“It’s the best rehearsal you’ll ever do”.
There are many ways to record.
One option is to put the whole band in a room and record a few takes. Listen back, and give some feedback to each other. Decide on any changes that have to be made and then go back in and record a few more takes. Either the band or the producer picks the best one and there’s your track. This method is commonly used in jazz and folk music.
Another option is to build the track up one layer at a time. To do this you need to record to a click-track – i.e. a metronome which ensures the band will be in time with each other, even when they aren’t playing together in real time. This is a more precise way of doing things but sometimes lacks the spontaneity or feeling of the other method. This method is commonly used when making pop records.
There are other methods which combine various parts of the two described above, but no matter which way you record, as a musician you usually come out knowing the track a lot better than when you went in.
What if instead, rehearsal was the best rehearsal you’ll ever do?