During yesterday’s eduBuzz meeting, Don asked me what difference the growth of pupil mp3 performances on the blog had made. Since then, I’ve been explaining to a couple of people some of the technicalities involved. It struck me that I may have taken for granted the obviousness of what it was all about, and the various features involved. This post will deal with the advantages of recording and tomorrow’s about the technicalities.
Advantages for the pupils:
- Performance experience – pupils perform in their school’s guitar ensemble in two or three concerts per year. Unless they have opted for Standard Grade or Higher Music or an external exam, there will be few opportunities to experience performance as a soloist or in a small group.
- Sense of deadline – recording equipment is not available every week and we cannot simply replace teaching with endless recording. Therefore, we really have to nail the piece(s) within 30 minutes. Life is full of deadlines and it’s good to be able to get used to meeting some of them in a fun kind of way.
- Learning to relax under pressure – anyone can relax when there is no pressure – most people can relax when the pressure stops – the trick is to relax under continuing pressure.
- Easily accessed record of work – the pupils, their parents, relatives (near and far), friends etc. can access this archive at any hour of the day or night.
- A chance to compare progress with pupils from other East Lothian schools – pupils in various schools will be playing the same repertoire and always seem interested in seeing how others are getting on with it – many are known to each other through the East Lothian Guitar Ensemble.
- Fun – despite all the talk of pressure, pretty much everyone seems to enjoy the experience – nobody has yet entered the room and, spotting the equipment, let out a sigh of despair.
Advantages for the teacher:
- An opportunity to stop the clock, stand back and see how things are really going – time is tight, especially in group lessons lasting 30 mins – which format makes up the majority of the week. We often look at sections of various pieces and tend not to play through everything. An element of trust is involved in assuming that pupils will not let a section, which was previously conquered, slip from their grasp through neglect.
- An opportunity to talk about the pressures of performing (as opposed to preparation) and how to tackle and overcome them – many of the problems are physiological rather than psychological. Incorrect posture can create imbalance causing tension and reducing accuracy and mobility. Planting the feet firmly on the floor and relaxing the shoulders/elbows/wrists/hands can solve many problems. Choosing a speed which allows one time to think (where required) and to relax between phrases/sections is also very helpful. However, nothing improves a performance more than simply knowing what is coming next.
- An opportunity to see, in a non-threatening situation, if anyone is really likely to “crack” under pressure. This has not happened so far but, were such a person to suggest opting for Standard Grade Music, I might feel I had to ensure that they knew a sizeable part of the final mark is gained by playing for several minutes in front of a complete stranger.
- Fun – there are very many takes in each session. Some stop due to forgetfulness, some because of technical slips and others through simple hilarity.