Record Your Practice

One of the best things any music student can do is to record oneself. A recording reveals so many things. You hear if phrasing and articulations are being projected to the listener or are only felt by you the performer. You see and hear things that perhaps come across awkward or unpolished, and of course, poor technique, lack of a plan for piano fingering or vibraphone sticking, and lack of practice really shows.

This is a recording of my son Lucas, a 17-yr-old high school senior as he prepared a jazz vibraphone solo for an audition. A great extra benefit is that a recording like this can also be a confidence builder as one begins to feel better about  their performance. 

This was simply recorded with an iPhone. One doesn't need elaborate equipment to do it and the benefits are wonderful. Record yourself! Be encouraged and be challenged in your own playing!