80s production techniques 

[Layered Vocals]

Layering vocals usually consist of the singer or singers performing the same vocals, or different, which are then mixed together to create a better sound. To do this we use multitrack recording, recording one voice per track, or more depending on what sort of effect you are trying to create for the music piece. I personally think that vocal layering is a great way to layer a song, I love it in songs when the artist gets like a mate or something to sing with them in different ways to create the result of a choir sound, it adds such beauty to any song. I personally think that the use of layering vocals is great in the broad genre of Pop. 

The effect of vocal layering is that it adds dimension by using multiple voices. It is as if there is a group of people delivering the same message, it makes the song more rhythmic and meaningful, the use of harmonising really builds up the depth and texture of the song really well. Some would see it as a heartfelt way of attempting to reach out to the listeners directly.

[Click Tracks]

Click Tracks are a thing that is mainly focused around being used by drummers, and it essentially is a digital metronome that is played through headphones into the drummers ears to makes sure that the drummer is keeping in time. You can set the tempo and click play and it starts clicking away in your ears. The main reason that this is focused on being used by drummers is because they are seen as a form of human metronome to keep the band in time with each other.

Most songs that are ever recorded have most been recorded in a studio. Playing in a studio means that playing music with a clicking track is part of a musicians everyday life, this can be because they are either recording live and can't just stop playing in the middle of a performance and try to perfect the timing, any mistakes that are made a final. Whereas if you use a clicking track whilst performing live, then it means that it is physically impossible for you to play out of time, or at least it wouldn't be your fault.

The effect that this made was that music was being presented and recorded much neated and more put together or tight as some would say. It meant that songs were usually more in time that songs that weren't using click tracks and that you would not be able to notice any little slip ups in any piece of song writing 

Are click tracks needed in order to produce a really high quality music piece? No, absolutely not. The famous English musician and drummer John Bonham. The legend. The drummer for Led Zeppelin never used a click track to play the drums for any of his songs. Confirmed with Stairway to Heaven where no click track was used. Click tracks are not a necessity, they just help musicians and drummers to practise, but some people with for click tracks and cannot play without, and there are some really talented drummers who have never even touched one. 

[Multitrack Recording]

Multitrack Recording is where you make multiple tracks in a DAW or a tape machine and record each instrument separately in different tracks. Several tracks are being layered, this means that you could record the same guitar piece but just in different octaves to create a harmony in the song. Using multitrack recording to record your music gives the sound engineer a much easy job and it means that they can be a lot more flexible with the mix, it gives more freedom and control over the sound. You can add in any other instruments that you want in a later stage of the project. Les Paul was one of the major pioneers that really got multitrack recording off of its feet and used more popularly.

The effect of multitrack recording is that it gives producers and musicians a chance to make new, unique, original sounds that you would think were utterly impossible. It would be if impossible to create some of these sounds, if you were without a studio because there are some sounds and effects that you can only access and use with the help of being in a studio. It is a very popular thing even to this day, it helps one man bands produce music of all genres.