Mic Fright

I wonder if anybody here can relate or has the same quirk as I do.
 
I write original music-Words and music, which many here do as well.  Most "normal" people get better the more they practice or rehearse something.  Not me.  If I don't capture it in the first 5 takes it starts to fall apart.  I don't write the song first and then record it, like many do.  For me, the DAW is my "canvas".  I work up the ideas, try out the arrangement and then record it right then and there.  Very frequently my lyric are written and recorded literally line by line.  I'll work out a melody, write a lyric for it, then, having the audio track set to "Overwrite" I'll rehearse the line over and over until I feel as if I'm ready to lay it down.  And here's where it gets interesting.  As I said above, I find that once I reach that point where I feel I'm ready to record it permanent I have about 5 takes to get it right because starting on about take 6 or 7 my ability to perform it starts to go downhill.  Then, I start hitting weak and bad notes or off key.  It seems the more familiar I am with the line and how I want it, the worse I sing it.  Most people get better doing this by "polishing up" and refining the melody and performance.  With me it's just the opposite.
 
Another quirk I have.  Sometimes I'll rehearse a line and really be able to sing it great.  Easy.  No problem, so long as I'm rehearsing.  When I hit the "record" button it all falls apart.   Then I'll go back to rehearse mode and it will sound great again and again, but when I hit the damned record button and I know this take is "for the money" I can't nail it for the life of me.  It's like stage fright.  It's some kind of psychological thing, I guess.  Even though I'm in my own studio and on my own time it still happens.  I could never survive a professional studio session.  It would cost me a thousand buck just to get one line right.  I seem to have a problem relaxing when I'm making music.  Even though, as I said, I'm in my own environment and my own free time where there's no hurry, I still I get so tense that singing is very difficult for recording.  Then, I get frustrated and all sorts of "blue smoke" starts to fly.  I wonder if there is anybody here who can relate or could give me some advise to make my vocal sessions go easier.  Oh, don't bother to suggest vocal warm-ups before recording.  Been there-Done that.  Doesn't work for Jack-S**t.
 
Thanks
 
John B

Then I will probably NEVER listen to you sing along with records that you've known (and sang along with) for years.
 
By now they probably sound like the "wrong" song.

I like to sing along full voice to a song I know well before recording.  A real rocker.  Crank it and sing along into your mic. Just wail.  Lets me get it out there, shake off the scary "I'm singing into a mic and this recording is precious" thing.   Then I record the first 3-5 takes of my own song.  seems to help me.

Thanks for all the tips, guys.  I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this struggle.  I have the tutorial series by Alan Parsons called "The Art & Science of Sound Recording".  In the vocal section, Michael McDonald talks of his experiences and even he admits that getting to a point where he feels comfortable recording his voice can take a long and difficult time.  I guess we all have our "quirks".  In my case, being an asthmatic doesn't help.  My voice doesn't have the strength & timbre now that it had just two years ago.  Getting old sucks, especially for a musician.  Thanks again.
 
JB

Old.....not obsolete.....yet

I have a similar 'red light' problem; thing is, I'm not sure whether my playing actually changes when I'm recording, or if it's my perception of my playing (maybe it's a bit of both!)  I do find that it helps to take a break between recording and assessing what I've recorded, like sometimes a couple of days, then I can listen to it with a more open mind, rather than just after I've recorded it and my perception is still 'man I completely fluffed** that' which will colour my opinion.
 
 
** - NOT like a horse

For me, take lanes and comping are a great help for "Red Button Syndrome". I just start recording (section or whole piece) and let it loop. After a few or many loops, things get better for me, very unlike when I use to stop a flubbed recording, delete, and press record again. Doing that like I use to, puts you back at red button square one psychologically on every attempt.

Also I think that knowing that you WILL mess up (as usual), but also knowing it will be inconsequential after comping, decreases the "stress" of attempting a perfect take and leads to better performances overall. I use to get flustered as soon as I messed up, and it would take a while (several notes to several measures or even longer) to recover mentally. Now when I screw up I can keep going, and correctly, much more quickly since I know messing up will be inconsequential in the end.

If you're one of the many people that find their early takes sound the best (but may not be correct the whole way through), it often ends up that you can use one of those takes, only comping in the one or two flubbed parts from another take. Quick and easy!

dwardzala
I might have to try this - I am R-"crap"-Spacebar-CTRL-Z-R guy.  I should just let it go, loop and record takes in lanes.

You're too funny! That's how I was going to originally write it up the sequence, but with a different expletive!

Sounds like my golf game.
 
I agree with John, walk away and do something else for a bit then come back - repeat if necessary.