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[arty]

For the last month, I have been learning 'The Sweetness of Mary', a lovely stathspey. I have got to the point where I can play it through confidently and wanted to record it yesterday for the theme of the month, tunes with someone's name in the name.
I set up the camera, switched it on and started to play. I got a few bars in and cocked it up. Started again, got all the way through once and, feeling confident, went for the second time through. Cocked it up. This went on for nearly an hour. In the end, I wanted to throw the camera and the box in the bin. I went out for lunch instead. Ha ha!

[malcolmbebb]

I've never heard of anybody here, myself included, having even faintly similar problems. 

[robotmay]

I find the best recordings I've made have been early in the morning when I first pick the box up, before I have time to think about it! I often just start recording and leave it going for an hour while I play, and often I forget it's there and end up not cocking everything up

[MikeK]

Arty, you're not the only one. I have put a couple of tunes together and IMO, play them reasonably well. The problem starts when I switch on my VR to record them for a friend to listen and advise on my performance. I get through the 1st tune ok and B@@@@ up the second one or vice versa. Grrrrrh

[Thrupenny Bit]

arty, we must be brothers separated at birth. Happens to me all the time, which is why I seldom post any vids or Soundcloud.
The other week I managed to get through a tune set, played it back and was so upset at what I heard I went and sulked for a day. Made me stop and consider my playing, which after the initial surprise has been quite beneficial. In fact very beneficial......
But no, you aren't the only one!
Q

[arty]

I've never heard of anybody here, myself included, having even faintly similar problems. 

I knew I was the only one! 

I find the best recordings I've made have been early in the morning when I first pick the box up, before I have time to think about it! I often just start recording and leave it going for an hour while I play, and often I forget it's there and end up not cocking everything up

I think I would be the same, early morning I mean. But, unfortunately I live in a small flat on the side of someone's house. I practice every evening as quietly as I possibly can and save any recordings that I want to do for Sunday mornings when my neighbours go to Church. If I don't get it right, it gives me another week to practice before the opportunity to play at full volume again. That's probably a good thing!

[DavidH]

This happens to me too - I suspect it may be universal. I've done an lot of recording of myself playing various instruments (not so much of the melodeon because of time constraints in the last couple of years) and I've often thought about it. I think there are a few factors at work:

Firstly, recording (and performing) is stressful if you aren't used to it. The desire to get the performance exactly right all in one go is distracting, and the performance can suffers. Then, if it doesn't work after a few tries, frustration sets in and it gets even more difficult! When I finally get a tune right all the way through, I'm usually so relieved I mess up the next one... thank heavens for modern recording technology that lets me punch-in halfway through a set...

Secondly, I think I sometimes have a selective memory of my performances. When I'm playing to myself, there is no consequence to fumbling a few notes or stopping and backing up - so I only remember the parts of the tune I play smoothly. When recording, every fumble and stop sticks out painfully - and typically means stopping and recording the whole tune again.

Lastly, recordings tend to magnify small mistakes and fumbles, changes in speed, extraneous noises, missed repeats etc that otherwise might not be noticed at all while playing. Combined with the fact that recordings almost invariably sound quite different to the acoustic sound of the instrument from the perspective of the player, and it can all add up to disappointment when listening back!

On the other hand, for all these reasons I find recording to be extremely effective at improving my playing, because it encourages me to learn to play cleanly and smoothly, and highlights all sorts of defects that are hard to detect when playing to myself - especially when I have few opportunities to perform to other people.

[Chris Brimley]

Why not just edit out the cock-ups?  Nobody will notice, or mind.

[Mike Carney]

For the last month, I have been learning 'The Sweetness of Mary', a lovely stathspey. I have got to the point where I can play it through confidently and wanted to record it yesterday for the theme of the month, tunes with someone's name in the name.
I set up the camera, switched it on and started to play. I got a few bars in and cocked it up. Started again, got all the way through once and, feeling confident, went for the second time through. Cocked it up. This went on for nearly an hour. In the end, I wanted to throw the camera and the box in the bin. I went out for lunch instead. Ha ha!

Don't bin the take that was ok once through. If it is good, use it and start a slow fade from the beginning of the second time through. There is no shame in a once through version, as advised by Clive and co. on here. We can all identify with your battle!
Mike

[AirTime]

Firstly, recording (and performing) is stressful if you aren't used to it. The desire to get the performance exactly right all in one go is distracting, and the performance can suffers. Then, if it doesn't work after a few tries, frustration sets in and it gets even more difficult! When I finally get a tune right all the way through, I'm usually so relieved I mess up the next one... thank heavens for modern recording technology that lets me punch-in halfway through a set...

Secondly, I think I sometimes have a selective memory of my performances. When I'm playing to myself, there is no consequence to fumbling a few notes or stopping and backing up - so I only remember the parts of the tune I play smoothly. When recording, every fumble and stop sticks out painfully - and typically means stopping and recording the whole tune again.

Lastly, recordings tend to magnify small mistakes and fumbles, changes in speed, extraneous noises, missed repeats etc that otherwise might not be noticed at all while playing. Combined with the fact that recordings almost invariably sound quite different to the acoustic sound of the instrument from the perspective of the player, and it can all add up to disappointment when listening back!

All these points are right on the money!  It's why I hate making recordings - it takes the relaxed, intimate, pleasurable experience of playing, & turns it into a frustrating, nail-biting exercise in humiliation & despair. However, if it's any comfort, David, I'm pretty sure everyone (except the most experienced players) experiences a similar thing. I have reached the point with a handful of tunes where I can play "spontaneously" without any major cock-ups, but it has taken many, many hours of repetition to get there. 

[Roger Howard]

My quality control threshold is set notoriously low.  Still, I practice something, then press record and I know for sure that the first thing that will happen is that I will completely forget how the thing starts.  Every time. 

I know just how you all feel - I've got it really bad. Hence, no recordings. The worst thing is that if I do remember how something goes, the further I get through it, the more nervous I get that I'm about to go wrong. So, of course, I do.

Roger.

[arty]

It's nice to know that it happens to others. But I think it's important to be positive and think it will be ok next time. Yes, it is very annoying when it happens but I do have an ability to laugh at myself and carry on practicing. It'll be fine in the end 

[Thrupenny Bit]

Something arty said about having a specific time window reminds me.......
I try and record when everyone's out, therefore it pressures you to get it right at that moment with inevitable results 
When the family returns and I've forgotten about recording and just decide to play, it is always a lot better. Obviously a relaxation element, but I find it frustrating.
Perhaps I need to keep trying, and sort if de-sensitise myself. I think personal critique is a very useful tool to have and need to use it.
Q

[Lester]

Worse case for me is playing for morris, you play the tune through for the first three figures then on coming back from the chorus for the fourth figure the tune is just gone, it matters not that you have just played it flawlessly three times it's just not there anymore.

[george garside]

I find  that I am far more tense   when trying to record  something than  when playing live be it in a session, in front of an audience or    in a band. As a result cockups  inevitably occur!

I think its probably something to do with knowing that  you  have to start again  if you make  a slight cock up in a recording whereas the opposite applies if playing 'live' in that you have no choice but to crash on and hope for the best!

george

[Matt (Kings Norton)]

I know not everyone feels the same way but I'd rather hear you all play and make mistakes than never hear you play at all.

[Anahata]

you  have to start again  if you make  a slight cock up in a recording whereas the opposite applies if playing 'live'

Recording isn't really like that though, and hasn't been for decades. If you make a mistake, backtrack a bit and repeat.
When you've finished, cut and join. It was hard and messy (but not impossible and routinely done) in the bad old days of tape, but with digital recording it's like falling off a log. And can all be done with free software.

It's a little harder to get away with it on video, but that's possible too. I have edited out small glitches in a sound track recorded separately from (but simultaneously with) video and nobody's complained yet that the sound didn't match the picture for a couple of notes.

( Oops - trade secrets revealed  )

I know not everyone feels the same way but I'd rather hear you all play and make mistakes than never hear you play at all.

Well yes, that's a good point too. And if you can keep going (as in a live performance), the mistakes won't matter. Despite the above remarks about editing, I sometimes listen to wrong notes and think - no, I can't be bothered to fix it and it really doesn't matter.

[Suppards]

I have the same problem and, so far, have failed to record a mistake-free rendition of anything.  .  Is it just me or does editing out mistakes seem like cheating? 

Doubtless nerves and concentration account for "Melodeon Face". No wonder there are so many headless players on videos!   

[malcolmbebb]

It's not about hiding melodeon face. It is purely so that watchers can concentrate on the box playing. Honest. 

[Anahata]

Is it just me or does editing out mistakes seem like cheating? 

The knowledge that it can be done may help you to be less nervous, so actually play better.
Just practising with the camera on all the time might help in that respect too.
And listen to the results you can learn a lot by doing that.