Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Adult Beginners Forum Recital 32 --- Call For Submissions

I'm getting closer ... what I recorded tonight could be improved on but it might end up getting submitted.

It's funny - I usually don't like the action on one of the pianos at my teacher's studio because it's quite heavy. But the other week I performed my piece really well during the lesson on the piano. I think the heavy action caused me to slow down just a couple of percent and it was perfect. I'd like to slow it down a teeny bit on my piano but it seems to want to keep accelerating and then the inconsistencies creep back in!

Anyone want to hear a metronome on my recording (just kidding!)

In at number 32 for recital number 32 More Einaudi!

I was three hours trying to record the piece from the piano to the computer...
The final sound has a background noise that sounds like a radio of the 40s ... The problem seems to be the drivers of the computer - a new computer! - and I do not have privileges to install the newest drivers because it's a company computer and the configuration is protected.

I'm really angry and sad...

Oh, that's so frustrating, Carlos! Do you know anybody with something like a Zoom that you can borrow? Some people have pretty good luck using their smartphones, too.

I'm in at #32. What a struggle! These long pieces really are difficult to record. It's impossible for me to play for that long without mistakes - I can't play for 2 and a half minutes without mistakes...

Sam

Hey, it beats my 2 1/2 seconds.

Sam... my feelings exactly... I can do all the parts without a mistake but as soon as I put the whole thing together and try to record it's like "Wack a Mole". I never know which section I'm going to screw up on next. For my Arabeske I had to settle for two glaring mistakes. I just did not have any more time to record. (The worst is when you go the full 6 minutes and then ruin the last 10 seconds... Aghhhhhhh!!!)

I'm in the same boat with my piece this month. Oh, the many times I played nearly completely thought only to blow it right at the end. I so wish I could splice recordings!! But, I haven't a clue how. So, I finally settled on one attempt that simply had to be "good enough"! A couple of glaring mistakes exist. So be it!!

You know I thought the same thing. But I do have the capabilities to splice (and actually did put one together) but in the end thought it would kind of spoil the whole recital feeling... at least for me. I would have ended up with a much better recording but not a real recital piece.

Capability or not, I also have taken much more of a "recital" view to these recordings than one would take in a true recording studio. I practice until I feel very comfortable. Then I give it my best effort. I'll start over if I make a mistake so big it halts me in my tracks. But, mostly I just keep going as if I was in a real recital. Often, I get a good recording on one take. This time was different. I did make mistakes big enough that my fingers got in a jumble. I came to a full stop. After that, there was no sense in continuing. So, it was start over. It got kind of frustrating!!! I gave up on one day's attempts completely. I had better luck the next day. Thank goodness!!!! If recording had gone on to day 3 I would not have been happy!! These are major works we are attempting. So, that's pretty good right there. I look forward to hearing the Arabesque. I've played it in recital. It was kind of my 'breakthrough" piece that has led me to more difficult works. Can't wait to hear everyone's pieces!!!

The worst thing is the agonizing pause when my brain freezes and I can't make my fingers form the next chord. In practice this doesn't happen, I just play it wrong. But when the red dot is on everything is different.

Sam

Ahh... the red dot phenomenon. While I rarely get a brain freeze (maybe because I don't memorize; I play with the music sheet in front of me all the time), my palms start sweating. When not recording, they are ALWAYS dry. I sometimes have to stop in the middle of a recording to wipe the piano keys and dry my palms in front of a fan!! I've even tried talcum powder on my palms but that only made things worse! :-( My best solution so far is to lower the temperature of the house to 60 to 65 degrees during recording.

Interesting.....I don't start sweating uncontrollably until after I have submitted the thing, lol

Yea, when I'm recording my brain does things it NEVER does when just playing. It starts going "Oh wow, I'm half way through. You know I never REALLY looked at my fingers at this point and now I'm looking down and I really shouldn't because I never do when I play it well and it might make me mess up and.... dang." OR... the worst is "Oh wow, I'm almost all the way through and all I have to do is get past these last measures and I just can't mess up, I just can't.... DANG!!" When I just practice I never think like that. I guess that's why there is the adage "Practice like you are performing and perform like you are practicing." Sounds good on paper.

Too funny, Peyton!!! But you nailed it!!!

Even when I make a huge mistake, I usually keep on recording, even if I know that take is going to get thrown away. That way I get a little more practice playing to the red dot, and I often find the places later in the piece that are going to mess me up next time if I don't work them out now. Besides, I would get really bored playing that first page over and over again, and never getting to the end!

I sometimes do that too, but for a different reason. If I don't, it is inevitably that for every cold-weather recital the furnace will kick on right in the middle of my best recording. Of course I forgot to turn it down for this recital. You'll probably be able to hear the loud blower in the background of my recording. *blah*

That's a really good idea!! Next recording session, this is what I will do.

LOL, Marybee. I do turn off the furnace ... and all the ringers of phones around the house, cellphone, and computer loudspeaker (which sometimes loudly announces updates in my security software).

So accurate, Peyton!! :-)