Evaluation
Why did I choose this piece?
For my initial assessment I chose to play the keyboard. The song I decided to play was Lay Me down by Sam Smith, specifically the version featuring John Legend. I chose this version because it is only accompanied by the piano, whereas the original also includes other instruments such as the drums, trumpet and saxophone. I enjoy playing slower songs, therefore I prefer this version as it is more stripped back. The lyrics of the song express the loss of a loved one, which helps me feel emotionally connected with the piece, and therefore allows me to express more emotions while playing it.
What was successful?
For majority of the piece I was able to keep in time with the track, I also played a variety of different chords, some at different tempos.
I used a few techniques such as a range of chords and single notes, I also changed my hand position quite frequently.
I made myself familiar with the piece and memorised the chords, so I was able to play the piece fluently without having to check the chords or make mistakes from not knowing the chords.
What wasn’t as successful?
Even though while I was filming this piece I was listening to the track so that I could stay close to the original timing, there were points where I pressed keys and played chords either too early or too late, which is something I can improve on. (This is noticeable with the track’s audio layered over the video.)
There are points within the song where I sustained some notes for a little too long, which made the piece sound a bit messy.
What might I do differently in the future/How could I improve next time?
For future projects I may choose to play a piece that is more technical and difficult, perhaps with broken chords or a faster tempo.
I think a lot of the mistakes I made were caused by me being slightly nervous, as even though I have played this piece many times, I am not used to having a camera there recording me. To improve, I could film myself playing and rehearsing more often, so that I become more comfortable having a camera in front of me.
It took me a while to sync up the original audio with my video, so in the future I could learn to sync up audio faster to save myself time and stress.
Targets based on feedback:
1: In the future, I could work towards performing alongside a singer rather than to a backing track.
2: I could put together a rehearsal timetable, so I am putting time away to rehearse on my own and improve my techniques.
3: I could start learning/practicing more complex techniques on my left hand, as at the moment I am only really playing single notes.
4: I should start researching and implementing musical terms into my evaluation, as bringing in this research will help me make improvements in both my evaluation and performance.