You can tell Axl recorded his vocals separately on Chinese Democracy

[themovieaddict.com]

Kurt Loder said in his review of RIR that Axl would do "midnight sessions" of recording after the bandmembers had already laid down their musical parts. So basically Axl would come in after they had recorded and record his vocals separately in the studio after everybody else had left.

Anyway, I noticed a lot during this tour on the new songs he clicks his fingers - it's something you do naturally as a musician and one of the first things you learn when you start. Snapping your fingers is a good way of keeping track of the beats and rhythm. Anyway, a lot of times musicians who record separately from the rest of the band develop a habit of doing this to help them stay in track with the rest of the song.

Thought that was kind of a cool thing to see Axl doing on stage. This thread is really just an observation of that.

[nesquick]

Of course he does. That's the way most of vocals are recorded nowadays. Pro-Tools... there's no problem with it. Using technology is a good thing. I recorded myself on pro-Tools. I used it. The most important is the mix. It's how you mix your vocals with the instruments to create one cohesive entity. Your voice and the instruments should confund each other to make one. at the end, recording separately makes your job easier...

Anyway, what do you really mean?

[Steel_Angel]

tell us something we dont already know... like when the first single will drop 
jay kay.

[Lucky]

what has "snapping your fingers" have to do with anything?!
I snap my fingers all the time, even when I'm taking a shit, and that doesnt mean I'm keeping the track of the rhytm.

[dave-gnfnr2k]

He did that on the UYIs too, so what is your point.

[themovieaddict.com]

He did that on the UYIs too, so what is your point.

It's just an observation.

But you have to admit it's better than the thread about Axl's shoes. 

[DunkinDave]

He did that on the UYIs too, so what is your point.

Right - its not like they're all recording together in the round, every part is recorded seperately.

We've known that for quite a while.

[Mr_Brownface]

He snaps his fingers to keep time?  What the hell is the drummer for?

[PrettyTiedUp763]

He did that on the UYIs too, so what is your point.

It's just an observation.

But you have to admit it's better than the thread about Axl's shoes.?

  You got us there. Lol.

[russtcb]

He did that on the UYIs too, so what is your point.

It's just an observation.

But you have to admit it's better than the thread about Axl's shoes.?

Hahahaha.....I swear I actually thought the same thing when I read this reply to your topic.

[tHeElEcTrIcSiNtAr]

He recorded them seperately on Appetite too. He always has done that. Most singers do that anyway.

[Origen]

So whats your point? You noticed Axl clicks his fingers to the beat, well done I guess.

[Mr_Brownface]

This is the best thread ever.

[SLCPUNK]

I'm snapping my fingers right now...........

[ryan_of_lax]

I'm willing to bet that there are no professional singers who record their vocals "live" with the band in the studio. At least not a whole take anyway.

I really don't see how snapping fingers indicates this, though.

[D]

I think 100 percent of singers record their vocals after the music is laid down.

Its not like they band plays and the singer sings live in the studio............. This thread is bizarre.  Maybe Axl just likes to snap his fingers for effect.

[Sizzle]

99% of band out there record all instrumental and vocal parts individually, usuall a drum track is laid down first, then bass, then guitar, then vocals. I can't think of any band that records all together in the studio. If they did all record together it would make it extremely hard to edit and re-take parts because the band would all have to start playing at the same place again at the same time. One mess-up from one member would mean the whole band's audio-tracks were interrupted.

[Amish]

It used to be that way.  The band would just all play together, and they'd have to do take after take after take.

Based on a comment by Slash, I was under the impression that Velvet Revolver recorded their songs as a live band.

He said "We did most songs in one or two takes."  Am I wrong?

[dankrass]

I'm willing to bet that there are no professional singers who record their vocals "live" with the band in the studio. At least not a whole take anyway.

I really don't see how snapping fingers indicates this, though.

Well, it's not as common nowadays, but some still do. 

Bob Dylan records all of his albums in a handful of takes live in the studio with the band.
Neil Young does the same.
Tom Petty does, but he goes back and does vocal overdubs on some tracks -- Dylan and Young tend to not touch up passages.

[Buddha_Master]

wow...fucking weird.

The clicking his finger to keep a beat, and that is what singers are taught and shit to do. I seriously find this interesting...and I have no idea why. I like the topic. Its outside the box, and I personally dig observation discussions.

When Axl holds his ear/earpiece while singing. He does it about as often.

[mdttkk]

ive never taken singing classes but i can definatley see snapping fingers as being helpful, i was tought in guitar to do something similar when i started out learning rythyms.  i still suck though 

[Eternal Flaming Sword of Death...]

Damn, I was thinking for a minute there that I was at MYGNRFORUM, and that they had changed everything.......

I am sorry, but this was right there with the shoe thread, except you actually tricked me into reading this worthless thread, and I feel compelled to reply...

[estrangedpaul]

99% of band out there record all instrumental and vocal parts individually, usuall a drum track is laid down first, then bass, then guitar, then vocals. I can't think of any band that records all together in the studio. If they did all record together it would make it extremely hard to edit and re-take parts because the band would all have to start playing at the same place again at the same time. One mess-up from one member would mean the whole band's audio-tracks were interrupted.

That was one of the changes Bob Rock made to metallica's recording style during the black album. The band were recorded live. Vocals and solos are added later. So it does happen.

Incidentally, whether or not Axl recorded his parts seperately or not, that would have nothing to do with him clicking his fingers live.

Also I had to laugh at the guitar player in this thread who was told to click his fingers. It's kinda hard to do while your playing. Unless you have three hands. I usually tap my foot, if its necessary.

[Scabbie]

That was one of the changes Bob Rock made to metallica's recording style during the black album. The band were recorded live. Vocals and solos are added later. So it does happen.

So thats where it all went wrong.

My impression is that GNR spent quite a lot of time writing and recording together, whether in Axl's presence or not its unclear. They then contributed individually as and when 'called in'.

I'm intrigued to find about how this so called 'collaborative' approach that has been talked about works on the final product.
 

[jimb0]

Did they or did they not record GNR LIES live? 

[michaelvincent]

It used to be that way.  The band would just all play together, and they'd have to do take after take after take.

Based on a comment by Slash, I was under the impression that Velvet Revolver recorded their songs as a live band.

He said "We did most songs in one or two takes."  Am I wrong?

Backing tracks, ie: bass, drums, and maybe rhythm/scratch guitars, and scratch vocals were probably banged out in a couple takes. I guarantee vocals were done after the fact, and more than likely the guitars on the basic tracks were redone. And guitar solos were definitely done after the fact.

And snapping fingers has nothing to do with anything. It means that maybe you have no idea how the studio works. If Axl is in the booth singing the songs and snapping along then his vocal track would have vocals and a lot of annoying snapping on it. Microphones pick things up you know, things like snapping and all the pro tools inthe world doesn't fix that. 

[slashisvr]

i think the only time they the record live is when a band are doin demo's on tape or cd to send to the record labels, to try and get a deal

[Origen]

Did they or did they not record GNR LIES live??

Not

[KillKurtzKids]

Jesus, do you guys ever look in the mirror and feel slightly embarrassed at what your looking at? Your giving this guy an unbelievable amount of shit for, admittedly, a rather dull observation... yet you spend 140 pages talking about Axl presenting an award. Pot, Kettle, Black.

[russtcb]

Jesus, do you guys ever look in the mirror and feel slightly embarrassed at what your looking at? Your giving this guy an unbelievable amount of shit for, admittedly, a rather dull observation... yet you spend 140 pages talking about Axl presenting an award. Pot, Kettle, Black.

I didn't go through all of the posts in this thread but I did see a few that at least seem to be having a legit discussion about what was recorded when and how.

[requiem156]

That was one of the changes Bob Rock made to metallica's recording style during the black album. The band were recorded live. Vocals and solos are added later. So it does happen.

So thats where it all went wrong.

No, it went wrong when they stopped being able to write decent songs. The recording process has nothing to do with that.

As further confirmation that it does happen, Iron Maiden's new album was recorded live in the studio. I don't know about the vocals.

Although the finger-snapping may be a way that Axl keeps time, it probably has nothing to do with the recording of the album. If I'm not mistaken, he has done it occasionally since the start of the band. I doubt that any of the timing of his vocal lines is difficult enough to require extra concentration/timing aids, but if it is, he should be worrying about hearing the drummer, not snapping his fingers, since that is the pulse that the rest of the band can hear.

[russtcb]

That was one of the changes Bob Rock made to metallica's recording style during the black album. The band were recorded live. Vocals and solos are added later. So it does happen.

So thats where it all went wrong.

No, it went wrong when they stopped being able to write decent songs. The recording process has nothing to do with that.

As further confirmation that it does happen, Iron Maiden's new album was recorded live in the studio. I don't know about the vocals.

Although the finger-snapping may be a way that Axl keeps time, it probably has nothing to do with the recording of the album. If I'm not mistaken, he has done it occasionally since the start of the band. I doubt that any of the timing of his vocal lines is difficult enough to require extra concentration/timing aids, but if it is, he should be worrying about hearing the drummer, not snapping his fingers, since that is the pulse that the rest of the band can hear.

Using a teleprompter helps out a little bit too. Since the lyrics scroll it give you a better idea of where you're at in case you're somewhere on the stage where you can't hear who you need to.

[Eternal Flaming Sword of Death...]

even if they record live, or all together, usually the singer just throws down a scratch vocal. Usually, you start with trying to get the bass and drums first, then rhythm guitars, then your guitar leads and vocals.
At least that was what happened when my band recorded a couple years ago. We all played live til we got the drums, then pretty much everything else people can do on their own, whenever.

Who knows how Axl's process works, but I remember as far back as 99 him saying that he was trying to get the songs musically where they needed to be, before he even wrote words for them.

Axl snapping his fingers gives absolutely NO insight into  the recording process of Chinese Democracy, and this was just another in a string of thread that would be much more appreciated at a couple other forums that I know of....

[michaelvincent]

As further confirmation that it does happen, Iron Maiden's new album was recorded live in the studio. I don't know about the vocals.

Chances are better than not that it was done just like most other albums. Though in theory it is possible...and Maiden is a three guitar band now (that can certainly compensate for not having overdubs), and quite good live if I do say so myself.

What I did hear is that they felt the mastering of the album took away from the the rawness and decided not to master the album. I'm not sure what made them think that was  good idea but skipping the mastering...that's just crazy talk.

[requiem156]

As further confirmation that it does happen, Iron Maiden's new album was recorded live in the studio. I don't know about the vocals.

Chances are better than not that it was done just like most other albums. Though in theory it is possible...and Maiden is a three guitar band now (that can certainly compensate for not having overdubs), and quite good live if I do say so myself.

What I did hear is that they felt the mastering of the album took away from the the rawness and decided not to master the album. I'm not sure what made them think that was? good idea but skipping the mastering...that's just crazy talk.

Well, I suppose all of that is debatable. The album does sound pretty good, and in some respects it's a nice change from the over-compressed, excessively loud albums that get released these days. I don't think that there's any loss of clarity, but it does sound more like one their 80's albums, which may be what they were going for. I wouldn't object if CD had a rawer feel, although with the Queen comparisons that seems pretty unlikely.