Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum One month until the 29th ABF Recital!

That's great! Keep it simple and slow at first. Brain has to get used to the idea. Unfortunately Aebersolds are too fast.

That can't be it, end of the world was december last year ?

Wow. I promised myself I would participate this year and boy did this sneak up! None of my bigger pieces are ready, so I will do a smaller piece I started a week or two ago. I hope it's ready in time!

I've got nothing and honestly don't expect to have anything . The piano sounds awful and there's just been so much stress around here lately I don't see anything coming together. Maybe next time...

After a short stop (forced), I'm back!
I did a warm-up with some older pieces and I felt so good that I took the positive wave and I did a (decent) recording of my piece to participate in the next recital.
Count me in!

PS: My flu has gone, too!

My appointment with the red dot has been booked for this Wednesday at 10:00am. Scrambling now to get this sucker up to recital tempo and while still error free of course, is the goal. .

I think I might want to try my hand at this recital thing. Trouble is, I just sold my MIDI-equipped Roland RD-150 yesterday, which means the easy way of getting my music onto the internet just vanished.

Quick question: has anyone ever tried recording a grand piano using an iPhone? That's all I have right now ... I'm guessing I shouldn't bother?

Hi Saranoya, I have a very basic recording set up here....using the cheapest digital recorder there is, and recording my decades old digital piano that is plugged into a radio because it doesn't have external speakers. I just set the recorder next to the radio and then transfer the file to my computer and fix it up with Audacity (free program). Last recital i submitted an entry recorded this way, so I say just do the best you can with what you've got and don't let not having an ideal recording set up stop you from participating!

Still don't have my piece memorized. But the piano is freshly tuned, and the recital opens in a couple of days. Can't procrastinate much longer.

Greener, please don't think I am watching your every move, (I just want to help!), but having a predetermined date, place and exact time to perform a piece as a beginner who may not have the piece perfectly down yet is a recipe for either MORE stress or worse.

I've tried doing what you are about to do (specific day, time etc), but unfortunately it never worked out for me. I ALWAYS have gotten my best recordings very late at night when I am more than half asleep and didn't overly care about the recording to begin with because I was so relaxed.

This lackadaisical recording attitude helps me tremendously with handling my recording stress levels. Unfortunately however recording this way comes at a cost of diminished dynamics and emotion (because I am more than half asleep) but first things first.

Once I fully conquer the red dot recording stress I will work harder at performance dynamics, emotional input etc but I can't even get there until I get the recording stress level under control.

My suggestion: DON"T have any specific per-set time to record but instead be ready to record at any time. This way if you actually are having a good practice session, go ahead and record it. You won't have any pre built up stresses to deal with and you will have your tune recorded calmly without hardly even knowing it.

I can feel the passion in your posts and have been there (still am!) which is why I can offer a little suggestion here and there. Just take it easy and as odd as this may sound...don't try too hard. I usually never say this because many people don't try hard enough but trying too hard too soon can easily lead to frustration if you're not careful.

Everything in moderation, plus an extra scoop.

So I have a recording... two silly bluesy pieces from my Alfred's book. The harder I try, the worse they come out so I think I will use one of the first takes. I'm starting to think that recording is worse than playing for other people... when you play for somebody a hesitation or a harsh tone is quickly forgotten, while a recording is inescapable and shows you all your mistakes and embarrassments every time you listen to it

Good for you Sinophilia. I'm sure it will be great.

Thanks for the concern Mr. SH. Yes, I agree, I am a sucker for punishment.

The situation is this: I have a friend that is a sound guy. He is coming over with better Mics and pre-amp then I have and the date and time is set. He volunteered and wants to do it. It will cost me lunch is all.

If it doesn't work out my fall back is my own stuff with still plenty of time. The piece I have is well rehearsed and I do not think I will be wasting his time.

Your advice is well received though, and thanks again for the concern. If I can do better then my own stuff though, I'm going to give it a shot.

Okay Greener, I understand. I would go for it too.

Quickly, my past recording mistakes include (but certainly NOT limited to):

.Getting too excited thereby playing too loud in sections which will clip (distortion) the recording.

. Setting the gain control on the recording device inaccurately which results in a recording that is either too soft (my last recital recording) or too loud.

. Concentrating too much on performing the piece correctly or ensuring that the piano is tuned and sounds good only to drop the ball on what will make MORE of a difference than anything else. That being 'ROOM ACOUSTICS'.... (Good luck with that one btw 'cuz you'll need it!).

. And finally, using recording equipment that is 'TOO GOOD'! I used to use a pair of Rode studio quality condenser mics along with a Behringer mixing board and the end result was HORRIBLE as you could hear every single micro mistake and flaw. Using the Zoom actually turned out much better recordings as it was not as extremely sensitive and tended not to highlight my constant shortcomings.

I hope these little tips help.

The curse of the red dot ... I felt good recording this afternoon and then noticed, "Memory card full.".

Grrrrhh!!!

I wish my piece was ready. I never seem to be able to make the deadline.

"Quick question: has anyone ever tried recording a grand piano using an iPhone? That's all I have right now ... I'm guessing I shouldn't bother?"

Recording quality out of a mobile phone isn`t bad . .but stereo might be a prob!

I`ve recorded mine once. Piano sounds fine; I do not . . . .now, wat video would be best for this I wonder? Does anybody really want to see me playing? Ha ha . . . The dog`ll jump on my lap; that`d be funny . . .

Actually I think a few people have. I can't remember who but the quality was not as bad as one would have figured. Still nothing to write home about.....

A friend of mine, who also is a sound guy, went to my home and noticed the diference between the sound of my records and the sound of me playing live. I told him, that more important than the quality of the records, is the performance itself. I explained that ABF recitals members are not sound professionals, and everybody knows that and we all have that in mind.

I did 9 records to ABF recitals, and I'm still trying to reach the "perfect sound" trying diferent configurations both on the Piano and on PC. I think it's a good approach.

I heard a few attempts before. Main problem is that people don't FIX THE VOLUME. If the device is auto-voluming your piece, all your attempts at dynamic changes will be leveled out. It never became clear to me if fixing the volume can be done at all with iPhone

Other than that, I suggest to put the iPhone a meter from the open lid such that it can 'see' the strings. Point it towards the strings as well. Then check the fixed volume against the loudest part you want to play and keep some safety margin

And the one I would add to this list is; focusing on getting a clean (mistake free) recording, only to discover upon the umpteenth take when I finally have one, that it is completely flat of dynamics and expression. This is my greatest failure to date as it is always this take I end up with. I feel like I have to put in a disclaimer ... "but I can play it better ... honest, just not today ".