6 Ways To Deal With Studio Anxiety

1. Record Yourself When Practicing

Before heading into the studio, you want to be very well-rehearsed. Spend time practicing your parts and record everything you play. This is a great habit that trains your brain for flawless performance after the recording button gets pressed. You can use an inexpensive audio recorder, record on your computer’s DAW, or simply use your cell phone. Plus, this can help you learn the song in “chunks” so you can punch in seamlessly if you make a mistake.

When recording your practice sessions, make sure to spend time listening back and critiquing what you played or sang. This will show you exactly what you sound like and you will quickly learn where you need to spend more time rehearsing.

Typically, most of us don’t like to hear our own voices or our own playing. An exercise like this will help you develop more confidence in the way you sound and become less critical of your performance.

2. Prepare Yourself

Being in the right headspace before recording or performing is important for all musicians and vocalists. All of your riffs, lyrics, and writing needs to be squared away before you get to the studio. You don’t need to spend your precious studio time trying to finish the composition of a half-written tune. Instead, have a game plan and set attainable goals for each session. Know what songs you want to work on and prioritize your goals to make the most of your time.

Know Your Equipment & Bring What You Need

If you’ve been practicing in anticipation of your recording session, make sure to bring instruments and gear that you are familiar with. It’s likely that you’ll experiment with new instruments and gear that’s readily available in the studio, but it’s a good idea to bring your own guitar, horn, keyboard, amplifier, etc. as a backup plan.

Additionally, having your own equipment like straps, picks, and strings will help you to become self-sufficient as a musician. This can help you stay comfortable, appear more professional, and stay calm when you need to make adjustments to your tone and playing style.

*Note: make sure to check that all of your equipment is working properly prior to arriving at the studio.

4. Work With Likeminded People

It’s important that you work with other people that you feel comfortable being around. This is key because you need to be able to successfully communicate your ideas with them. If you’re uncomfortable asking for more volume in the headphones or if you’re afraid to speak up about a creative idea, you will probably have a frustrating experience in the studio.

By working with like-minded musicians, bandmates, and producers, it’s much easier to get into the creative flow. Support, collaboration, and awesome ideas happen when you have the right chemistry between a group of people. Without good chemistry, the recording process can turn into an energy-draining day that leaves you feeling defeated. To keep that from happening, work with people that you respect and enjoy making music with.

5. Limit Your Recording Takes

It’s a good idea to set boundaries for how many times you will re-record a take so you don’t waste time and creativity. In the strive for perfection, it’s easy to record one part over twenty times until it’s flawlessly nailed. If you stick to this process things can become too hyperfocused and obsessive, causing you to lose focus of the bigger picture of completing the song.

It’s more efficient to record with a sense of urgency. Try recording a few takes to your best ability. If one or two of them sound great or “good enough” then move on to the next part of the song. This keeps the creative process moving along and keeps your focus on the sounds you are capturing (as opposed to rehearsing).

Additionally, limiting your takes will help streamline your editing process. For example, it’s quicker and easier to comp together 2-3 great vocal tracks than spending time piecing together the best parts from a dozen different takes. Ironically, you open up the opportunity for more creativity to happen when you limit your recording takes and reduce the chance of getting artistic tunnel vision.

6. Record In a Variety of Different Studios

It’s likely that you will record in a variety of different studios over time as you pursue a musical career. Many of us are most comfortable in our home studio, but modern equipment gives us the flexibility to bring our gear to different locations.

Get used to recording in new surroundings. Unfamiliar recording environments help you focus on the recording process rather than the associated pressures. Plus, the whole process becomes easier through more gained experience.