Whether recording yourselves or in the studio, being in the right frame of mind can make or break a record! Luckily there's some simple steps to avoiding some big issues. Here's some issues and how to avoid them:
Red Light Syndrome
Ok this one is a biggie! Red Light Syndrome is the problem of freezing up when the 'red light' (recording) is on, finding even the simplest parts of the song difficult to play.
This arises from over-thinking! If you're falling fowl of it, take 5 minutes, go grab a coffee or just relax, you CAN record this part. If you can see the screen of the computer when recording DO NOT look, seeing the wave form being recorded can be hugely distracting, just focus on the performance!
Singing Issues
In the studio singing is probably the hardest thing to do, harder than any other instrument. This is because it's fundamentally more personal, and more emotional than other instruments. Frame of mind really does affect the performance in a big way!
If you're feeling it's difficult to get the vocal right, try a few simple things:
Sing whilst smiling! No matter what you do, make sure you're smiling. This simple trick can add brightness to your voice, as well as distract you from nerves
Try standing on one leg! Such concentration will distract from worrying, you will literally only be able to focus on singing the lines and balancing!
Variations on step 2 - whatever you can think of to distract yourself sufficiently!
Drummers
Drummers have it hard when recording! They often only have a click, their drums and a guide track to work from, this is hard! They've got to have the intensity of the final track, without actually hearing the final track!
If possible, make the scratch track a live guitar! Put the guitarists in the same room close to the drummer. This will make the situation feel more like a rehearsal than recording, allowing eye contact, and more enjoyment to boot!
There were some simple thoughts to get going. Psychology - it's all in the mind, you just have to learn to relax, or distract yourself and let the performance flow!
What are your thoughts? Is there anything I missed you consider essential? Comment below to let me know!