Recording as a reality check

DCrom · Post by **DCrom** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 4:21 pm

I recently upgraded my computer system (my previous home system was a very ancient Linux box without working sound) and decided to try my hand at recording some tunes - more for self-review than because my playing deserves a mass audience.

After a certain amount of fumbling (and some very useful tips from Tony Higgins) I got the basics down, and was able to spend time listening to what I'd played.

I must say it's been . . . interesting . . . alternately rewarding and discouraging.

On the one hand, I must admit that - overall - I sound better than I thought I did (none of the near-fumbles and desperate recoveries are audible). For at least some tunes, if you'd told me two years ago I'd sound *this* good I'd have been greatly encouraged.

On the other hand, I can also hear all the things I need to improve - the lapses in the rhythm, the awkwardly chosen breathing spots, the deficiencies in breath control, and the poorly-executed ornamentation.

If I loop a piece, I seem to fluctuate back and forth between the modes - one moment proud of how far I've come, the next overwhelmed by how far I still need to go. Definately useful, though - encouragement, motivation, and an analysis tool all in one. (To further the "motivation" portion, I've sent a couple of tunes to Tony for the archive - don't say I didn't warn you about the skill level

)

Anyone else want to add their thoughts?

michael_coleman · Post by **michael_coleman** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 4:28 pm

I've actually been taken to practicing in the bathroom as the acoustics are better and I can hear myself better. It really helps when playing whistle because it tells me how clean I am playing. Now I wait for the comments...."In the bathroom!!! Thats sick man"

alespa · Post by **alespa** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 10:02 pm

If I want reverb, I go into the stair well. But the bathroom is an okay place to practice a little whistle. Not <eckk> but just a good way to reclaim time

DCrom . . . I hear ya. I have done a little recording myself, and while some is encouraging, most shows how far I have to go. As long as I'm encouraged though, that's the direction I want to keep headin'.

When I started this whistle adventure, I was content to think that it would take a portion of my life to improve to the point I know some of our board members here are at . . . the journey is part of the fun! And growth, even a little, is good!

matt

notus · Post by **notus** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 8:52 am

There's a lyric in a song that I can't quite conjure where the singer hopes to play like nobody's listening. For me, I think the mic gets in the way of playing. Same with the neighbors. It's great to get compliments over the fence (whistles always sound better lilting over the hills, dales, etc.) but if I detect activity over there, I'm bound to mess up.

I finally set aside enough obsessive compulsivity to let the mistakes slide and just go ahead and share. Started posting my own primitive attempts at recording on my website. Haven't been hit with any flames... yet...

Sooooooo, keep on playing...

chas · Post by **chas** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 10:12 am

notus wrote:There's a lyric in a song that I can't quite conjure where the singer hopes to play like nobody's listening. For me, I think the mic gets in the way of playing. Same with the neighbors.

I was that way for awhile. Someone suggested I start recording all the time. I haven't done that, but try to record an hour or so each weekend, and I can almost play like it's not there now. And, the neighbors -- I have spent enough time outside with a flute watching my 3-year-old that playing outside has become second nature.

Keep at it, Dana. My impressions of recordings of myself sound exactly like yours. The ornaments are a lot crisper, but I still have a LOT to work on in the phrasing department.

PhilO · Post by **PhilO** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 11:48 am

I used to try to do reviews just from playing whistles; when I began recording them to do it, I realized that there generally wasn't as much difference between whistles tonal qualities as I'd thought. When you hear yourself, you're listening through your own facial bones, while others do not have that interference; that's why I'm still surprised every time I hear my own voice recorded.

Recording yourself and listening to playback is crucial in that it is indeed a reality check and a great diagnostic tool.

I made sure that my last computer purchase included a top of the line sound card (Sound Blaster Audigy 2). I have a Sure mike connected to a preamp which is plugged into the sound card. There's a Creative Wave program that allows record, playback, loop, store as MP3, etc.

This was not a gimmick for me, rather something I felt I really needed for my music. Hope you enjoy your new setup.

Regards,

Philo

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 12:50 pm

I have a small home studio, as do some of my friends. I record myself and others including serious pros with stacks of successful releases. Similarly, others record me fairly often.

After all these years, and with experience in professional studios trying to get things right with the metre ticking, I still get microphone shy. So do friends with a string of well-received CDs to their name when I'm at the controls.

Somebody gives me a low whistle part to play. I practice it a dozen times without the tape rolling and get it right each time. As soon as the tape starts rolling I make a goofy mistake or I break into the second octave. As soon as I practice it again it's fine. This gets repeated for ages before I finally relax and get it right. I have a frequently recorded friend who plays great jazz saxophone. I've spent hours at the controls trying to coax a simple written part out of him. With home studios nobody is paying for time. I have no idea why we tense up like this.

DCrom · Post by **DCrom** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 3:48 pm

I wonder that myself - after all, nobody's listening, and if I trainwreck in a major way nobody has to know. But I *do* tense up when I'm recording - I make mistakes that I don't normally make, and minor stumbles that I'd normally continue from become unrecoverable.

But it's good practice - I have the same issue, to an even greater degree, when I'm playing for an audience, and the more they know about the music the more likely I am to stumble - one of the things I need to work through before I'm ready for session play.

The funny thing is that I don't have this same reaction to work related challenges - I think well on my feet, and pressure seems to make me think faster, not slower. But put me in a room with a microphone or a friendly group of musicians and my playing ability starts to fall apart.

I need to keep up playing for the mike - the skills I learn there may transfer over to playing in a group.

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 4:11 pm

DCrom wrote: But I *do* tense up when I'm recording - I make mistakes that I don't normally make, and minor stumbles that I'd normally continue from become unrecoverable.

Man, ain't that the truth! I can play something through somewhat effortlessly, but as soon as the mic comes out, or someone says, "Let's hear it," then the bloodbath begins. I've only recorded 2 things for clips'n snips, but it took around 30 takes on each one just to get where I at least wasn't stumbling over some of the notes. It's nice to listen to things I've done in the past to see how it now sounds better, and it's also good to listen critically to current recordings to see how things still need to change. Someone once said that it's an ongoing journey that we all share, with each of us at different points along the way. When I look at my "playing" with those words in mind, and see what I now do better than I did last year when I was still learning what each note was on the whistle, then I smile to myself, and think, "Things aren't so bad after all."

Will O'Ban

BoneQuint · Post by **BoneQuint** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 5:42 pm

Funny that this thread and the metronome thread were right next to each other for me. Try recording while playing along with a metronome, that's a real instructional challenge! It can be fun to play along with a metronome through headphones so the recording won't pick up the click, then listen afterwards, and compare to non-metronome recordings.

sweet potato · Post by **sweet potato** » Sat Feb 12, 2005 9:41 pm

[quote="DCrom"] But I *do* tense up when I'm recording - I make mistakes that I don't normally make, and minor stumbles that I'd normally continue from become unrecoverable.

The funny thing is that I don't have this same reaction to work related challenges - I think well on my feet, and pressure seems to make me think faster, not slower. But put me in a room with a microphone or a friendly group of musicians and my playing ability starts to fall apart.
[/quote]

Hi all,

This has been a really useful thread for me. I have just done a bit of recording for the first time, and was simultaneously pleased with how good we sounded, and discouraged by all my "mistakes." In a positive frame of mind, I look at this as a tremendous learning experience, an opportunity to really examine phrasing and tempo and variation. In a less positive frame of mind I wonder what I think I'm doing trying to sound like I know what I'm doing! Similar to DCrom, I am used to thinking well on my feet and improving under pressure at work. For me, it helps me to remember that I have a lot more experience in public speaking than I have in public whistling!

SP

notus · Post by **notus** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 7:52 am

PhilO wrote: I made sure that my last computer purchase included a top of the line sound card (Sound Blaster Audigy 2). I have a Sure mike connected to a preamp which is plugged into the sound card. There's a Creative Wave program that allows record, playback, loop, store as MP3, etc.

PhilO's setup may sound complicated to the non-geek, but it really isn't much harder than checking your email or replying to this forum! I tried several recording programs from download.com and have been pleased with one called RipEditBurn.

This past week I have rediscovered (for the ump-teenth time) the importance of having the proper equipment.

I thought I was getting a decent recording with my mic plugged directly to the sound card on the computer. Then, PhilO inspired me to get a preamplifier for the mic.

Earlier recordings had to be amplified by the software like 30 times to bring them up to listening volume. I would now term the preamp as "CRITICAL" to my setup!

Posted the first results Friday to my website and one to C&F Clips/Snips.

So, recording for personal feedback is great, but the proper recording equipment (not necessarily expensive) is just as important as having a playable whistle...

Caj · Post by **Caj** » Sun Feb 27, 2005 2:38 pm

DCrom wrote: The funny thing is that I don't have this same reaction to work related challenges - I think well on my feet, and pressure seems to make me think faster, not slower. But put me in a room with a microphone or a friendly group of musicians and my playing ability starts to fall apart.

This is probably because playing music is not thinking; much of it is immediate, reflexive, and must happen right on time. It's easy for me to get that process choked up, even though I normally do best under pressure.

But recording yourself is a great idea. Also, as you play the recording, try to adjust a metronome to it to track the temp. There are various rhythmic habits which go unnoticed by a player, including gradual speed changes between A and B parts, and beats that fire slighly ahead or behind when they should.

The metronome also helps you gauge your progress from day to day. That, and a recording gadget, and a pencil and a small journal can speed up learning by an order of magnitude.

Caj

McHaffie · Post by **McHaffie** » Mon Feb 28, 2005 1:13 am

My playing improved exponentially over the last year and a half or so playing in public and recording myself at sessions and just myself alone. Just like many have noted, it's completely different hearing it "outside your own head" so to speak.

Playing with other musicians really got my timing and rhythm down a lot better, and my ornamentation has really gotten a lot better. (Still fight with that top roll with the top three fingers though sometimes. :roll: Slips out of time on me in a fast jig every so often!

)

Believe it or not, I use a PDA with the built in microphone and a good piece of recording software that lets me record in high quality mp3. I can record the whole night of 4-6 hours on one 256MB storage card with super quality, no noise, works great. At home I record with a good studio mic my brother gave me through the PC via Audacity, Linux, SB Live card. I've done some pretty good multi-track home-made productions with some friends of mine that came out surprisingly professional. Couldn't tell the difference really. Some of us are seriously considerin' a CD this summer!

Take care,
John