ABRSM Performance Assessment: Tips For The Best Recording
Practice recording your pieces before registering for the ABRSM Performance Assessment
Playing while recording is not the same as playing during regular practice or for your instructor. Similar to playing live, you are likely to get nervous while recording and thus may tend to make more mistakes. Due to this, you may have to do more takes than anticipated just to finish a piece without errors.
In addition, your recording equipment captures dynamics differently from your natural hearing, so it could pick up mistakes you do not usually hear or slightly alter how your performance sounds. Hence, it is essential to put in some practice beforehand to get used to the setting and learn if you need to change the way you play. Lastly, the stamina required to record one piece as opposed to four pieces in one go is substantially different. As such, it is recommended to practice recording one piece in one take and gradually increasing the number of pieces to improve your stamina.
Be familiar with the ABRSM performance assessment recording guidelines
The ABRSM has guidelines for recording the Performance Grades exam. It primarily involves the necessary steps and requirements needed when recording one’s performance and other details such as live accompaniment. To learn more about these guidelines, it would be beneficial to head over to their official website to familiarise yourself with the guidelines before you begin the recording session HERE.
Check the recording quality before starting the actual recording
Examiners will give marks based on what they hear and see from your recording without considering its quality. Here are a couple of points that could positively affect your recording quality:
Use the best recording tool you have
Using a smartphone may be more suited for the task given how modern models now feature advanced technology and specifications, even the budget ones while a tablet, laptop, or old DSLR feature cameras and microphones intended for more general use. Of course, it is best to make sure of this yourself by taking a test recording and listening to the result. If you deem your equipment insufficient, consider borrowing or renting from friends or other entities.
Check your acoustics environment
As much as possible, it would be best not to forget to check your room’s acoustics before recording. Bad acoustics could lead to issues such as wind noise and echoes in your recording, making it unusable. Thus, do a sound check with the help of an expert, such as your teacher, by recording yourself playing one of the pieces you intend to submit. Their experience and input can help you determine if your choice of recording space will suffice or if it is best to record elsewhere.
The last recording will unlikely be your best
Exams in the higher grades will require longer pieces and, consequently, more stamina to play in one take. As mentioned before, playing while recording may lead to more mistakes than usual, and having to do many retakes could affect your overall performance and energy. Therefore, it would be wise to reduce the intensity of practice and refrain from playing through the whole program to reduce burnout on the day of the performance.
For higher grades, take a pause in between pieces to better get into the mood for the next one, enabling you to play at the right speed. Transitioning from a fast piece to a slower one requires regulating one’s heartbeat to prevent playing it faster than what is correct.
Obtain reviews before submitting
It is highly recommended to get your recording reviewed by your piano teacher a few days before submission. Their input will come in handy again at this point, and they can offer critical feedback that may entail having to do a retake. Those who self-register should also avoid being overconfident and submitting without a review. You or your loved ones may overlook serious mistakes that would otherwise be picked up on by someone with a trained ear, leading to a less desirable mark.
