Evaluation
why did i choose this piece?
I chose this piece because I really enjoy playing it, and the right hand is a little bit more complex than other pieces I have played before. I have been wanting to perform this piece for a while but have never had the opportunity to so I thought that this would be the perfect time.
what was successful?
I think that I did quite well with remembering the piece. I didn’t need to note down any reminders or play along to a tutorial etc. I managed to remember the entire piece and play it the whole way through. This was successful because I have practiced this piece many times, so I was able to play most of it through muscle memory, which I think helped a lot since I didn’t have to think much about what I was playing. I was able to play simultaneously with my right and left hand.
what wasn’t as successful?
There were some parts which were out of time with the backing track. I couldn’t really hear a lot of the backing track whilst I was recording, so it could be down to that, but I did also play a bit too fast at times, so this can be improved next time I play this piece. An easy way to solve this issue would be to play to a click, and turn up the volume on the backing track. Both of these methods would ensure that I have less chance of playing out of time, which could result in a better performance. I need to control my dynamics a little bit more throughout the piece, as they didn’t change much throughout the piece, which can result in it sounding boring.
what/How could i improve next time?
To help me improve next time, I could play the piece slower and without a backing track. If I slowly increase the speed of the song, it will help me correct any timing issues I had and also help fix any other minor mistakes.
To help the piece flow together better, I could use the sustain pedal during the into and chorus as well as the verse. This would make some of the notes and sections sound a lot less harsh, and also bring the piece together.
In order for this piece to sound more interesting dynamically, I could learn to control the dynamics better, especially during the verses, as the piano is barely noticeable in the original track, so I should try to match that better.
other details
I think that the audio quality of this piece could have been better. I think placing my phone on top of the piano was a good choice angle wise, but a poor choice in terms of the audio. It is very loud and makes parts of the piece sound much harsher than intended, and also a bit distorted at times. To improve this next time, I could place my phone elsewhere, or I could record the audio and video separately.
Another way to improve this piece would be to play it with a band and vocalist. This would make the piece sound much better, as it would include all of the instrumentation used within the track, and it would also help the piece flow together more.
Overall, I am happy with how my initial assessment turned out, and I know what I need to work on throughout the next few months in order to improve.
SMART TARGETS
- Throughout the rest of the course, I want to improve the use of my left hand within pieces, as it is very limited at the moment.
- I want to try learn more solo pieces, whether they be accompanying a vocalist or not.
- I think something I would like to work with/improve for future projects is how I record my work. I don’t necessarily want to work with any high-tech videography, but it would be nice to have some better filming/audio. This could be a quick recording in the studio and synching that up to my video, or something more complicated. This is an area I will try to explore more.