio quality is measured in data resolution per channel.]]

'''Multitrack recording''' ('''MTR'''), also known as '''multitracking''', is a method of [[sound recording]] developed in 1955 that allows for the separate recording of multiple sound sources or of sound sources recorded at different times to create a cohesive whole. Multitracking became possible in the mid-1950s when the idea of simultaneously recording different [[audio channel]]s to separate discrete ''tracks'' on the same [[reel-to-reel tape]] was developed. A ''track'' was simply a different channel recorded to its own discrete area on the tape whereby their relative sequence of recorded events would be preserved, and playback would be simultaneous or [[Synchronization|synchronized]].

A multitrack recorder allows one or more sound sources to different tracks to be simultaneously recorded, which may subsequently be processed and mixed separately. Take, for example, a band with vocals, guitars, a keyboard, bass, and drums that are to be recorded. The singer's microphone, the output of the guitars and keys, and each individual drum in the kit can all be recorded separately using a multitrack recorder. This allows each track to be fine-tuned individually, such as increasing the voice or lowering the chimes, before combining them into the final product.

Prior to the development of multitracking, the sound recording process required all of the singers, band instrumentalists, and/or [[orchestra]] accompanists to perform at the same time in the same space. Multitrack recording was a significant technical improvement as it allowed [[audio engineer|studio engineers]] to record all of the instruments and vocals for a piece of music separately. Multitracking allowed the engineer to adjust the levels and tone of each individual track, and if necessary, redo certain tracks or [[overdub]] parts of the track to correct errors or get a better ''take''. Also, different [[Effects unit|electronic effects]] such as [[reverb]] could be applied to specific tracks, such as the [[lead vocals]], while not being applied to other tracks where this effect would not be desirable (e.g., on the [[electric bass]]). Multitrack recording was much more than a technical innovation; it also enabled [[record producer]]s and artists to create new sounds that would be impossible to create outside of the studio, such as a lead singer adding many [[harmony vocal]]s with their own voice to their own lead vocal part, an electric guitar player playing many harmony parts along with their own [[guitar solo]], or even recording the drums and replaying the track backwards for an unusual effect.

In the 1980s and 1990s, computers provided means by which both [[sound recording and reproduction]] could be [[digitized]], revolutionizing audio recording and distribution. In the 2000s, multitracking hardware and software for computers was of sufficient quality to be widely used for high-end audio recordings by both professional [[sound engineer]]s and by bands recording without studios using widely available programs, which can be used on a high-end [[laptop computer]]. Though [[magnetic tape]] has not been replaced as a recording medium, the advantages of [[non-linear editing]] (NLE) and recording have resulted in digital systems largely superseding tape. Even in the 2010s, with digital multitracking being the dominant technology, the original word ''track'' is still used by audio engineers.