Self-Recording in Practice
Tags: Assessment, how to practice music, Learning, music performance, music practice, musical perception, problem-solving, self-evaluation, Self-recording
“There is nothing more fatal for our musical sense, than to allow ourselves – by the hour – to hear musical sounds without really listening to them”
-Tobias Matthay (The Musician’s Way , p. 16)
Imagine that you’re watching an artist paint in her studio: She spreads color on canvas, backs up to appraise her work, and then returns to her easel.
Sometimes she brushes briefly and assesses quickly; other times she paints at length before pausing to reflect.
Correspondingly, when we musicians practice, we proceed through cycles of execution, evaluation, and revision.
But there’s a big difference between our medium and that of visual artists because music exists in time, not space.
After we play or sing a phrase, it’s gone, except for our memory of it.
So, as we practice a passage, if we accurately perceive our execution and if our memory is keen, we can size up our work and respond fittingly.
But, of course, we’re human, and our perceptions and memories are fallible.
If a challenging phrase taxes our capacities, we might not hear every aspect of our sound. Our timing or intonation could drift, let’s say, and we might not catch it.
Self-recording and Self-perception
Self-recording in practice provides us with the means to compensate for glitches in our self-perception and memory.
It enables us to capture the music we create, and then, like painters, stand back and gauge our execution from any angle.
In Chapter 1 of The Musician’s Way, I describe the main benefits of self-recording.
In this post, I consider specific audio recorders and how we can use them (I’ll touch on video recording in a future post).
Self-recording Gear
Among the many portable digital recorders on the market, for self-recording in practice, I’m partial to the units manufactured by Zoom (the model H2n is pictured above).
These devices are relatively pocket-sized, come with excellent built-in mics, and allow for easy data storage and handling.
You can read about their features and compare prices via links on MusiciansWay.com.
Using a Recorder
Such recorders can enhance our musicianship in countless ways.
In solo or ensemble practice, for instance, we can record a passage and then immediately listen back: if our execution was on target, we could repeat the passage to reinforce excellence; if quality was lacking, we’d solve problems right then.
Similarly, in preparation for a concert, we might record and evaluate a practice performance; ensemble members might even share such recordings via an online workspace.
Self-recording, therefore, has become integral to our creative process.
In my own practice, I always have a recorder at my side. As an educator, I ask my students to record portions of their practice sessions and lessons.
How has self-recording enhanced your musical growth? I invite you to share your experiences here.
© 2009 Gerald Klickstein
Updated Nov. 2011
Dennis Aberle said:
Sep 12, 09 at 07:24Self-recording has helped me in all the ways that you mentioned and in one that you haven’t mentioned. I don’t have easy access to a master teacher and must rely on my self-recordings and my ears to discover problems that I may be having with certain passages in a piece. When I listen to myself, I can then take notes about the problem areas, and determine exactly how to trouble-shoot to solve the issue. Often times, for example, I think I am playing a piece with a lot of dynamic variety and come to discover that there are very little audible dynamic changes. I’m getting ready to buy the Zoom Q3 video recorder so that I can watch my body posture, facial expressions, reactions to small mistakes, and overall public presentation.
Thanks for this wonderful resource, Jerry.
Gerald Klickstein said:
Sep 12, 09 at 08:54Thanks for the informative comment, Dennis, and for the flattering words – much appreciated. For those of you who haven’t heard about the Zoom Q3, info is available via the above link to the part of MusiciansWay.com that features portable digital recorders. The Q3 debuted this month – Sept. 09. It records high-quality audio using the same mics and technology as the Zoom H4n audio recorder and can capture standard-quality video (not hi-def). It’s compact and sells for about $250; it also has an audio-only mode. I haven’t yet seen one, so, Dennis, if you pick one up, please let us know how it works for you – the Q3 is so new that there are few reviews available right now.
Practicing Performance - Guitar Noise said:
Nov 13, 09 at 20:59[...] To make your practice performances optimally concert-like, enlist concert protocol: enter to applause, perform complete compositions, and have listeners applaud afterward. In addition, use a recorder so that you can review your work later (information about personal recorders is posted on my blog). [...]
Practicing Performance « Guitar Emporium Online said:
Dec 03, 09 at 22:49[...] To make your practice performances optimally concert-like, enlist concert protocol: enter to applause, perform complete compositions, and have listeners applaud afterward. In addition, use a recorder so that you can review your work later (information about personal recorders is posted on my blog). [...]
Brenda said:
Apr 12, 11 at 00:40Trying to find compact recorder to evaluate my church’s singing group; I play piano with them. There are about 8 singers and we practice in a small room, singers seated in semi-circle to side and back of piano bench. I haven’t read all your articles on self-recording but the two I did read seem to be geared to soloists. Their concern is that all voices won’t be picked up equally unless we use individual mics. I’m looking for cost-effective and portable equipment. Thanks for any advice.
Gerald Klickstein said:
Apr 12, 11 at 09:02Hi Brenda. Either the Zoom H2 or H4n should do nicely for your group.
On the Practice page at MusiciansWay.com, you’ll find links to the manufacturer’s website for both devices where you can see the polar pattern for these two units and read about their features (these devices are designed for both groups and soloists): http://www.musiciansway.com/practice.shtml
The H2 will more than suffice for self-study recording. If you want to post recordings on a website or make CDs, then you’d probably want to opt for the superior mics and features on the H4n.