Printable Version of Topic
Click here to view this topic in its original format
GMC Forum _ PRACTICE ROOM _ Recording Fever !
Posted by: Ben Higgins Feb 10 2012, 10:54 AM
It happens to most of us at some point. When the recording buttong goes on, we suddenly can't play something that we can normally sail through with ease.
We know why this is.. it's just good, old fashioned pressure. Pressure to get it right, so we mess it up because we're so over focused on it.
It happens to me mostly when I'm recording solos. Sometimes I can keep going and work through the frustration to eventually get a good take but mostly, I have to stop and calm down.
How about you ? How do you deal when recording fever hits ? Do you just grind your teeth, swear a few times and keep going or do you take a break before having another go ?
Posted by: PosterBoy Feb 10 2012, 11:23 AM
Sometimes the simplest of acoustic strumming parts has gone awry for me with that dreaded red light.
I think the only thing is being comfortable in your recording environment, whether that means lava lamps and your favourite chair, or hitting that record button everytime you pick a guitar up so it seems natural.
Oh and keeping a sense of humour!
Posted by: JTaylor Feb 10 2012, 12:01 PM
I go through it even doing a loop track on this new pedal. I try not to swear at it (even though I sometimes fail). Sometimes I just walk away. With my REC's, I have just gotten sick of recording the same take a million times and have submitted them anyway. It's interesting to see that this still happens to seasoned veterans.
Posted by: Ben Higgins Feb 10 2012, 12:05 PM
I think the only thing is being comfortable in your recording environment, whether that means lava lamps and your favourite chair, or hitting that record button everytime you pick a guitar up so it seems natural.
Oh and keeping a sense of humour!
Yeah I think having a personal touch is key... I need to get more relaxing pictures to have around !
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Feb 10 2012, 12:19 PM
Yeah, happens to all I guess, it's human nature 
Interesting thing is, usually the first 3-4 takes are the ones that I keep, as it progresses towards the end, it's getting worse and worse, fingers get tired. It's important to take a break here and there as well, It happened to me that I pushed to make it right so much that I don't touch the guitar whole day after that, and my fingers hurt. Measure it's very important.
Posted by: Dinaga Feb 10 2012, 01:21 PM
Hmm, here's what I do - I press the record button and don't turn it off between takes! Then I put the backing track on repeat, and play over and over, until I get the take I'm satisfied with. That way I forget about the camera and dive into the playing After I played it right, I simply cut the "right" take while editing.
Oh, and the fact that my camera doesn't flash a red light while recording also helps, I guess
My biggest problem is not recording fever, it's in fact battery fever! My camera battery is kinda weak, and it recharges VERY slowly, so when the battery is low I get super nervous to finish the take before the battery runs out! 
Posted by: JaxN4 Feb 10 2012, 02:22 PM
I certainly have encountered this problem.... One way I got over it was, after recording a take I was happy with and was about to upload it.... I recorded a whole new take.... so in my mind, I had already completed the lesson, and even if i stuffed it up, it wouldn't matter... The next take was great and was so much better than the original. I did this with the Gary Moore Ballad i did a while back.... tricking the mind seemed to work 
Posted by: Ben Higgins Feb 10 2012, 02:27 PM
Good idea ! If only I could get a good solo take to try it with !
Posted by: Dinaga Feb 10 2012, 02:32 PM
That's a great approach! Thanks for sharing, will have to try it out!
Posted by: Gitarrero Feb 10 2012, 03:41 PM
I know that feeling, and I totally recommend the method Jax posted, it really works.
Posted by: Alex Feather Feb 10 2012, 04:54 PM
We know why this is.. it's just good, old fashioned pressure. Pressure to get it right, so we mess it up because we're so over focused on it.
It happens to me mostly when I'm recording solos. Sometimes I can keep going and work through the frustration to eventually get a good take but mostly, I have to stop and calm down.
How about you ? How do you deal when recording fever hits ? Do you just grind your teeth, swear a few times and keep going or do you take a break before having another go ?
Good topic man! The first time I've been on the studio I got so nervous that I couldn't play anything it was back in Russia and I ended up arguing with a sound guy because he was trying to take my guitar and play solo himself! It was so embarrassing! Crazy!
But when the years went by I have learned how to control myself and now I am not freaking out, just doing my job
Also the most pressure to me was when you are working at a very expensive studio and producer need you to record fast I have been in the situations when you get only two takes for each part after the second one you are being fined and by the seventh take you are not making any money!
This kind of stuff makes you stronger!!!
Posted by: SirJamsalot Feb 10 2012, 04:56 PM
We know why this is.. it's just good, old fashioned pressure. Pressure to get it right, so we mess it up because we're so over focused on it.
It happens to me mostly when I'm recording solos. Sometimes I can keep going and work through the frustration to eventually get a good take but mostly, I have to stop and calm down.
How about you ? How do you deal when recording fever hits ? Do you just grind your teeth, swear a few times and keep going or do you take a break before having another go ?
I can relate. Fortunately DAWs let you loop - in Cubase, I set the track so that every time it begins the next loop iteration, it records a new track. Then I can flip through all the takes and choose the one that sucks least
Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic Feb 10 2012, 06:06 PM
Yeah, looping with precount is a great option to stay with fingers on the fretboard, and try to do it in several takes
Posted by: derper Feb 10 2012, 08:11 PM
All VERY great tips!!
Ivan, I agree.....usually one of my earlier take ends up being my best!!
Dinaga...... I like your approach of "keeping it rolling, and loop the track". I really just loose focus "hitting the record button"!! I'm not nervous, because I play live all the time, but just hitting the button and coming "back" to the riff seems to get my head out of the game.
Thanks everyone!!
Posted by: casinostrat Feb 10 2012, 09:20 PM
I have this trouble as well. Sometimes I can sit and play a solo for something like a collab and play it great, but the minute I turn on the record button I sound and play terrible. Its getting better, and one of the things that really helped me was first of all making sure to warm up properly before recording the take, Make sure I'm in a comfortable position for recording (for me this is standing up, rather than sitting at a desk or something) and making sure I know exactly what I want to play, rather than just trying to improvise the whole thing. Ultimately I think it boils down to experience, and the more you record, the better and more comfortable you become with it.
Posted by: Alex Feather Feb 10 2012, 09:26 PM
The golden rule is more you do it better you will get!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Feb 10 2012, 09:30 PM
Yes, warming up definitely goes a long way to getting a more relaxed take
Absolutely
Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Feb 11 2012, 12:31 AM
In home studio I do not have these problems at all, trying to be relaxed as can be, and usually finish everything in two or three takes. Pro studio is a different story- I need total concentration, so I don't like crowd around me! Only sound engineer and myself .
Do you know which word is most beautiful when shooting ? When the sound engineer says - "purchased" !!!!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Feb 11 2012, 10:54 AM
.Do you know which word is most beautiful when shooting ? When the sound engineer says - "purchased" !!!!
Purchased ? That's a new one !!
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Feb 11 2012, 11:26 PM
Just recorded something NOW a few riffs for a new Voodoo song. Well, I got to act like a sailor and curse of course but, once I managed to get through the first chorus, stuff went very well. Of course, I got back to the other things which weren't as spiff the first hand. For me it's more of 'getting into the business' once I started and focused on the task at hand, it's only a matter of being able to keep my mind on the job
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Feb 12 2012, 12:29 AM
"Recording Fever" is the only type of fever that can be healed with practice and experience! However unless you have born without it you will keep some symptoms for many time.. or maybe forever... That's my experience, nowadays I feel much more comfortable when I'm recording but in my beginnings it was very difficult to play perfect when the REC button was turned on.
That's why the REC program is also very effective! Nowadays I make my private students learn one song every 2/3 months and we record/film to let them have the experience of being at the studio.
Check out some videos...
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Feb 12 2012, 08:25 AM
Great idea man! I'll have a go at that one as well with my students in Romania
Posted by: Ben Higgins Feb 12 2012, 11:00 AM
Yo Ho Ho and a bottle of rum !!
Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Feb 13 2012, 09:59 AM
I'll have a go at that one as well with my students in Romania I'm having really good result with this idea because the feel more motivated to work on technique and to study theory in order to be able to paly the songs and to understand how these ones are composed.
Posted by: JTaylor Feb 13 2012, 12:05 PM
I am happy to say I don't have this problem... my playing sounds awful whether the camera is on or off!
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Feb 13 2012, 01:50 PM
That's why you should push yourself to limitless levels
you do it till you make it sound right Will, send some takes as soon as I'll apply this whole idea
Posted by: Blister Aug 27 2012, 03:21 AM
I did my first REC today & this thread (which is a real good one!) came to mind directly! The looping technique given in this thread was very helpful & this is the method I used. Luckily no red light on my camera! It's tough when you mess up in the beginning but real frustrating getting near the end of the recording & making a mistake. I wish I counted how many takes it took me. A guess would be around 30 (did I just admit that 
) If you watch the REC you will see me give a "thumbs up" at the end. Doing multiple takes, this was my way to let me know it was satisfactory. I now wish I would have waited another 2 seconds so it wouldn't show up on the recording.
I stopped at my first satisfactory take because I had never sync-ed the audio & video recording before & was anxious to try that. There is definitely a bit of trial-&-error in that process, as well.
Now that I have finally done a REC & you can see how I play, PLEASE don't kick me out of GMC! I love it here.
Posted by: Pourliver Aug 27 2012, 03:37 AM
Every time I try to record something, I mess up, it's like if I was thinking so hard about it, that I forgot to do it... Kinda strange.
When this happens, I usually unplug my guitar, get outside, change my mind, and then get back and nail it.
Yesterday I was recording something really awesome, and I think that my amp died, the sounds just faded, I could not hear the sound really loud, and it went back right after... Now I can't even record, I don't know if it's my guitar / pickup / amp, and Google didn't help for this, all those 3 piece can break.. I think it's the amp because the effects fade out too, going from Insane ( Metal ) to a pure clean tone...
Posted by: Blister Aug 27 2012, 03:46 AM
When this happens, I usually unplug my guitar, get outside, change my mind, and then get back and nail it.
Yesterday I was recording something really awesome, and I think that my amp died, the sounds just faded, I could not hear the sound really loud, and it went back right after... Now I can't even record, I don't know if it's my guitar / pickup / amp, and Google didn't help for this, all those 3 piece can break.. I think it's the amp because the effects fade out too, going from Insane ( Metal ) to a pure clean tone...
Oh no! So sorry to hear that.
I hope it's a simple fix.
Posted by: MonkeyDAthos Aug 27 2012, 03:59 AM
In my case i start to think so hard that it actually becomes harder
Posted by: DeGroot Aug 27 2012, 08:26 AM
I hear you on that. Its can sometimes be a lengthy and frustrating process to get a good take. I look at it as extra practice.
Congrats on your first REC take!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 27 2012, 08:46 AM
It's tough when you mess up in the beginning but real frustrating getting near the end of the recording & making a mistake. I wish I counted how many takes it took me. A guess would be around 30 (did I just admit that ) If you watch the REC you will see me give a "thumbs up" at the end. Doing multiple takes, this was my way to let me know it was satisfactory. I now wish I would have waited another 2 seconds so it wouldn't show up on the recording.I stopped at my first satisfactory take because I had never sync-ed the audio & video recording before & was anxious to try that. There is definitely a bit of trial-&-error in that process, as well.
Now that I have finally done a REC & you can see how I play, PLEASE don't kick me out of GMC! I love it here.
Well done Gary !
When this happens, I usually unplug my guitar, get outside, change my mind, and then get back and nail it.
Yesterday I was recording something really awesome, and I think that my amp died, the sounds just faded, I could not hear the sound really loud, and it went back right after... Now I can't even record, I don't know if it's my guitar / pickup / amp, and Google didn't help for this, all those 3 piece can break.. I think it's the amp because the effects fade out too, going from Insane ( Metal ) to a pure clean tone...
Oh.. not good ! Is there any tech support at the music shop where you bought it ?
Posted by: Marcus Siepen Aug 27 2012, 12:07 PM
I guess we all suffer from this from time to time. The funny thing with me is, when we play live, normally I am not nervous at all, no matter if it is 1000, 10000 or 100000 people in front of the stage. But when it comes to recording and that stupid little red light lights up... this can make me very nervous I can't even really explain why I am nervous when it comes to recording, of course I want to deliver a good take, but I want to do the same when we are on stage, and as mentioned there I am not nervous at all, the adrenalin rush might play a part here, don't know... But well, what can we do to work against this? One thing is to be prepared as good as possible of course. If you know your parts and you practice them well before entering the studio then there is one point less to worry about. Going to the studio KNOWING that you still have problems with a couple of licks, riff or leads wont really make you play relaxed. Creating a nice atmosphere is another thing. If you feel good you will play better. The most important lesson I had to learn though is that you can't force things. At some point you will just have to accept that it is not your day, and that it is much better to end a session and come back fresh and relaxed on the next morning. This once happened to me during one of the Blind Guardian recordings (can't exactly remember which one). I had to record a song, and it just was not happening at all, for whatever reason. I played several takes, but none was really good and everything was only getting worse. So at some point we started punching in and out, trying to glue together something that was working, so after several hours we had something that we thought would be ok. On the next morning we checked what I recorded the day before and it sounded absolutely horrible! I told our engeneer to delete everything, played the whole thing once and had a great take, end of story
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 27 2012, 01:09 PM
Oh man... Marcus, I totally feel you When there's a note that won't come out no matter what, things become so frustrating... I feel like I want to scream But indeed, it's better to relax and let things happen the next day. If you have the time to do it. When you're on a tight budget in the studio, the pressure is even higher
Before recording, you start thinking: 'Oh man, now what? What if it takes me 4 days to record this? '
Posted by: Marcus Siepen Aug 27 2012, 01:38 PM
Well, we are only humans, and we tend to have bad days from time to time. So what can you do? Of course having such a day in an expensive studio is pretty bad timing, but well, things like this happen.
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 27 2012, 03:25 PM
I just had a bad vocal recording day...
I was maybe a half tone under the track... I don't get it, I recorded the demo and it went great and now that I had to do the take which will be used on the EP, I completely sucked...
Posted by: Marcus Siepen Aug 27 2012, 05:14 PM
The engeneer played a prank on you and pitched your headphone mix
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 27 2012, 05:24 PM
Jesus..yes, that's the exact sensation that I had...
Posted by: vonhotch Aug 28 2012, 03:38 AM
Up until I joined GMC I had not really recorded myself much. And when I started I really had trouble with the recording fever. It's really nice to know that even the very experienced pros have trouble with it. It has gotten better, I have tried some of the other great tips that have been mentioned, one other thing that I have tried is just to record even my warm up takes and when I'm just recording everything it sometimes helps me to forget, or get used to the camera being on by the time I get warmed up and get to the good ones, and then I like to try to do one more like JaxN4 said because I have one good one and all the pressure is off.
Posted by: Todd Simpson Aug 28 2012, 04:21 AM
i was talking about this very thing in last saturdays video chat! It's really important to video and audio record
;yourself playing. Especially when first learning. If your not doing this, GET ON IT!
It's a great way to see/hear what you really are doing. Sometimes you'll be shocked at the difference between
what you hear while playing vs watching yourself play.
Also, you'll be able to see if your physical technique needs a tweak. So any students not shooting video
of themselves, WAKE UP CALL!
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 28 2012, 08:46 AM
Chairs have been broken during a moment of recording frustration ! As a reminder I know have to sit on the same broken chair with a wonky wheel that sometimes comes out and I have to put it back in.... 
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 28 2012, 11:27 AM
Mates Recording is like a mirror - if you did not take a shower, fix your hair, your beard and all that - you won't like what you see in the mirror. But if you have done all this tidily (practiced, in our case) the mirror will show exactly what you look like and you will most probably like it
Think of it like that and you will most surely make progress with your mirror
Posted by: korblitz Aug 28 2012, 01:15 PM
Recording is like a mirror - if you did not take a shower, fix your hair, your beard and all that - you won't like what you see in the mirror. But if you have done all this tidily (practiced, in our case) the mirror will show exactly what you look like and you will most probably like it Think of it like that and you will most surely make progress with your mirror
Excelent analogy, Mr.
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 28 2012, 03:31 PM
@ Marcus - today went A LOT better I finished a song and I still have 3 more to go - one for each day in this week.
Posted by: Ben Higgins Aug 29 2012, 08:22 AM
Recording is like a mirror - if you did not take a shower, fix your hair, your beard and all that - you won't like what you see in the mirror. But if you have done all this tidily (practiced, in our case) the mirror will show exactly what you look like and you will most probably like it Think of it like that and you will most surely make progress with your mirror
Maybe that's why I have trouble recording.. I don't shave regularly enough !!??
Posted by: Cosmin Lupu Aug 29 2012, 08:23 AM
Look at my beard
I would be supposed not to be able to put down a good note in 4 bars
Powered by Invision Power Board (http://www.invisionboard.com)
© Invision Power Services (http://www.invisionpower.com)