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Based on that response below, I would get a different teacher. I wouldn't even feel comfortable practicing around a person like that.

It is good to have options, especially free ones.

The one I wrote can be set up in minutes if you have digital piano with headphone jack and a computer with microphone input jack. Audacity is free and open source and very easy to use for capturing audio input.

I do not want to spend a lot of money for Pianoteq (or the other software you mentioned) and high quality piano sounds libraries just to participate in PW recitals, so that is not an option, and I never pirate software (after all writing software is also my livelihood ).

You, sir, would get someone around here to blow their internal sound card to smithereens. Output from a headphone jack of any electronic equipment is line level. On the other hand, microphone jack of any sound card is designed to pick up from a microphone, or an instrument pickup which are much much weaker. Connect a line level output directly to a microphone input and watch how quickly it overloads due to output voltage much higher than it can handle. If it's working, it's barely managing and I don't even know how it's still going on.

You should connect your headphone jack to Line-In in this case, not the microphone in.

That aside, I don't have an income source yet, having passed high school last month and aiming for a university in the fall. To keep up with producing quality content, I have no option but to pirate expensive software as free counterparts are pretty much pathetic. Once I get a stable income source, I intend to purchase legitimate licenses.

I thought this thread was about a recital, not sure where pirating comes in .. maybe I need to read the entire thing. Yea, when I was student I pirated all day long. Then I started working in the software development industry and realized it was nice to be paid for what I did, and that maybe I should stop stealing other people's stuff. So I pay for the stuff now, and being self employed I write it off. Although I can't really say Pianoteq is related to my job, or helps me do my job ;0

There is a sticky thread called Important Topics on the Adult Beginners Forum that links to How to record piano with a couple of methods including the one I described. It works for me quite well.

Sorry that you are in a hard financial situation but that is precisely why it is good to have free options and not resort to stealing other people's hard work.

IMHO, live with what is 'OK' until you can afford to actually pay for what is better. Very sad to me that, not only are you stealing, but you find it to be acceptable to post about it on the internet.

I am not speaking from the perspective of someone with a silver spoon... I have been there where ever penny had to be carefully considered, even for the most simple food.

I know it's wrong. No one would know better.
I don't know one free DAW out there to professionally work on audio. Do you? Audacity? That's an audio editor not a DAW. There's no support for VST instruments and various essential plugins.

Until last year, me and mom skipped lunch and saved $4 every day for 4 months, to collect about $450 for my digital piano. I have big aspirations and still whenever I see an indie developer, I reasonably end up purchasing a license if it's in my financial power.

However, as far as big budget companies are concerned, making literally millions of dollars in an year, a lone sad high school pass person borrowing their software with a promise to pay once some earning starts isn't too out of justification, no?

To be honest, I'm not concerned with "Stealing is stealing". Your freaking government is ripping you off in name of taxes going into pockets of the rich. Those same companies exploit legal loopholes in order to maximize shareholders' wealth and not give those taxes as much as they can. Is using old versions of softwares (no update possible) for a while to somehow start an earning source that frowned upon?

If it is, after all this, I couldn't care less.

Obviously, a lot of us do know better. We use (or have used) what is freely available when necessary.

I know of a couple professional studios that use Ardour.

Audacity actually gets a lot of professional use on a Mac now that Bias Peak is gone. There are many high quality inexpensive versions of software out there also (Reaper)

I ask you now, to please take your entitled justifications out of here, and stop derailing this thread, which is about recitals and experiences, and not about recording or software.

In regards to the somewhat OT headphone jack and blowing sound cards to smithereens ... My last piano was a cheaper Yamaha model which was about to disappear for being outdated, and it had nothing for a jack dedicated to transmitting output from piano to computer. I did use the headphone jack, and it did nothing bad. For audio only I fed it into Goldwave, and for videos, since I have a Logitech camera, the camera's software was set up to take the audio from the jack rather than its internal (poorish) microphone. Both of my sons have studied the electronic (physical) side of computers, and I'll asking them about sound cards getting "blown" - I'm not picturing it. At worst, I'd think you'd get distortion. But I honestly don't know and I'm curious.

At random: This was recorded on the old Yamaha, and fed via cable through headphone jack outlet and into Goldwave:
https://soundcloud.com/usernewtothis/2015-02-27-williams-song

The idea of recording yourself to get over performance anxiety and nerves is an excellent one. Even when you don't share it, the microphone is sort of intimidating at first. Sharing with a few trusted people is a good first step. I sometimes have it running for an hour and then select bits for whatever reason, or just listen, or (with camera), listen and watch. It's also a good learning tool.

Impressions about the recital and pre-recital story described here.

First, about adults near the beginner or not advanced stage, going to a conservatory, because that's where the good teachers must be. I have seen a number of things in forums over the years. The first stage of learning is "formative" - you have to get the basic skills, learn how to approach your music when practising, and the student is "formed" as a student. At a more advanced stage, a teacher will teach interpreting music and such, and the student draws on the skills that she already has. When you get a teacher who is used to teaching performing or interpreting, and you don't have the underlying skills, he may not know how to form those skills. Added to this, the very fact of being an adult can create the association with "advanced student". If you had previous lessons, may not good lessons or you were young and inattentive ... or if you started off self-taught .... then the skills you are missing will be masked. If you need underlying skills, then the teacher you have should know how to give these to you. Someone geared toward performance may not know how to do that.

You also have different "cultures" within the teaching profession: one environment is where everything is geared toward performances (recitals), or exams, or competitions. The teacher may be under the microscope, and judged by how impressive her students play (ambitious parents gossiping among each other, a school that is pushing for reputation, advertisement bringing in students through how many prizes they win). So that teacher is under pressure. How you do becomes a judgment of her. It's not right, but it can happen.

Another thing is that as vulnerable, intimidated, inferior or anything else negative that we may feel toward the teacher who Knows Almost Everything while we are the ones who Know Almost Nothing; that's how we may see it --- they may have their own version of such feelings; especially since you are a fellow-adult, and not a tiny six year old looking up at them. "You made me feel bad." doesn't necessarily engender the response you are looking for: it can well be seen as "You failed as a teacher." "It is your fault that I failed." "You are a terrible teacher." -- because of the tapes playing in the teacher's head. A good defense is go on the defensive, and blame the student, making the student feel bad. .... While we can be thoughtful and diplomatic on our side, you also don't want to be walking on eggshells with a teacher.

I don't know about Ardour. Never used it.
Audacity is absolutely pathetic as far as music production is concerned. I don't have a mac, can't afford it.
The very first DAW I tried was Reaper, because it was free but using it is another thing. I'm still learning and I find FL studio and Sonar much more intuitive.

As I said, I couldn't care less.

As far as derailing the thread goes, my apologies. This is the last off topic post regarding this from my side, and is but a response to your comment.

Remember that the term "conservatory" can mean different things in different countries. Where I am they are places meant to both hobbyists and future performers. Concervatory teachers tend to be well educated and experienced in teaching also the basics to beginners. Whether the teachers can behave well is another matter...

Good advices about recording! I'll try to record sooner or later.


Teacher yelling at little kids would be even worse, because kids won't be able to stand up for themselves. I hope that doesn't happen.

What comes to formality, our culture is informal. For example, people call each other by first names, including students and teachers. Sometimes my teacher has shared her thoughts during lessons like I was her friend. I've not been very happy about that because it's kind of waste of my precious lesson time, but I've listened and said something and then we've played. I don't even know how to keep it distant if teacher starts to chat.


I've used my phone to take videos of my playing. It really is very, very intimidating! It also revealed that I have tension in my hands, so it is useful in many ways.


Teachers in conservatories here teach 6-year old beginners as well as 20-year old musician students. For example my teacher teaches very cute little kids that are almost tinier than piano bench and 20-year old students who play preludes by Chopin and Rachmaninoff. I think you are right about the association as "advanced", I've thought many times that me being this old make the teacher think that I should do better and I must be stupid or mean because I refuse to do better... I don't refuse, obviously I just can't do better yet. That's why I'm taking lessons.


Wise words. I made everything worse by trying to clear the air. Being honest was the worst thing to do I told her that I appreciate her professional skills and her honesty, but yelling is too much for me, but her reaction was like I said nothing positive and all negative or accusations. I'm still puzzled and I'm afraid I can't fix it. Unless she is that kind of person who gets furious fast and forgives and forgets fast. I don't know. This far I've taken her snappiness without saying anything.

Is it possible for you to just request to change teacher for next term? They do have several options in the school I assume?

(Joining this thread very late)

I am sorry to hear Meria had a bad recital experience. If there is any consolation, I can say almost everyone had bad experience at one point, so you are NOT alone. Please don't see this as a "failure" though I can see why this is frustrating. As I mentioned in another thread, many piano students do not fully realize that learning a piece well and performing the same piece in public are two very different things. With more performing experiences, the difference could be smaller and (hopefully) the playing will be more consistent.

In my own experience, I participate recitals regularly. Sometimes they go well and other times not so well. However, I am always glad I did it no matter what the result is. Sometimes I play the same program twice and the second time is worse than the first time. I can not explain this except accepting that anything could happen on stage.

Please don't give up. Good Luck!

Changing teacher might be still possible, I'm not sure. After all I'm little bit reluctant to do that, because starting again with a new teacher is little bit tiresome and it takes time for her or him to figure out what I can do and what I can't. Or maybe I'm just worried that I get out of the frying pan and get into the fire!

That can happen and I can see why you are reluctant. But at some point a new teacher will also give new insights and you still have what you learned from the previous one. Even if the beginning can feel difficult, it could be a relief after your experiences to have a fresh new start with another person.

IN-PERSON RECITALS

* The Europeans get together once or twice a year in a given location to have a piano party

* There's a recurring piano party in Denver, CO

ONLINE RECITALS

* Four times a year, the Adult Beginner's forum has an online recital (2/15, 5/15, 8/15, 11/15). All levels are welcomed and a comment room posted after the recital is overwhelmingly positive. Submit whatever you want.

* ABF members who are interested in a specific aspect of music (composer, country, genre, form) have, more and more frequently, been proposing themed recitals. These are timed to not conflict with the ABF general. Rules for submissions are up to the proposer. Like the ABF general, there is a comment thread posted, and feedback is overwhelmingly positive. Currently: Spanish/Latin American themed recital in the Fall; Waltz recital in spring of next year.

* The monthly piano bar thread is a thread where you can post a video or link to whatever you're working on, outside of the context of a quarterly or themed recital

* Pianist Corner posts occasional themed recitals as well

I'd probably look for another teacher, but I realize that may not be realistic in a small town. Another tactic you could try if you decide to continue (for now), next time it happens, stand up, on your feet and face her. Look directly into her eyes, get some fire in your own eyes, and quite sharply say "Who are you to talk to me that way? You are my instructor, I PAY you for your guidance and you will treat me with respect if you want to continue this relationship." I bet that would be the last time that happens. Of course, the relationship could end right there, which may be for the best. Unless she owns the conservatory, you can always have a chat with her boss as well.

Some people will walk all over you if you don't use a firm hand with them.

Maybe it would be a good idea to investigate this possibility further. Schedule an appt and interview a prospective teacher, talk about your goals, about your negative experience with recitals (without mentioning any names), about the teachers expectations. Don't burn any bridges but just look into other options.

I met with a few teachers before deciding to go with my current one. Your teacher needs to be your biggest cheer leader and motivator. Personally for me it's very important as I am doing a fine job in self-criticizing and stressing myself out without anyone's help, and for free 😎