PRACTICE TIPS #25: Record Yourself

[Brent Hugh <bhugh@GRIFFON.MWSC.EDU>]

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PRACTICE TIPS #25: Record Yourself

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Recording yourself (and then *really* listening to the recording) is one of 

the best ways to improve your musical awareness.  Here are a couple ideas 

for recording and listening:



* At the end of your daily practice, record any pieces you have been 

working on--either the whole piece, or whatever long sections you have been 

working on.  Then listen to the  recordings while reading the score.  As 

you do those over a period of several days, you will notice which areas are 

really improving and which are not.  This tells you two important things:



     1. Which practice methods are effective in making a lot of improvement

     2. Which areas of your piece are simply not improving, and thus need

        more practice or a different kind of practice



* Take a smallish section of a piece (say, a phrase or a period) and record 

it, then listen to the recording.  Make any changes you feel necessary, 

then record again, listen again. Repeat this process several times until 

you have an interpretation of that phrase that you feel completely 

comfortable with.



If you record and listen the first time, and you are totally satisfied 

already, that is a good indication--not that your performance is really of 

the highest caliber--but that you are too easily satisfied.



If you have recently performed in major concert halls to rave reviews, and 

you feel satisfied, then perhaps I will accept your judgement.  But for the 

rest of us, if you feel totally satisfied with your recording it is 

probably only because your critical listening skills and musical 

sensitivity are not where they should be.



Recording and listening--really listening deeply--is one of the best ways 

to improve your musical sensitivity and become a better musician.





NOTE:  I'm sorry it has been so long since an issue of Practice Tips has 

come out.  I did say that Practice Tips would be an "occasion" newsletter, 

didn't I?





Happy Practising!



--Brent





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PRACTICE TIPS is by pianist, teacher, composer, and internet nerd

Brent Hugh.  Brent knows about practicing mostly because he *does*

it, and in fact is toddling off to do some of it just about now . . .



Please remember that this tip is but a small spot near the end of the

elephant's trunk--it's not even close to the whole elephant that is

"how everyone in the whole world should practice the piano".



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+  Missouri Western St College Dept of Music, St. Joseph, MO  +

+         Piano Home Page: http://www.mwsc.edu/~bhugh         +

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