Reshmi Patel • March 22, 2021
How Recording Your Piano Practice Can Enhance Your Playing
Do you often practice your piano and wonder if you are playing correctly? Often those around us cannot answer and sometimes it can even be difficult for growing musicians to be certain if they have truly mastered the area they are working on.
In this article we’ll be exploring the different ways you can feel more confident in your piano practice through recording and listening back to yourself.
The best time to record yourself
- When you are practicing a section of a piece which requires your attention.
- To check if you are leaving a gap in between each bar of your piece or phrase markings.
- When you are unsure if you are emphasising an expression marks such as the dynamics or volume of your piece.
What to do when you are listening back to your recording
Actively listen – with headphones if you are implementing the necessary changes you were working on.
Some examples are:
- To listen back again for other changes, you may need to include as well for example: the rhythm or tempo.
- Note down or save how you implemented this change in a notebook or on a device so you recycle this technique the next time you are stuck on a similar challenge.
- Ask your teacher or mentor for their feedback by sending this to them or showing them in your next lesson.
Passive listening – once you have mastered an area you have been working on try to listen to this in the background whilst you are carrying out another activity.
For example: whilst you are getting ready for work or school in the morning. The section of the brain which is activated when we are learning music is activated both when we are actively and passively listening to music. Over time the musicians who listen to music regularly will pick up rhythms and spot patterns faster using this method.
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