Live Playing vs Studio Playing

agreatheight · #1 11-11-2009, 03:01 PM

I have been noticing that as my studio work increases, my recorded playing is becoming increasingly focused. I am an aggressive and dynamic player live, but when recording I really watch my volume (playing quieter), consistency of attack (staying as even as possible before / without compression), muting (clean as possible), and timing (as tight to the drums / click as possible - I tend to play behind the beat live).

I always thought that I would play in the studio very much the same as I do live, so this is coming as very much of a surprise, lol. Do other players here find this as well?

Implosion · #2 11-11-2009, 11:48 PM

The volume of my playing increases in the following way: studio < band rehearsal < live gig. The music just grabs me and I play more aggressively with out even trying to.

MarkTAW · #3 11-12-2009, 12:32 AM

I'm the same way. I do what the situation calls for. I just played a gig with a drummer I never met before & where I was backing a singer/songwriter. So I played a simple, fairly steady pulse just to keep things together. Totally different than if it was an electric show with a drummer I knew.

Fendr1320 · #4 11-12-2009, 08:13 AM

My inclination would be to tone it down in the studio, but the last time we recorded we had a really good producer who made us forget about the minutiae and just jam...which was sort of uncomfortable for a group of musicians who all had formal training of some sort, but in the process he got way better performances out of us. I'm usually really self-conscious about attack level and precision, but when we just went for it, the takes sounded much more aggressive and lively, and the detail stuff was inaudible to anyone but us, and even then it actually sounded better overall than the more "sterile" takes. So I'm learning to bring more of a live feel into my studio experiences. This might not be something that works for everyone. I could definitely see musical style dictate how much of that is appropriate.

nsmar4211 · #5 11-13-2009, 09:03 PM

When recording I have to watch my levels (home computer) so I've learned to lighten my touch a bit. I also realized I had developed a habit of tapping the back beat (2 and 4) on a bunch of songs. Works fine live but when recording the click is annoying

. Had to retrain myself not to do it.

Recording defintely makes you a more aware of what you're doing player!

JimmyM · #6 11-13-2009, 09:54 PM

I tend to play the same whether I'm recording or playing live. Didn't used to at first, but some technique work made it to where I pretty much play the same way now. Doesn't mean you can't play with reckless abandon, either. Just means I clink the frets a lot less and don't hit notes I don't intend to play. Usually.

Greevus · #7 11-13-2009, 11:03 PM

Studio for me is like "Game Day" versus practice. It's under the gun playing under the microscope. Focus def kicks up a LOT. Live is so hard to have consistent conditions, but studio is very much the opposite. I agree that the "focus" makes you better. I always liken it to sports. You try and play the way you practice, but game day is always more intense. Once you get seasoned and old and cynical enough, you try and remain as constant as you can in both. Your take is right on to me. I remember going into studios the first few times and thinking "the energy is great but man my playing SUCKS". It was a real wake up call to technique in a huge way.

JimmyM · #8 11-13-2009, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greevus

Studio for me is like "Game Day" versus practice. It's under the gun playing under the microscope. Focus def kicks up a LOT. Live is so hard to have consistent conditions, but studio is very much the opposite. I agree that the "focus" makes you better. I always liken it to sports. You try and play the way you practice, but game day is always more intense. Once you get seasoned and old and cynical enough, you try and remain as constant as you can in both.

Excellent analogy. I'm definitely old and cynical enough. As for my seasoning, I have noticed a couple new odd smells coming from me.

But it's very much like that. Just like on game day in sports, you want to bring your A game and step it up a notch. But you don't want to go too far over the line either way. If you step it up too much, you lose control of what you're doing and things go wild, and if you don't step it up enough, you become boring and safe. Developing consistency in your playing is key to overcoming it. Might even keep you from injuring yourself, too.

WalterBush · #9 11-14-2009, 12:55 AM

I tend to stretch out and play a bit more live than in the studio; things that sound over-the-top on a recording just seem to work better live sometimes, like there's a different energy there.

I guess I'm a bit more technique-councious in the studio, and a bit more adventurous live. After all, if something doesn't work out at a gig, it's over quick, few people notice or remember by the end of the night, and all I have to do is not do it again the next night. In the studio, having to re-record something I overplayed, or that just doesn't fit the song, takes up valuable time, so I play a bit safer.

If I could bring those two aspects of my playing in line a bit better, I suppose I'd get a lot more work.