Editing Multitrack recording (section)

==Order of recording==
In modern popular songs, [[Drum kit|drums]], [[percussion instrument]]s<ref>[http://www.moderndrummer.com/updatefull/200001474/Prince Prince - School Of Funk], ''[[Modern Drummer Magazine]]''. Accessed July 14, 2010</ref> and [[electric bass]] are often among the first instruments to be recorded.
These are the core instruments of the [[rhythm section]]. Musicians recording later tracks use the precise attack of the drum sounds as a rhythmic guide. In some styles, the drums may be recorded for a few bars and then looped. Click ([[metronome]]) tracks are also often used as the first sound to be recorded, especially when the drummer is not available for the initial recording, and/or the final mix will be synchronized with motion picture and/or video images. One reason that a band may start with just the drums is because this allows the band to pick the song's [[Key (music)|key]] later on. The producer and the musicians can experiment with the song's [[key (music)|key]] and [[musical arranger|arrangement]] against the basic rhythm track. Also, though the drums might eventually be mixed down to a couple of tracks, each individual drum and percussion instrument might be initially recorded to its own individual track. The drums and percussion combined can occupy a large number of tracks utilized in a recording. This is done so that each percussion instrument can be processed individually for maximum effect. [[Equalization (audio)|Equalization]] (or EQ) is often used on individual drums, to bring out each one's characteristic sound. The last tracks recorded are often the vocals (though a temporary vocal track may be recorded early on either as a reference or to guide subsequent musicians; this is sometimes called a ''guide vocal'', ''ghost vocal'' or ''[[scratch vocal]]''). One reason for this is that singers will often temper their vocal expression in accordance with the accompaniment. Producers and songwriters can also use the guide/scratch vocal when they have not quite ironed out all the lyrics or for flexibility based on who sings the lead vocal (as [[The Alan Parsons Project]]'s [[Eric Woolfson]] often did).