First, thank you @SharonC for inspiring this post! I really enjoyed your out-take video, and please, this is not meant as a commentary on your video in any way! I am sitting here smiling and remembering having many, many, many of the same experiences myself when recording.

That rarely happens for me now, but my approach has changed a lot and rarely do I find it stressful any more. And I wanted to share the things I have found and done that have made recording a fun process vs a stressful one. And I also hope to hear others stories and experiences on this.

The first thing to know is that recording is a skill and must be cultivated over time as well. While gear such as camera and mics do matter to getting a good video or audio recording, experience matters too. The point of this post is not to go in to detail on the technical end of things, just be aware that it can take time to develop that skill as well so be gentle with yourself and enjoy the learning process.

The second thing is that it can just take time to get more comfortable recording. 

And now: The Three Take Rule.

In any 'session' I limit myself to 3 takes. That is 3 full takes/performances in a row. I hit record, don't hit stop, and play the piece 3 times. 

The only time I will stop before the 3rd play though is done is if I completely bomb out. I accept it, and then go practice the part I am having trouble with. But that is only if I completely bomb and it's obvious that I am not ready for the part. A missed note, or other recoverable error, I just keep right on going.

I have found the 3 takes no stopping to be really helpful. Sometimes on the first play there is a bit too much of that nervous energy, but usually the 2nd play I have just settled in and I am just playing the song, not thinking about the performance, any of the recording mechanics whatever they may be.

And after the 3, I review them and choose the one I like the best. If I do not like any, or each one has a mistake in I don't like, I set it aside and come back later after getting in to the right head and heart space, more practice, or working out the feel I want, whatever it is. The point is, to just walk away and come back later.

This approach works really well for me, and also has an added benefit. I sometimes use it to test if a piece is 'performance ready'  If I don't get 3 in a session that I am happy with (or at least find acceptable) I know I do not have it 'performance ready'.

If only I could do that with an audience.... please everyone, just remember the best one. Feel free to delete the rest.

What are your tips and solutions for dealing with recording anxiety?