Live multitrack recording is often done where musicians play together even though their parts are being recorded to separate tracks using different microphones. Drums might be recorded on the first eight tracks, with overhead microphones on the first and second track, snare drum on the third track, while guitars, basses and any other instruments are recorded on their own tracks. Multitrack recording allows the engineer to use a variety of microphones to capture one instrument to provide more flexibility when it comes time to mix the final song. Live multitrack recordings are generally made with individual musicians isolated in separate areas to reduce unwanted noise from entering microphones intended to pick up only one sound source. However, some engineers commonly record musicians in the same room using this multitrack method, claiming that leakage of sound sources, such as drum sounds picked up by a singer's microphone, add to the authenticity and feel of the recorded tracks.
Multitrack recording is commonly used to capture live performances as well. Set up much the same way as live studio multitrack recordings are, with separate microphones going to separate tracks, engineers can record live performances and edit them later. Many bands and artists have recorded live albums or DVDs using multitrack recording techniques.
Overdubbing is a common process used in the recording studio in which a musician plays one part of a song and others add their parts later. Usually, drums and bass are recorded first if they are going to be used to provide the other musicians with a rhythm track to record to. Overdubbing allows musicians to duplicate their own parts for effect, and to play tones that are not possible to play at once. A singer, for example, could sing their main vocal part, and then do backup vocals or harmony parts later. The process of overdubbing has allowed many multiinstrumentalists to record music without the help of other musicians. Those that record music in their home have found overdubbing particularly useful because it is often too hard to record a group of musicians at once because of volume and space constraints.