Punching is is a way of fixing mistakes on a track, without recording the whole track over.
Punching In is a method of recording that goes back to the old days of real to real recording. I had a 4 track cassette player that had a foot pedal input where you would play the whole track once and later go back and “punch in” the corrections for the mistakes.
The computer will be set to automatically start and stop recording at set times, so you can keep your hands playing guitar instead of twisting knobs and pushing buttons.
Lets change the looks of the program to help see the process better.
Mute Channels
Change Channel Views
Zoom In
Punch In Demonstration
- Click Auto Punch.
- Click the track record button
- Click where point A is, hold it down. Drag it where point B is.
- Push the button that starts the song at the beginning.
- Push the record button.
- Play Nothing
Notice that the whole song plays, but the only thing that is recorded is the section between point A and point B.
Undo Punch
Practical Application.
Just read the rest of the page.
- I moved the bar between A & B.
- I pressed Record.
Every time I make a mistake, I stop and start over at point A. Don’t try to start where it starts recording. Start playing 10 to 15 seconds before the computer starts recording at point A.
- I moved the bar between A & B.
- I pressed Record.
- I moved the bar between A & B.
- I pressed Record.
- I moved the bar between A & B.
- I pressed Record.
I normally try to play the song all the way through without punching in. A couple of punch ins is not that bad, but if you double track the rhythm guitars, lead guitars, and acoustic guitars like I do, you should really know the song well enough that you don’t make very many mistakes. Double tracking really has to be tight. If you are off just a little bit it really shows. If you can’t play it right, then you shouldn’t be double tracking in the first place. I normally practice a song 50 – 70 times before I record it.
Save your file every five minutes.
