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BASIC MULTITRACKING IN AUDITION


Steve

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Somebody on another forum asked me about getting started with multitracking in Audition. Most people here won't find this useful, but somebody might so I'll post it anyway. If anyone has any other tips to add to get people started then post them up in this thread.

 

To make this I used the track "Linguistics" by Jurassic 5. The vinyl has the full vocal version, instrumental and acapella and I used all three here.

 

Here's the audio: -

 

.:. MULTITRACKING EXAMPLE .:.

 

I used Adobe Audition to make this. Here's a screenshot (click it to enlarge it): -

 

multitrack.jpg

 

Before you begin, you need to know how to record. I'll assume you know how to hook your mixer up to the PC and get the levels sorted. As you can see, each track in Audition has three little coloured buttons next to it. They stand for: -

 

R = Record

S = Solo

M = Mute

 

If you press the R button next to a track, it lights up. You are now ready to begin recording on that track. I used 6 separate tracks to make the audio sample, so I'll break each one down: -

 

Track 1: - Here I performed a short scratch at the beginning of the instrumental and then let it play. This is like the base of the multitrack project and gives you a beat to work with.

 

Track 2: - On track 2 I used the acapella of the track and scratched on the sample "Turn it up real loud". I repeated this twice. As you can see, there is a gap between each scratch where I cut away some unwanted scratching.

 

Track 3: - I used the acapella again here, but chose a short "Yo!" sample to scratch with. The jagged blue line you see in the middle is called the "pan envelope". It basically fades the sound left and right which you should be able to hear, especially if you listen using headphones.

 

Track 4: - I used the "Yo!" sample again just to add some depth to the sound, so there's two lots of scratching going on at the same time. Again I used the pan envelope to pan the scratching left and right. I've tried to pan it almost opposite to the scratching on track 3. Also, there is a gap in the scratching where I cut out a little bit of unwanted sound.

 

Track 5: - This is where I used the full acapella. I scratched on the start of the first chorus and then let it play so it sounds like the full track is playing.

 

Track 6: - This is the full version of the track. I scratched at the start of the first verse and then let it play in time with the rest of the tracks I'd already recorded. If you were making a mix, this is probably where you'd let the track continue on as normal.

 

Audition only records on the track where the R button is lit up/pressed in. That means that you can record independently on several tracks and build up a composition without going over what you've already recorded. Make sure you don't accidentally record over something you've already done, because you can't undo it. The S button plays only the track you selected and obviously the M button mutes the track or tracks.

 

You can edit the sound, chop bits out, add effects, drag samples around, copy and paste etc. etc. so it's possible to make really complex compositions. It just takes time and planning. I made the audio here in about 10 minutes so it's only meant as an example of how to use the program. Once you're done, you can save a mixdown of your work so you end up with a single wav file, which you can then burn to CD, convert to mp3 and upload for people to hear or whatever.

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Xcellent post man . So let me get this str8........ u can record on one of the traks , and it only records whats going into that trak , not the rest of the song . Or do u have to mute the other traks . I been busy so i aint used Audition yet . Nice to have some knowledge b4 hand tho y'kno.

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As long as you don't have the output of the sound card going back in through your mixer, it only records what you're doing on the decks, not what's already recorded on the other tracks.

 

 

Yeh man i sorted the leads out . Aint tried to record yet tho . Once i use audition i'll see what i can record like . Does audition have a bit for making beats & loops or do put your beats in from elsewhere ????

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  • 5 months later...
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  • 1 month later...
Im struggling to get to grips with echo's & general effects. Can someone point me in the right direction?

 

 

I have the total training dvd's if your interested

craig.

 

They are pretty good and give a fairly in depth

look at audition and all its features.

 

Your going on holiday are'nt you?

 

maybe when you get back I

could sort some thing out.

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In what respect are you struggling mate?

 

Well... I highlight the block where I need an echo at the end, click FX - delayed effects - echo, but it seems to put an echo on the whole block because Im unsure as to how to echo just the last lyric or high hat...if you get what I mean.

 

Darren, yeah Im off tomorrow morning, but if you could shout me a copy of the disc when I get back next week I would appreciate it mate..

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Right. Well the effect is added to the whole track which obviously affects every block of audio in that track, so what you need to do is lock all your blocks in time, then cut out the parts you want to add effects to (right click and split). Drag them down to a track of their own and add the effects just to that track.

 

There's probably other ways, but that's how I do it.

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