Sound Box Anxiety

Irish Flute
1

To all who have had lots of in-studio experience, I need some quick
advice-

Today was my first time in a real recording studio (doing a demo for
a flute player/member of this forum) and I really cratered. It seemed like no matter
what I did, I just COULD NOT PLAY! I mean, I couldn’t hold a simple
beat! Now, I’m going back in tomorrow to re-work the tracks and
polish some things, but here is the problem: when I go to record
and the tape gets rolling, I am nervous as hell and I “freeze up”!
This never has happened at a sesh or a gig, but for some reason, in
the studio I completely psyched out. I sit there scrutinizing and
thinking about what I play, rather than just playing.

After the recording session was over today I asked the studio
manager for advice, and he said that the best thing is patience and
perseverence, that, like anything else, over time I would get more
comfortable, and studio play would be like playing anywhere else.
Fair enough. The problem is, tomorrow is the last day for
recording, so I don’t have much time left for getting comfortable
via experience. Do any of you who have lots of experience in the
studio have some quick “mind trick” advice to help me loosen up? I
feel like if I could just lose the nerves and tense-feeling, that I
would be fine.

Grazi!

-R-

2

I don’t have any recording experience, so this is speculation.-Perhaps if the specific recording time were kept from you, and you played the music several times over. Only the engineer will know for sure when tape is rolling. -Perhaps a complete lie from the engineer like “We need to establish recording levels for when you do a take.” or some such polite fiction to take the pressure off.
-I saw an account of something similar when Ry Cooder did session work for Rolling Stones on “Let It Bleed”. He arrived at studio, met the Stones and was shown the music, and was given just a few minutes “practice” to dope out how he’d play it for real. Unknown to him, his first foray with it was recorded, and he was told soon afterward. It was used on the album.

“Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.”
-B.

[ This Message was edited by: brianormond on 2003-02-16 01:28 ]

3

Don’t know any magic trick.
Just do it, stay aware,
stay in touch with your
breath. Sometimes we
have to just go in
and do something. It’s
another day and it may
be very different from
today. Maybe you did
today what you need to do
to relax tomorrow.

Suggest you forget about it.
Good luck and courage!