What is a Guide Track?

A guide track is a temporary recording used during a session to help musicians follow the structure, timing, or arrangement of a song while recording their parts.

Guide tracks often include elements such as scratch vocals, a rough guitar or piano performance, or a simple rhythm track that outlines the song’s chords, tempo, and structure. These recordings provide a reference for other musicians as they record their parts.

Guide tracks are usually replaced or removed later in the production process once the final performances have been recorded. They serve mainly as a reference tool to help keep the session organized and ensure that all parts follow the intended arrangement of the song.