Recording in person lessons

[determined2learn]

I made rather an offhand comment at my lesson yesterday that I should have been recording it to capture the info more fully. The instructor encouraged me to do that.


Does anyone have suggestions where to place the phone and other set up advice? Thanks!

[quantum]

First, what piano do you have?  Digital or acoustic?

If you want to record both video and audio from your phone, find a location that frames a good view of the keyboard, and that does not distort the sound.  If you want to work on posture, move the camera back more to capture how you sit at the piano. 

As a general guideline, avoid placing the phone directly on the piano if you are recording the audio directly from the phone, unless absolutely necessary.  If you have separate mics and want more creative video angles, then you can get away with placing the phone on the piano because the mics can be placed further away. 

Here are some ideas for placement:

A detailed discussion:

If you see yourself recording a lot, I would recommend investing in a portable recorder.  Many options out there now.  Far better audio quality than a phone, lasts longer than a phone, less expensive than a phone, and in many cases designed specifically to record music. 

[determined2learn]

Great info thank you. The recording would be for myself only and I will record the lesson. The studio has a grand piano. I may just try recording the audio next lesson. Fortunately what we covered is covered in one of my books so I didn't need to rely only on memory. (Good thing. The book has been invaluable.)

[j_tour]

Does anyone have suggestions where to place the phone and other set up advice? Thanks!

No, I don't, other than to applaud your teacher and you for taking the initiative.

The pianist I took lessons from in early adulthood for jazz encouraged this, and in fact did it himself (likely because he was a bit of proud of how good he demonstrated certain things) but it was in the days when a cassette recorder was pretty much standard.  (late '90s). 

Anything should be adequate, I would think:  check me if I'm wrong, but you're trying to remember a given point demonstrated during a lesson, or your own attempts, right? 

No, it doesn't need to be hi-fi.  After all, you were there.

Just an aide-mémoire, in audio form. 

[determined2learn]

That's it exactly. Just to jog the brain. I will just start the camera and see what I get. I don't want to have to mess with it during the lesson.

[Bob]

Yes for recording.

I'd put it closer to the teacher to capture their input as opposed to the sound of the piano.  Then review it immediately afterward.  It's more about the information than the output of the piano.

[quantum]

Just an aide-mémoire, in audio form.

That's it exactly. Just to jog the brain.

This is why I recommended portable recorders specifically for this purpose.  They are extremely easy to operate, inexpensive and small.  Set it once, forget about it, get on with your lesson, and it does its job.  Portable recorders are designed with a discrete function, and they do that one job really well. 

Most work with commonly found battery sizes, commonly found memory cards, use standard audio file formats.  Little need to worry about your files when you upgrade something.  None of these proprietary charging ports that change every few generations like certain phones do. 

You might even want to use your phone for other things in lesson, like taking a picture or making notes, which would be disruptive towards recording the lesson in a fluid manner. 

At some point your teacher would be discussing tone and touch qualities, and teaching you how to hear them.  The mics on a portable recorder are more adept apt picking these things up, as compared to a phone. 

[timothy42b]

Audio is probably enough, something like an H2 would be great, or if you want video there's a version of that.  Maybe Q2?

We forget 1/2 per day.  After 3 days of not refreshing the lesson it's gone.  I stop an hour after a lesson and make notes of everything that was done, and try to ensure I've at least touched that stuff the same day. 

[determined2learn]

Yes for recording.

I'd put it closer to the teacher to capture their input as opposed to the sound of the piano.  Then review it immediately afterward.  It's more about the information than the output of the piano.

Good suggestions. Thank you.

[determined2learn]

This is why I recommended portable recorders specifically for this purpose.  They are extremely easy to operate, inexpensive and small.  Set it once, forget about it, get on with your lesson, and it does its job.  Portable recorders are designed with a discrete function, and they do that one job really well. 

Most work with commonly found battery sizes, commonly found memory cards, use standard audio file formats.  Little need to worry about your files when you upgrade something.  None of these proprietary charging ports that change every few generations like certain phones do. 

You might even want to use your phone for other things in lesson, like taking a picture or making notes, which would be disruptive towards recording the lesson in a fluid manner. 

At some point your teacher would be discussing tone and touch qualities, and teaching you how to hear them.  The mics on a portable recorder are more adept apt picking these things up, as compared to a phone.

Good points I hadn't thought about. Thank you.