The technical and psychological difficulties of recording

(If you never make mistakes, then this article is not for you)

I must admit, I never feel confident about my technique, I guess my interpretations are a bit "on nerve". Although I practice the pieces, I will do a few mistakes even in the shortest piece. Playing live at a concert have it's flow, a few small mistakes are acceptable. Recording in a studio setting means, that even small inaccuracies are out. For the very same reasons, I found it impossible to record in a real studio. So I invested in a small home "studio", here's my setup:

Rode Nt1-A condensor microphone, Steinberg UR22-MKII audio interface, Macbook pro and Audition CC (for mixing&mastering as well).

Now I have at home, in my own world and sanctuary, the possibility to just press REC, sit down and play. It sounds great, right? It's true, that you don't have stage fright, you feel safe and snug. On the other hand, making a recording is equal to be measured. It is your moment to show how would You interpret that piece. That's pretty stressful. I can't just hit Record and "forget" about it.

So now we come to the fusion of technical and psychological coping.

If you make a smallest buzz or flaw - that recording is improper and unacceptable.

Sadly this is a self-strenghtening process. As you cancel your first and second recording,

you are starting to focus on not to make any mistake. Now, this has barely has to do anything with music. As you proceed and get to 50 takes of one piece, you're becoming angry and frustrated. You start to hate the piece, along with yourself, as an incompetent and miserable player.

Be careful, these emotions will be hearable (just as your struggle if you try to play when ill), and can probably ruin the whole project. So, my advice is, if such a situation happens, take a break immediately, go out for a walk, refresh! Don't think about music. If you don't have an understanding (the more i play the better I get at it) or feel negative emotions toward the piece, then swap it to another.

Summary:

Do not record if you're not ready with the piece, because it will be a waste of your time and nerves. Don't be in illusions. You know from the beginning, that one piece can take a few hours and between 30-50 takes. Be ready for that and be patient. Try to avoid negativity.

If you have serious focusing problems, I recommend Brahmi. “Brahmi” has been used to describe two distinct Ayurvedic herbs: Centella asiatica and Bacopa monnieri. Both are supporting focus and concentration for a whole day.

For concerts I recommend Louisa (Lemon Verbena) tea because of it's calming effects. Do not try tranquilizers, they are ineffective.

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#home_recording #home_studio #guitar