If you have a cassette four track and want to do some recording of your band, or if there's only one of you and you want to sound like a band, here are some suggestions for getting strong, clear recordings. First, remember this: The Beatles recorded Sgt. Pepper's on four track. Second, forget that. You probably don't have the same high-quality four track and mics that they had nor the technicians that keep things running in optimum condition nor a George Martin (he helped more than Paul McCartney will ever admit). But, you may have a talent for writing and performing music. If so (and even, if not), you'll want your recording to capture what you do in such a way as to limit the amount of time you spend "disclaimering" your recordings before playing them for people. So, whether the recording is going to be a demo to get gigs or professional attention, something to impress your friends with, or a means to hear your songs more objectively so you can learn from them, the following information and track layouts should work well for you.
Using these track layouts will deliver a nice sense of stereo spacing while retaining a bit of punch. They can all be done by only two people without bouncing tracks or by one person with only one submix.* Although bouncing tracks is wonderfully advantageous at times, it sacrifices sound quality. So try to resist the temptation to layer it on. Also, some people like to record the drums in stereo on a four track. I've never been a fan of this approach. I feel it's more important to keep it simple. If, however, the highlight of your piece of music is a drum fill using all fifteen of your rack toms sequentially, you might want to go for the stereo drums. I address the stereo field with subtle track panning (see track layouts). Too much hard left or hard right panning can make your music sound empty and disjointed.
