Filming myself

In a bid to bring some variety to my practise sessions over the long summer break I've been playing with technology a little bit.

I found some recordings I'd made of myself playing about 2 or 3 years ago.  They weren't that great so I thought I'd do some more to see whether I'd improved.  I did my earliest recordings using the film feature on my digital camera  so I've initially done a couple more of these - one of my playing the first movement of the Poulenc sonata and one of Arethusa.  Both of these were pieces I played for my Grade 8.

It's fair to say that the tone in both of them sounds pretty terrible but I think this is as much due to the limitiations of the equipment as my actual playing.  It is hard to get a good recording in a room full of soft furnishings - the sound will never sound resonant or full.  My camera is also not really designed to do high quality sound recording.  So I am not going to worry too much about the tone quality in this case.

Positive improvements that were apparent were:

1. Posture - in my early recordings my posture was terrible and my head was bent forward all the time.  The new recordings show a much more balanced posture with my head, neck and spine in much better alignment.  This was the main reason I chose to video myself rather than just record.  I had been quite shocked by the first video as I was completely unaware of what I was doing and since then I have consciously tried to improve how I sit.

2. Embouchure is much more controlled and stable.

3. Finger changes are much smoother and more controlled.  The overall line is much more legato.

Most obvious area for improvement was intonation!  I know this is much improved but playing in tune really does seem to be my achilles heel. I find it much easier when playing with other people, and I can certainly hear the problems when I play it back.  The issue is being able to play each note in tune as it comes out.  I sometimes wonder if I'll ever be able to do this! 

Since doing my recording I've been doing more practice with the tuner - on scales, arpeggios, with my pieces.  Trying to play in tune and then checking against the tuner to try and train my ear rather than watching the light!  I've been focussing on hearing the note in my mind before I play it!  Something to keep working on.