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GMC Forum _ CHILL OUT _ Frustrated And Just Ranting...probably Disregard
Posted by: NoSkill May 4 2009, 02:33 AM
So, I'm practicing a level 3 piece. It's not hard. It sounds nice. It has some dynamics in it that make it quite nice. I've been practicing it and using Garage Band to record it. I'm pretty happy with it. I've got many of the dynamics down, the parts that I was struggling with transitions between have worked themselves out, so it's ready for the REC program.
I have my video setup ready to go at all times. I have my guitars around me like King Arthur had his Knights. Everything is in front of me. It's a beautiful evening with a nice view from my window. I'm relaxed. I've had a great day with my wife and kids. All are settled into their own routines for the evening. I think, now is my time. I wash my hands, get a drink of juice (just juice) and settle in. I warm up a bit...not enough, but enough to say I warmed up a bit without lightning striking me. I get my setup right. I get my lighting as I like it. The sound is good, the mood is good, it's all quiet and I'm ready to go.
Take 1 - sounds like I'm wearing oven mits.
Take 2 - sounds like I strung my guitar with barbed wire
Take 3 - sounds like I'm playing that barbed wire guitar with oven mits
Take 4 - sounds like take 1
Take 5 - sounds like my guitar is out of tune. Nope, it's just me.
Take 6 - I mess up the start. Honest mistake
Take 7 - I mess up the start again. Maybe not so honest a mistake.
Take 8 - I play a completely different song than the one I'm recording
Take 9 - Back to oven mitts
Take 10 - Perfect! I forgot to start the camera recording.
Take 11 - My daughter needs me...I feel her behind me. I look, she's not there.
Take 12 - My son needs me...I'm not falling for that again. He hits me in the back. I scream!
Take 13 - Back to oven mits.
Take 14 - I get to the end and then don't play the last note. Just fanned it with my pick...so close!
Take 15 - See take 4
Take 16 - This is just getting silly. I finished it, but it sounded desperate, like I had a gun to my head.
Take 17 - I'm ready to put a gun to my head.
Take 18 - The take that starts the steady decline.
Take 19 - 34 - Combinations and repeats of above.
Take 35 - I take a break
Take 36 - Here we go again.
Take 37 - I like it. Whew. It felt good. I didn't hit record...just play. No problem, next take is going to nail it.
Take 38 - 51 - I mess up the same bend, bending it flat. I stop right at it and obsess for awhile.
Take 52 - a graceful vibrato ends in a pull off sounding like my finger was stuck to the string with glue. That's new.
Take 53 - 59 - I repeat take 52's new found error with perfection and precision
Take 60 - I turn off the camera, thinking I'll play it perfectly. Wrong
Take 61 - 72 - I go back to oven mits.
Take 72 -80 - I'm just mad now and pulling at the guitar like I'm trying to get out of a submerged automobile.
Take 81 - I'm going to get it, if it kills me
Take 82 - 91 - I'm a broken man.
There wasn't a take 92, nor was there an upload to the REC program. What did I learn? Not a %**$&*&%( thing.
Just so you know, I deal with an extremely high stress workplace with significant consequence for mediocre performance or failure. I do so because I have, between training and experience, 20 years in my profession. None of it is worth a piece of rotten fish when it comes to doing this!
Cheers!
Tom in Canada
Posted by: sigma7 May 4 2009, 02:36 AM
yup, i no how u feel 
its natural
Posted by: lcsdds May 4 2009, 02:54 AM
I have my video setup ready to go at all times. I have my guitars around me like King Arthur had his Knights. Everything is in front of me. It's a beautiful evening with a nice view from my window. I'm relaxed. I've had a great day with my wife and kids. All are settled into their own routines for the evening. I think, now is my time. I wash my hands, get a drink of juice (just juice) and settle in. I warm up a bit...not enough, but enough to say I warmed up a bit without lightning striking me. I get my setup right. I get my lighting as I like it. The sound is good, the mood is good, it's all quiet and I'm ready to go.
Take 1 - sounds like I'm wearing oven mits.
Take 2 - sounds like I strung my guitar with barbed wire
Take 3 - sounds like I'm playing that barbed wire guitar with oven mits
Take 4 - sounds like take 1
Take 5 - sounds like my guitar is out of tune. Nope, it's just me.
Take 6 - I mess up the start. Honest mistake
Take 7 - I mess up the start again. Maybe not so honest a mistake.
Take 8 - I play a completely different song than the one I'm recording
Take 9 - Back to oven mitts
Take 10 - Perfect! I forgot to start the camera recording.
Take 11 - My daughter needs me...I feel her behind me. I look, she's not there.
Take 12 - My son needs me...I'm not falling for that again. He hits me in the back. I scream!
Take 13 - Back to oven mits.
Take 14 - I get to the end and then don't play the last note. Just fanned it with my pick...so close!
Take 15 - See take 4
Take 16 - This is just getting silly. I finished it, but it sounded desperate, like I had a gun to my head.
Take 17 - I'm ready to put a gun to my head.
Take 18 - The take that starts the steady decline.
Take 19 - 34 - Combinations and repeats of above.
Take 35 - I take a break
Take 36 - Here we go again.
Take 37 - I like it. Whew. It felt good. I didn't hit record...just play. No problem, next take is going to nail it.
Take 38 - 51 - I mess up the same bend, bending it flat. I stop right at it and obsess for awhile.
Take 52 - a graceful vibrato ends in a pull off sounding like my finger was stuck to the string with glue. That's new.
Take 53 - 59 - I repeat take 52's new found error with perfection and precision
Take 60 - I turn off the camera, thinking I'll play it perfectly. Wrong
Take 61 - 72 - I go back to oven mits.
Take 72 -80 - I'm just mad now and pulling at the guitar like I'm trying to get out of a submerged automobile.
Take 81 - I'm going to get it, if it kills me
Take 82 - 91 - I'm a broken man.
There wasn't a take 92, nor was there an upload to the REC program. What did I learn? Not a %**$&*&%( thing.
Just so you know, I deal with an extremely high stress workplace with significant consequence for mediocre performance or failure. I do so because I have, between training and experience, 20 years in my profession. None of it is worth a piece of rotten fish when it comes to doing this!
Cheers!
Tom in Canada
Been there many times my friend. I was trying to do a take on a lesson once and I kept stopping and restarting camera so it would be easier to deal with in editing....and also because my SD card is small. I finally got a take I was happy with. I go to sync up the audio with it and the video was of my feet.
It's funny now.....not so much then. I don't know if I could be a studio musician.....lots of pressure to be on your game all the time. I suppose it is like that with any job. You'll get it just stick with it.
Posted by: Outlaw2112 May 4 2009, 03:04 AM
lol....
been there too many times.... just push record and play it over and over again til you get it right... then edit out all the bad takes
Posted by: skennington May 4 2009, 04:10 AM
been there too many times.... just push record and play it over and over again til you get it right... then edit out all the bad takes
Nice post man and sorry for the frustration. As others have said I have been there many times too. John dot's the I with his comment, just hit record and play. As the old saying goes that we all hate, "it is what it is", so do the best you can and not think about it. Looking forward to your REC upload..
Posted by: sted May 4 2009, 08:24 AM
lol great post! I have hands that do not appear to be connected to my brain so i completely understand!
Posted by: Bondy May 4 2009, 08:56 AM
I think everyone does this i do loads of takes too, never happy with any of them, play it without recording and it's perfect
Posted by: -Zion- May 4 2009, 09:07 AM
indeed..
sometimes things like this happen.. i usually loop the backing around 5 or 10 times, hit record, and just play them all.. if a take goes well, i just mention it in the video (so i know which it is later on), but continue on with rest of takes..
if neither of the 10 takes turns out good, i restart the camera, add a new track to my DAW and start over.. this way i have my recorded guitar and video together (oppose to 1 video and 10 guitar recordings).. for me it's easier to sort out afterwards if it's like this..
keep at it though, cant wait to see your take..
Posted by: Velvet Roger May 4 2009, 09:35 AM
Lets just say that I've been many times in the same boat .... but I believe sooner or later I will get out of it
Posted by: purple hayes May 4 2009, 12:40 PM
Take 1 - sounds like I'm wearing oven mits.
I'm using that line next time I screw up playing.
Posted by: AlexLion May 4 2009, 03:00 PM
haha great post 
I suggest to improve your overall technique a bit, then it will be a lot easier when you return to you take.
btw- what is oven mits? don`t understand both words >_<
Posted by: Fran May 4 2009, 03:12 PM
cool story
I know how you feel, some days things just don't work!, plus recording can put some pressure on your hands (it sure happens to me...), sometimes I just stop recording and there it is, a perfect take!, then I hit rec and mess up the second note
Posted by: Pedja Simovic May 4 2009, 04:14 PM
Tom I am positive that Take 95 would be perfect one
Seriously, don't give up, it can be very frustrating dealing with pressure of recording but eventually you get used to it (like with everything in life).
Posted by: David Wallimann May 4 2009, 04:21 PM
Man, that sounds like me recording a lesson for GMC, seriously!!!
The hardest thing is to know where to stop and throw it out there...
Don't give up though!
I have my video setup ready to go at all times. I have my guitars around me like King Arthur had his Knights. Everything is in front of me. It's a beautiful evening with a nice view from my window. I'm relaxed. I've had a great day with my wife and kids. All are settled into their own routines for the evening. I think, now is my time. I wash my hands, get a drink of juice (just juice) and settle in. I warm up a bit...not enough, but enough to say I warmed up a bit without lightning striking me. I get my setup right. I get my lighting as I like it. The sound is good, the mood is good, it's all quiet and I'm ready to go.
Take 1 - sounds like I'm wearing oven mits.
Take 2 - sounds like I strung my guitar with barbed wire
Take 3 - sounds like I'm playing that barbed wire guitar with oven mits
Take 4 - sounds like take 1
Take 5 - sounds like my guitar is out of tune. Nope, it's just me.
Take 6 - I mess up the start. Honest mistake
Take 7 - I mess up the start again. Maybe not so honest a mistake.
Take 8 - I play a completely different song than the one I'm recording
Take 9 - Back to oven mitts
Take 10 - Perfect! I forgot to start the camera recording.
Take 11 - My daughter needs me...I feel her behind me. I look, she's not there.
Take 12 - My son needs me...I'm not falling for that again. He hits me in the back. I scream!
Take 13 - Back to oven mits.
Take 14 - I get to the end and then don't play the last note. Just fanned it with my pick...so close!
Take 15 - See take 4
Take 16 - This is just getting silly. I finished it, but it sounded desperate, like I had a gun to my head.
Take 17 - I'm ready to put a gun to my head.
Take 18 - The take that starts the steady decline.
Take 19 - 34 - Combinations and repeats of above.
Take 35 - I take a break
Take 36 - Here we go again.
Take 37 - I like it. Whew. It felt good. I didn't hit record...just play. No problem, next take is going to nail it.
Take 38 - 51 - I mess up the same bend, bending it flat. I stop right at it and obsess for awhile.
Take 52 - a graceful vibrato ends in a pull off sounding like my finger was stuck to the string with glue. That's new.
Take 53 - 59 - I repeat take 52's new found error with perfection and precision
Take 60 - I turn off the camera, thinking I'll play it perfectly. Wrong
Take 61 - 72 - I go back to oven mits.
Take 72 -80 - I'm just mad now and pulling at the guitar like I'm trying to get out of a submerged automobile.
Take 81 - I'm going to get it, if it kills me
Take 82 - 91 - I'm a broken man.
There wasn't a take 92, nor was there an upload to the REC program. What did I learn? Not a %**$&*&%( thing.
Just so you know, I deal with an extremely high stress workplace with significant consequence for mediocre performance or failure. I do so because I have, between training and experience, 20 years in my profession. None of it is worth a piece of rotten fish when it comes to doing this!
Cheers!
Tom in Canada
Posted by: Matt23 May 4 2009, 04:21 PM
I know how you feel. I get so frustrated when I can't record something simple right.
Posted by: NoSkill May 4 2009, 04:24 PM
I hoped this would make people laugh! That was the intent. I went from frustration to just laughing. I know, if I put the guitar down and go do something else, when I come back to it, it's always better. It just got funny after awhile that I felt I should write something! I won't quit! I will persevere! LOL
Cheers!
Tom
Posted by: Carlos Carrillo May 4 2009, 04:52 PM
Seriously, don't give up, it can be very frustrating dealing with pressure of recording but eventually you get used to it (like with everything in life).
+1
More takes ... more experience.
Posted by: Vasilije Vukmirovic May 4 2009, 09:23 PM
Yeah, more takes more success...As long as you're recording your self you're progressing faster then usual, you're very focused when you record a take, and you play it much better then just....without recording, it doesn't seem to you that you're progressing, but you are, be persistent...
Posted by: Canis May 4 2009, 09:55 PM
Ah, another fellow member of the "Frustrated Red Light Syndrome-victim's Supportclub" 
Or.. "Fred's"
Posted by: JVM May 4 2009, 10:13 PM
Been there, most recently on the drop rock collab
Posted by: Marc_Maiden May 4 2009, 10:13 PM
dude....i wish you kept all 90 something takes...
it would have made for THE BEST bloopers EVER
Posted by: Caelumamittendum May 4 2009, 10:27 PM
it would have made for THE BEST bloopers EVER
We should definately have a blooper thread, to which I'll gladly contribute.
Posted by: lcsdds May 4 2009, 10:33 PM
I was making my video for Muris's MTP yesterday morning and I basically was just recording my practice session and then going through and picking out the clean takes. As I was going through it there was on part where I let out this huge burp, my wife actually got mad at me because she thought I was doing it right then. Too bad....it was a clean take too. 
Posted by: NoSkill May 4 2009, 11:22 PM
it would have made for THE BEST bloopers EVER
I truly considered keeping them for a blooper real, it's just that, how many times can you watch a car drive into a bridge. Again, I'm glad everyone thought this as funny as it was intended. I do appreciate that the more I do this the better I become. You can't hide if you record. That bum note you hit is obvious. That bum note that you KEEP hitting?
Anyway, thanks for the fun discussion!
Cheers!
Posted by: g-forcelover May 4 2009, 11:23 PM
haha ouch been there too, at least you dont have a dog that ruins your best take ;-)
Posted by: Young Guitarist May 10 2009, 09:35 PM
Hahhahha i found this hillarious xD
Been there man!
Posted by: Praetorian May 10 2009, 10:47 PM
I LOVED this post! Very funny Tom!! I guess I found it so funny because I also have a very hard time getting a good take. I can nail a lesson...then as soon as the camera turns on and I know I am being recorded, I start playing like I have the hand version of Tourette's Syndrome!
One time, I had the take nailed...it was the last few notes - and my three year old decided to explode into the room chasing my 65 pound English Pointer, crashing into the camera!
Anyway, thanks for the fun discussion!
Cheers!
We HAVE to make a sticky blooper thread!
Posted by: kahall May 11 2009, 12:00 AM
Very inspiring. I think I will try to record something now. ;-)
Posted by: Sensible Jones May 11 2009, 11:15 AM
Tom, I can totally empathise with this!! Although not for uploading to here, but when I was in a Studio with a Band doing a Demo!!!
I suggest to improve your overall technique a bit, then it will be a lot easier when you return to you take. btw- what is oven mits? don`t understand both words >_<
Alex...
Oven Mits:-
Posted by: Fran May 11 2009, 11:25 AM
I'm sure most of you already noticed it, but just in case, take a look at Jason's comic strip this week
http://www.guitarmasterclass.net/guitar_forum/index.php?showtopic=27328
Posted by: JVM May 11 2009, 02:37 PM
Awesome comic, and I agree we MUST make a blooper thread, that is a great idea
Posted by: MigeZ May 15 2009, 07:59 AM
it would have made for THE BEST bloopers EVER
I hope so too
The idea of bloopers thread is great Screwing up is always so funny to listen When I'm recording it takes years, even after a perfect shot i think I should adjust the sound etc I definetly would have some material
Posted by: NoSkill May 18 2009, 04:51 PM
Great comic thread. I was able to get my head together and get a couple of REC takes posted. They weren't my best effort, but, based on my troubles recording, they are representative of how I play. Thanks to all for support and understanding. I knew I wasn't alone! Thanks to Jason for the GMC Funny. That made my morning.
Cheers!
Posted by: Jad Diab May 18 2009, 05:03 PM
Great comic hehe, but I'm sure he'll end up nailing it, maybe a few more takes
Posted by: stevie ray hey hey hey May 18 2009, 10:54 PM
how about intending to record the funniest blooper, but play it right this time... nah, it's just silly
Posted by: superize May 20 2009, 10:15 AM
This is something i used to have alot of problems with when i first started recording.
Some tips i can give is to learn the lesson untill you know it so you almost cant play it wrong and then record becasue if you are not comfortable with what you are playing you are doomed to mess up while recording because you are more nervous(Atleast i was) when recording then you are when just playing it out...
The other tip is to record yourself as much as possible and eventually you wont be as nervous as you used to be.
This have helped me alot when recording and i hope it can help you to.
It can be really frustrating in the beggining but eventually it will get easier
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