Recording guitar solos in a studio environment.

I was in the studio last weekend to record a demo and had great trouble getting "in the mood" for playing a decent guitar solo.

The studio environment - as cozy as we tried to make it - is still clinical and dry. Nothing to hide behind, no band to react to and no audience to draw inspiration from. I found it VERY hard to get in the mood and felt like I ended up just stammering out a solo with no real flow or feel to it.

I'm a live player to the bone, and I really found it hard to play in that environment, and on cue like that. I never write solos, always just wing it by ear which means I have to "get in the zone" so to speak - and the zone was far far away in that studio. =)

Now I was wondering what other people do. Do you write solos specifically for recording, do you turn off all the light and light some candles or what do you do?

Any tips and advice would be appreciated, cause I can see this being a problem next time too.

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Permalink Reply by Gary Gordon on May 28, 2010 at 6:30pm

Jake,
Sometimes I find that players who play great live do have trouble in the studio. I make sure to encourage them and make sure that the headset mix and level is good. Most importantly, get a killer guitar tone. Whether that's bringing in a different amp, mic or preamp, there are things to be done that can make the studio tone gorgeous. That's important too. Gary

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Permalink Reply by James V. Signorile on June 4, 2010 at 8:09pm

Hi Jake,

I really like the quote in this thread "Record everything. Always. Because, you only have to get it right once and you may stumble onto something you never expected." and it may well be a reason/solution for your frustration. And SO True too!

The one video I have on YouTube that has gotten SO many more listens and kudos than the others was me REHEARSING to play the REAL THING - just me warming up.. .but so I'd feel the same "red button-itis" I turned the recording on before rehearsing it. The rehearsal - that I NEVER intended to use and so was totally relaxed doing, came out pretty well. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIv6xamD3x8 You can even see I'm not paying attention to the fact the recording is on.. I keep looking over at other things in the room and out the window on the side...

But then when the time came to record it FOR REAL - DISASTER!! I could NOT get through the whole song without a major screw-up or even just forgetting how to play some of the more tricky parts, none of which was a problem 5 minutes before when I rehearsed it! So, after umpteen terrible takes, I ended up uploading the REHEARSAL and despite my looking around the room while playing, no one mentioned that and all the reviews were 5 stars and thumbs up! Simply because I was relaxed and played really for ME and not the darn webcam!

I'm that way with a band too - relaxed because I'm playing for US (and I know if I do that, I'll play well, and the audience will like it too, so it's not that I ignore them - I enjoy them! - but I know I'll do better by them if I don't *worry* about trying to please ALL of them (as that's impossible) - which is what I'm doing if I try to please *the* webcam! It can't be pleased, so to forget it's there is what's worked best for me. Basically I have it on most of the time I play, it's become much less of a "big thing" for it to be there for a real recording and I really CAN forget it's there and play as if I'm rehearsing or with my band!

Jim S