missclarktree
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Post by missclarktree on Oct 5, 2015 12:48:44 GMT
See this empty space where a new recording should be .. . . . . . . . . ? I've got a fairly long tune that I want to record, but I just have visions of getting to the last bar and it all going to pieces. If I managed to get three quarters of the way through, I'd be bound to start thinking about not blowing it in the last quarter, and then it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I've started playing it with the recorder in front of me, but not switched on. That in itself is nerve-wracking enough. How do people manage?
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Oct 5, 2015 13:09:05 GMT
Switch the recorder on... And leave it on. Play the piece as many times as you want to until you have one that you're happy with. Import the (possibly quite) big file into your editing software and cut all the stuff that didn't work until you're left with the version you're happy with. If I'm anything to go by, after 3 or 4 run throughs/false starts you'll forget the recorder is taping everything. (And remember to post the outtakes in Heckler's Corner)
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Post by lavaman on Oct 5, 2015 13:26:40 GMT
Just keep doing it. Eventually, you forget the microphones are front of you. Trouble is the best takes are often the first or second ones when you have more energy.
Or, do what the pros do. Record it a few times and then edit a composite track from all of your takes. (This requires that you keep even time throughout and keep the same distance away from the microphone(s). It also requires some familiarity with DAW software.
Keep persevering, it'll come
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Oct 5, 2015 13:41:50 GMT
missclarktree - How do I overcome recording nerves....? I don't really. I still dislike doing it. Audio is just about tolerable, but video is a nightmare. For audio, I agree with the points re just letting the recorder run while you play the piece several times. If I get desperate I'll edit two or more versions together. Or sometimes if I'm over halfwayish and make a major goof I''ll stop playing, leave the recorder running and start playing agin from afew bars before the the goof - edit later. Some mistakes are tolerable - I'd rather have a piece with feeling, expression and the odd slip (provided that the rhythm stays the same) than a note perfect one that just sounds mechanical. For video I need to get right through the piece in one go as my video editing is rubbish. So the audio that I record concurrently (to be combined with the vid later) needs to be substantially mistake free unless it's the kind of thing I can edit/drop in afterwards. It still all remains fairly stressful though as there could be an unexpected doorbell, phone, dog bark, chainsaw etc noise at any moment. Not that I live in an area particularly prone to chainsaw massacres, but there are quite a lot of trees in the vicinity.... Stick with it Alison - the successful take after 20 duff ones is soooo rewarding! Keith
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missclarktree
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Post by missclarktree on Oct 5, 2015 16:47:57 GMT
Thanks for the advice. I'll try leaving the recorder on all the time and try to get used to it being there. I've just got into a flap about this piece because it's so long. Perhaps it would help to pretend the recorder is like a pet dog that doesn't care if you make a mistake or not.
One thing I do want to avoid is lots of unsuccessful attempts. This happened to me once before, and the piece just seemed to break down. You keep playing until you make a mistake, then instead of addressing the mistake, you just start again and perhaps make a different mistake, then the mistakes just multiply until it all collapses.
Keith -I dread to think how difficult video recording must be. You could have just got the tune rolling along nicely, then suddenly you wonder if your facial expression looks normal, especially if your mind has wandered onto the topic of the relative chainsaw massacre proneness of your area. Having a photo taken is bad enough. I never know what expression to put on. No, I'll think I'll continue to hide behind my profile picture.
Leo - hope you're ready for one 'take' and seventy-five out-takes.
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Post by scorpiodog on Oct 5, 2015 17:17:09 GMT
Don't stop when you make a mistake. Treat it like practice. Play through to the end. That always helps me put the error behind me. It's as easy to edit out a whole piece as it is a part played one.
Maybe you need to stop thinking when you have the recorder on. Think when you edit. Then you have full 20 20 hindsight.
Everybody suffers from red light syndrome. That has nothing to do with districts of a similar name.
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Oct 5, 2015 20:57:57 GMT
Of course, you could always just try and imagine that the microphone is naked...
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Riverman
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Post by Riverman on Oct 5, 2015 21:39:42 GMT
Of course, you could always just try and imagine that the microphone is naked... Or sitting on the toilet (Come to think of it, you actually could sit it on the toilet. Great reverb in tiled bathrooms!) You're welcome...
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Post by scripsit on Oct 5, 2015 22:33:49 GMT
I, too, suffer badly from recording nerves. Video is much worse than audio, because it has to be a single take. But it's all a variation of stage fright, something I never completely overcame in the old days.
I disagree with the 'leave the recorder running until you get a good one' advice because my experience is that after a few runs with some duff patches it becomes harder and harder to concentrate on a good take (because you start anticipating the section where you stuffed up last time).
Instead, I find it helps if you determine beforehand that you are going to leave the recording on for, say, three takes. This sets limits to the stuff-ups you are prepared to make. Then you make sure that you carry out the plan, even if the first or second go seems like a keeper. For audio only, this usually gives you enough material to stitch together a successful tune (hopefully you only need to pull a couple of notes out of an alternative take to fix a tiny clam in a good take rather than big chunks, but whatever ...). Then, with iron discipline, keep it to that number of takes or only cheat by adding in one more for luck. If it doesn't work out that day, do it again the next.
I have a folder with blank 'take sheets' in it, and try to fill one out immediately after a session just like an engineer in a real studio. Writing down what you just did with notes about performance and so on can be quite soothing, and the boring clerical nature of the process helps wind down from the angst you feel if things were not going well.
The other thing that helps is doing it regularly, so that rather than saving up for months until the mega piece is ready and you haven't sat in front of the mics for ages, record every two or three weeks, even with material you've done many times before. Digital audio storage is cheap and it sometimes helps to be able to hear progress on pieces you've been playing for ages.
Recently I've been practising pretend-live-gigging, set up in the sitting room with stage amp and running through short sets of tunes. This has been almost as daunting as actually playing out (can be completely thrown by family members walking in), but I've noticed it makes recording and even video recording a little easier to cope with, because you can have several goes at them.
Kym
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ocarolan
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Post by ocarolan on Oct 5, 2015 23:05:53 GMT
.... If it doesn't work out that day, do it again the next........... Kym Heartily agree! There's no shame in walking away and coming back in a better frame of mind. Keith
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Post by andyhowell on Oct 6, 2015 6:51:45 GMT
Honestly, you just have to do it a lot. Familiarity with the equipment and setting are important. But don't ignore practice. It's a bit like playing live — play something that you know is well within your range!
Also, tiny mistakes that worry you when you record don't seem to matter when you are simply listening in the car or on a home system. Honestly!
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Post by vikingblues on Oct 6, 2015 7:31:13 GMT
I'm in total agreement about video being worse than audio for adding tension. I feel in part due to the difficulties in editing video and the nagging voice at the back of the head saying "don't make a mistake because I can't fix it easily". Not to mention the knowledge that every facial tick and grimace will be seen in it's glory. The result in my case is not a reasonably flowing performance with a few mistakes, but a stilted performance with no expression at all. I hate and detest video recording and have given up on it. At least with audio it's easy, if needs be, to stop playing after a mistake, pick up from a few bars before and then edit easily. But if at all possible several takes of the same piece feels better for the conscience and gives more chance of a consistent musical flow. With the proviso that, for me, after about 5 takes the chances of a better take start to diminish rapidly, especially if there's been a lot of mistakes in previous takes and my teeth clench and muscles tighten. Having said that the longer the piece is the less chance there is of a single good take especially if it's a challenging one. If there's natural breaks / sections to the piece there should be no shame in recording the first block till successful - then picking up the second block on a new track till there's a successful take etc. But it does always feel better for the ego when you know it's a complete single take of the whole thing - Arghhh ... damn that goody two shoes conscience. I very much agree with Kym that regular recording sessions do help to quell the nerves. Making recordings of pieces that you already know well and are comfortable with let you get accustomed to having a recording going on where you can be as relaxed as possible. It does make the recording process a bit less threatening when you can then hear the results of a recording that sounds not at all bad - nice boost to the confidence. I also recommend treating the process in whatever way you can to avoid having to use the part of the brain that requires logical thought - maybe set everything up well in advance, do something else, then play a bit of guitar. Then come back to do a recording when all you have to do is press record. I know with me if I hit a technical problem during the recording and have to solve it I can kiss creativity and musical flow goodbye because the focus is lost and the wrong part of the brain is engaged. Maybe that's one of my particular problems of course! Good luck to you Alison Mark
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Post by creamburmese on Oct 6, 2015 13:57:43 GMT
I turn the recorder on and tell myself I'm not going to keep this one so it doesn't matter...
Also I have Allison's problem - if I get near the end of a good take I start thinking - gosh, I'm going to be able to keep this one - concentration is lost - I screw up. So I"ve started actually proceeding as though there's a repeat - my brain is simple and it believes me that I'm not actually finished !
The other thing I do (because I have no idea how to merge multiple tracks) is if I make a mistake, I just go back a bit to a logical starting place, replay it and continue. I can just about manage then to cut out the snafu...
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missclarktree
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Post by missclarktree on Oct 6, 2015 16:01:14 GMT
It all looks a bit different today, after a night's sleep. I think it's a good idea to limit the number of takes. I'd never do it in three, so maybe five recordings come what may is a good habit to start. The recorder will be sitting naked on the toilet, which is quite an achievement for a dog. Unfortunately whatever I record is going to be right on the edge of my ability, as I wanted to keep a record of my progress while trying to learn flamenco. As soon as a tune is as good as I can get it, (no matter how bad it is) I want to move on. As far as this long tune goes, I've made a couple of changes since yesterday, so now I need to practice it all over again to incorporate these. Just to be able to make changes is an innovation for me. Previously I could never have played anything that wasn't written down. It's like changing a recipe, I wouldn't have had any ideas. Now if I want to make Delia's apple suet pudding and add a few chunks of Blackpool rock, why not? I'm liberated! Also I keep lecturing myself, it's no good being able to play a tune occasionally, under perfect conditions. I want to play reliably and accurately, otherwise I'm not allowed to call myself a guitarist. I'm afraid editing isn't allowed either , under the rules of this guitar academy.
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leoroberts
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Post by leoroberts on Oct 6, 2015 16:51:50 GMT
The recorder will be sitting naked on the toilet, which is quite an achievement for a dog. I think you're getting confused, Alison - that's a retriever...
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