Recording yourself is an interesting experience. You’re basically playing two separate roles at the same time: artist and technician. I often find it difficult to switch between the two, which can be a little problematic.
When I’m recording someone else, I get into that mode and find it rather smooth sailing. Similarly, when someone is recording me, I just focus on my playing and performing. However, jumping between the artist and the technician roles us something I find difficult and I’m learning to try and merge the two so I can be better at recording myself.
I guess the two roles are opposing kinds of brain activity or something. I really have a lot of admiration for artists who can just do everything needed to record an album all by themselves. It’s certainly hard enough to be capable of doing one of the roles involved in the recording and creation of an album.