Those few songs I’ve recorded in garageband recently, I just recorded little bits at a time and put them together. I don’t like recording that way. Never did, and here’s a few reasons why. First of all, it’s very difficult and challenging to me to edit small pieces together without making the music sound like they skip to the next riff to the next, know what I mean? Sometimes there’s little bits of silences in between the riffs, it’s hard to make the tracks sound good. The second reason is, you can tell the tracks are edited and clipped, the songs just don’t sound good when songs are edited like this. Just my opinion.
I know there are so many bands and artists that record in local studios that record little bits and pieces at a time and put them all together, but I don’t believe in recording that way. I only recorded that way in garageband, just to get the hang of the software and learn how to use it.
The way I always recorded over the years, I would write the song first, and record it all the way through. Like a live recording except it’s in a studio or at home. Live recording is better ’cause it makes the music sound better and more real. It also shows that you can really play. It won’t sound like it’s edited, and all that stuff. I recorded my first demo in 2006 in a studio this same way. Just recorded all 10 songs in one day, like it was a live concert. Another reason live recording is better ’cause it makes it easier for overdubs like guitar solos or other instruments or whatever. It just makes you sound more human recording live at home or in a studio.
If I ever record with a band in a local studio sometime, I’m going to record the songs the same way. Record all the full band stuff live. Just hit record and away we go. Just write the songs first, rehearse them good enough, and record them live in the studio. Live recording is awesome. You should try it sometime. I think I’m going to record this way in garageband from this point on.
Kev
K'Brocking 
Kev,
I think you are going to find a lot of studios around here record the way you are objecting to. In fact, remember the song of mine that you heard from Albany Audio? That final rendition was NOT played all the way through. If you get a drummer and bassist to practice with you and you get super tight, then MAYBE you could get away with doing live. However, a lot of drummers prefer you go in and record the basic sketch of the song to a click track. Then the drummer comes in with you; they will play along while you and the recording engineer listen. This makes it easier for you to talk the drummer through the song and hopefully go through fewer takes.
I’m not telling you HOW to record your album. I’m just preparing you for the fact that others might not want to work that way. Also, I am just trying to prepare you for the possibility that you might spend more time in the studio than you think you will. Bands and musicians can get away with a lot of little flubs on stage that you just can’t pull off in the studio. That’s because recording puts every tiny little detail under a microscope…and if anything isn’t spot on, it will be easy for a listener to pick up.
Again, this is just my two cents from the studio experiences I have had…which, by the way, are not limited to this one song I did at Albany Audio.
Steve