How many tracks do I need to record?

[Russell Landwehr]

It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

Oh, but it does. It wasn't advice, when I first heard it, (at least not as such) but you really should spend some time learning to mix in mono. It'll save you a bunch of trouble, later on.

And in case you're inclined to disagree, I invite you to listen to any of my mixes in glorious mono.

EDIT: not that I'm so proud of my mixes, I just actually kinda hate mixing/fixing other peoples' stuff; that's why I charge $, for that.

OK then , the simplest RECORDING is ONE mono track of a Guitar or Piano... or a single mic recording a piano/vocal or guitar/vocal or a SINGLE MIC recording a band or something... but that's different than a mono MIX. But for the purposes of what gets used, the simplest is usually a stereo RECORDING of a piano or guitar.

Russell

[mojobone]

I've had more than one bluegrass/old time string band outfit request a single mic to record upwards of five pieces; it's how they do it on stage. The sessions went real quick and the mixes even quicker.