Lights! Camera!! IMPROVE!!!

I frequently suggest that you record yourself playing because it gives you an opportunity to evaluate your progress.  An audio recording can be so helpful because it lets you truly hear yourself.  And all it takes is a free app on your phone or tablet.  

Of course, you can listen to yourself while you play, but there are so many impediments to actually hearing yourself while you’re playing – you are in the moment, you have to wrangle your harp, maintain your posture, manage your breathing, ride herd on your fingers, remember the music, and so much more!  All that makes it so hard to listen and to hear while you’re producing music that it is no wonder you miss so much and it is clear that being able to listen and attend better can only help.

But recently, I’ve come to appreciate the amazing utility of video recording!  It has all the benefits of audio recording that allows you to hear yourself.  But video recording also allows you to see so many additional things – so clearly!

Does your teacher consistently (or repeatedly) tell you to get your thumbs higher?  Even though you practiced and practiced.  You did all the the work - why can't she see that?  Do you get the same thing with placing?  Do you get told - a lot - to place ahead all while thinking that your teacher isn’t paying attention, because you know you place! After all, you did practice – over and over – so why doesn’t she see how high and well placed your fingers are?

The video tells all!

This picture is of one of my students – recording herself while she played.  And she was astounded!  She was able to see her hands – in situ.  And even though she’d been looking at them – now she could see them!  She watched in amazement…and horror!  Because she saw what I see – and comment on – in every lesson.  All the while she thought she had done all the things I suggested, thought that she had nailed it – only to be told, again, that her thumbs were dropping.  Suddenly she knew!  And she said at her next lesson, “when I fixed all that, it really was easier to play…just like you said!” (such words a teacher loves to hear! ♥)

The amazing part of this is learning that your teacher isn’t a broken record (nor a hateful shrew!).  But it is understandable – while you’re playing you have so much to which you must pay attention that you have no spare capacity to attend to one more thing.  It is a brain thing and we all have these limits.  It’s not good or bad, it just is.  And video can help you overcome it!

Note – these don’t have to be high quality “National Geographic” videos – prop your phone or tablet on your music stand, get some good light – and voila – you have videos that are good enough – to see what you are doing when you think you’re doing everything right!

You can use the videos to see what you’re doing so you can improve.  The video also provides a record so you can (hopefully) see improvement – and see bad habits as they are developing so you can nip them in the bud before they become habits.  And you can bring the video to your teacher to help you squelch untoward stuff before it hardens and to show what has transpired since you last met.

If you don’t have a teacher you can use your video to tame your inner critic while identifying what needs work.  You can evaluate your video and then work kindly with yourself to improve.  And if you have the opportunity to have a lesson after a workshop, you can share the video with the visiting teacher to help give a better idea of where you are and what you need help with – which will make your lesson go so much better!

So, by using equipment you already have (phone or tablet), you can significantly improve your playing, help your teacher help you, and create spare capacity to think – all of which will serve you well to improve your playing.  And all it takes is – Lights! Camera! Improvement! 

Made a video?  Want to share? Leave me a comment – can’t wait to see it!