• Pianist Zone

  • Recording yourself and listening back--the challenges

I don't often record myself and listen to the recording as I'm learning a piece (separate from recording a finished piece). I find it both demoralizing and time-consuming. I know I should record, I really should. Shouldn't I?

These types of recordings are of a work in progress, not a finsished product, and we've grown accustomed to having everything sound perfect. That certainly can contribute to the ego bruising, but the majority is from hearing all the flaws in one's playing. Then there's the time aspect. Recording and listening back has a cost in time.

For those who regularly record while learning a piece, how big of a chunk do you usually record? Or even if you don't regularly record, what amount do you recommend? I'd ask for recommendations on the ego bruising part, but there may be no help for that.

    To be most useful, it should be a short snippet that you throw away after listening. So no pressure!

    I went to a lot of trouble years ago to come up with a way to easily record a snippet of piano. Basically a Boss loop pedal and a mic under the piano and a little amp and speaker. So all I have to do is tap the pedal to start recording and again to stop it and playback. Couldn't be easier. This is a throwaway audio recording, since I have no way to save it - and wouldn't want to, since that is not the purpose. It is just to record a snippet, immediately play it back, and critique.

    It is still sitting there under the piano. I go through periods of using it, then lose interest, since the recording tells me what I already know by listening critically as I play. But I do have years of experience listening. It was more useful years ago. I still keep it around and use it now and then.

    Of course if you are a digital guy there is probably an easy way by just pushing a button. Or come up with an easy way to do it with a phone.

      If you have a MIDI controller, then Pianoteq is the way to go, as it's extremely easy to quickly press record and replay.

        Sam, thanks. I can listen and hear most of my faults--I think there was a thread a while back about someone feeling their playing was getting worse, but it was more likely that the person was now able to listen and hear things that they couldn't before. It wasn't me saying that, but it could have been, lol.

        If I record, it will be on my phone. The phone probably won't be good for listening for tone, but rhythm issues, yes. One thing I have to be ever vigilant about is "bending" the count without really realizing that I'm doing it, so a recording would help with that.

          HeartKeys Nope. Acoustic only now. Back when I started I had a digital and used the record function on occasion.

            Sam To be most useful, it should be a short snippet that you throw away after listening.

            Why only a short snippet? I certainly think one should record the entire piece at one point if one wants to record one's playing.

            • Sam replied to this.

                pianoloverus Well, this is before you advance to recording the whole thing. You know, trying to work out that 17 against 5 or smooth out those arpeggios or working out 2 note slurs. The kind of stuff where a teacher stops you every four measures to tell you how bad that was...

                  Stub I record a snapshot of my progress for my journal using an iPad (poor audio quality, but it's good enough for its purpose), usually at the beginning or end of a practice session, and I find it a really good exercise because I inevitably hear things that I want to do differently when I listen back. I try to record an entire piece, or a movement, or just a few pages if that's what I've been working on.

                  You could start a practice journal if you wanted! I probably wouldn't record at all if I didn't have one.

                    HeartKeys If you have a MIDI controller, then Pianoteq is the way to go, as it's extremely easy to quickly press record and replay.

                    In fact, Pianoteq records everything automatically. It also breaks the recording to smaller individual MIDI files by detecting silence. This makes playback much easier. Wait 5 seconds, play a snippet you want to listen to, then go to the Recent Played list and it will be at the top and ready be loaded for play back. I even programmed a dedicated button on my Stream Deck to automatically load the last played snippet and play it with a single press.

                      Stub I can listen and hear most of my faults

                      I always think that too, but then when I do record and listen to myself, I hear things I hadn't noticed. Sometimes (not often enough!) I also find that it sounds better than I thought.

                      Still, I get where you're coming from @Stub , it's a hassle to record, manage the recordings, listen to them.... I don't do it nearly as often as I should.

                        Pianoteq is a good way to track your progress. The MIDI file allows you to see your key presses and foot pedal use.

                        When I need to record something quick for reference, I'd use the Voice Memo on my phone. Once I was playing a short piece in a piano store. I wanted to know if the tempo is workable. Did a quick recording on my phone. The DP at home has a record button on top. I use it for quick playback to hear if a phrase sounded ok without wrong notes & hesitation.

                        When I get into spots with tricky fingerings, I'd take out a tripod and record a video demo with a phone or camera for future reference.