Question about how songs get recorded in studio?

So, when artists record songs in the studio, I have a few questions on how it is done?

1. Do they record the song in order?
2. Do they record the whole song all at once?

3. Once they sing the chorus once, do they just copy that and paste it everywhere in the song where a chorus is? Or do they keep singing the chorus every time? Every song’s chord sounds the exact same every time, how is that possible?

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LordShadowfire · M

They usually record each instrumental track separately, and then they record the vocals separately. This gets a cleaner recording, I'm told.

XenonRush · M

How did you know this?
@LordShadowfire

LordShadowfire · M

@XenonRush I've considered getting into the business myself, but I have no band to speak of. As such, I've researched how it's done. They've been doing it that way since at least the '60s.

In fact, the Beach Boys' "Smile" almost never got released because none of the members could understand Brian Wilson's insistence on certain sounds being included in the song. It wasn't until they compiled all the layers that his genius showed through.