Overcoming Recording problems

Uilleann Pipes
1

Does anyone else suffer from this? You have a tune down and can play it through almost perfectly in the comfort of your practice room, or at a session, but as soon as you want to record yourself, whether for self-appraisal, for a youtube vid, or to record for another person who may want to learn the tune, all of a sudden, as soon as you hit the record button, no matter how many times you try, you keep stuffing it up?

There must be something psychological going on. The only thing I can think of is I’m telling myself while I’m recording "ok this is recording; don’t mess it up’ and it ends up gettting in the way of being able to relax into the tune.

2

If you’re sitting down to record something, record everything from the moment you open the box. It’s 2013: you’re not going to run out of tape and you’re not paying for studio time, so it doesn’t matter how many takes you do or whether you get it right the first or the hundredth time.

3

I got over it by recording everything, all the time!

(though my recording is to check for very basic technique stuff, not to give to people)

It’s a real pain in the Áras an Uachtaráin… at first and I don’t listen to any of it really, but now when I want to record something specific it doesn’t really play on my mind anymore. I only record things to listen back to to see how I can improve or if minor variation works or not.

At first I recorded whole 10mins of any old rubbish practice to try to forget about it and then I whittled it down to each set or tune.

I really think the very motion of leaning over to press buttons triggers a feeling of pressure for me, partly because at first it feels like it’s expended energy and if you get it wrong it feels like you’ll just have to start it again! (specially when you have to lean over something that feels cumbersome and I can’t talk there). So just getting used to forgetting about that motion helps I think.

I know I’ve not been playing long and record for different reasons but I hope that helps a little (as boring as it sounds!)

4

I think it’s generally understood that mistakes and problems are always exacerbated by recording.

If you can only play something “almost perfectly” in privacy, it’s not surprising that you’ll make mistakes in front of a mic. Get it down so it’s completely perfect, solid and you can play it through 30 times without any issues at all, and you’ll have a better chance in front of a mic. But also, getting used to the mic is important. So record yourself while you’re practicing the tune through 30 times.

And then listen to it and pick out the best time through and cut the rest out :smiley:

5

Omigod…I thought I was some kind of freak that would make for good material in some chapter of an Oliver Sacks book.

I used to think it was the pressure of studio work –the meter running and everyone’s holding a magnifying glass while I’m the ant in the sun– but even at home, alone in the house, I can’t seem to get over the hinky feeling that comes over me. All sorts of, for lack of a proper term, erratics come into my performance. Bizarre sounds, moves, you name it, that have never been a part of my playing. Ever.

I’m sure it is related to some sort of ancient fight-or-flight response. The brain tries whatever it can to get itself out of this horrible, horrible predicament.

I’m trying to keep a recorder running now in hopes that it helps.

6

Over come your nerves by snorting cocaine.

RORY

7

Or bananas.

8

Yeah, that’s basically what I do, set the record and play away then pick out the best. It just gets frustrating when the more I record the worse it gets. Have to work on the phsychological side of it. I guess that just comes with practice. Nico, is there anyone other than Willie Clancy who can play a tune perfectly? :smiley:

9

this symptom has a name in the professional world. It’s called, “red-light fever.” The recording light goes on, and your playing goes off!

10

Willie Clancy and Seamus Ennis both played in a very extemporaneous manner…



I do get a little stressed out when I am recording (I play off tempo or a little too fast), but it eventually settles down and I relax. I think there’s little part of you that feels forced during recordings.

11

This book may be of some service;

http://www.creedmoorsports.com/shop/3rd_Edition_With_Winning_in_Mind-_by_Lanny_Bassham-C10883.html

12

Thanks Maki, looks interesting. Red-light fever! Is there a vaccination for that in development?

13

The only way to get over it, is to keep doing it. Also, Kenny’s Werner’s book “Effortless Mastery” is brilliant for teaching you how to quiet the critical voices in yer head that are making you produce anomalies.Then again, you may just have anomalies in your playing that the recorder is simply mirroring that need attention!?!

14

on the subject of chemically-enhanced playing I wonder if a ‘chill-pill’ or ‘mother’s little helper’ would help you concentrate (only a hypothetical question, i’m not suggesting it’s something anyone here does)

15

I"m not advocating this overmuch, but it has been clinically shown a little alcohol can aid in learning. LITTLE. So perhaps a pint of the Black might help. I"m not advocating the BBC practice of old of providing limitless champpagne to overcome “red light fever”. In fact, some have said this practice helped undermine Seamus Ennis. . . .at the very least it didn’t help his marriage.

Bob

16

Did he use this technique in most of his recordings (The Best of Irish Piping, The wandering Minstrel etc…)? Just curious,
interesting trivia.


P.S Maybe I’ll try this technique too, and see how it affects my playing before I record though…

17

Thanks for the reference to the book. Yeah, it’s more about quieting the critical voices as I record, even before I listen to the replay. Listening to the replay to hear anomilies is basically why I like to record myself - self appraisal and critical reflection and all that. It’s the frustation of knowing I can do something, but as soon as hit ‘Record’ all of a sudden I just can’t reproduce that something anymore. Stop recording and whaddayaknow?? I can do it again. Like Tommy said, “All sorts of, for lack of a proper term, erratics come into my performance.”

:frustrated:

18

I’ve found the same problem, of course, but I do recall the terror of playing in front of people, I got over that by playing outside in a sort of hidden corner of my front porch while people walked by on the sidewalk. Many ignored me, but a few stopped and listened. Eventually I got over my fears, but focused more on the few that stopped to confirm I was worth listening to.

With the Zoom I am going through the same process, but will step it up, I was just doing a first of the month progress of some select tunes that I work hard on, I think I will turn on the Zoom first thing after strapping in.

I’ve also ordered the DVD of “Effortless Mastery”

19

Thanks for bringing up this book… Wow, very enlightening. I am only about 1/2 way through it but i think it is totally changing how i am approaching learning the UP and trad music. Thanks!

20

I think another way to not freak out over the red light is to own what you do. “Own” is a big one, too. That means you need to be able to play the tune, from A-Z, w/good time, all the way through without stopping. One might be very surprised when put to the test, what happens. Many people struggle with time issues, not to mention technique (even “great” players, dare I say).

I"m not talking about just “technique” used in it’s loose way e.g. G-F-E triplet, Ennis Cran, etc. but, Yes! You need to know how to do whatever you are going to play, flawlessly IF you’re going to play them at all. Then, come what may. You’re not a machine, so slight variations are fine. The other side of that, is when players start sounding so mechanical, but to say that is what is putting you off from nailing things down is akin to saying, “I don’t want to start going to the gym because I don’t want to looked like a ripped, super in shape, incredible athlete!” There’s a pretty good chance THAT won’t happen straight away, at very least!

How do to it flawlessly? To quote a superb technician (piper and teacher) Tim Britton, “There is no reason why you cannot perform a bit of technique/new figure/etc., perfectly, even after learning it for the first time.” He goes on to explain step 1) learn the technique. step 2) play it very SLOWLY & deliberately, w/every note sounding. There it is! You’re playing flawlessly! Over some days and weeks, speed it up, gradually!

However, most people then trash that idea after about…oh… 12 1/2minutes, and go and play whatever, too fast, and never getting it “right.” Then you have a tune balanced on the proverbial house of cards. At some stage, the idea of, “hey let me record myself” arrives. The red light goes on, and you KNOW, on some level that you own very little of what you’re doing, but that “this time” you’ll get it right. The tension comes, weird aberrations and glitches get recorded along with the obvious stuff poorly played (usually time, and rhythm). **Time-being your over all clock, and Rhythm being whatever emphasis, or accents, or “time feel” you’re imposing on the notes.

It takes much discipline to get to where you “own” a tune, or technique. I struggle with that personally (just as I suppose everyone does, to a greater or lesser degree). Through experience I’ve found that if you subscribe to this discipline, you can (immediately so) enjoy the fruits and the juice that this, or any music has to offer!!!