Mary WilliamsPiano Studio

As Easy As iMovie

Sometimes what we see and hear as pianists is different from what others see and hear. Example: When you are speaking, you hear the voice in your head as one sound, then when you hear your voice on a recording, you may think, ‘Is that really what I sound like!?!’

When playing the piano, there is so much to focus on, so why not ask for a little help? This is where your computer comes into play. If you have a laptop, then chances are you have a tiny little built-in camera at the top of the screen. And if you are an owner of a Mac, then you have iMovie. (There is probably a PC equivalent, but I am sorry to report that I am not educated in that field.)

iMovie, with the click of a button, can record yourself playing the piano. In my studio, I often resort to iMovie as a method of self-evaluation. Within an instant, you have a visual and audio recording of yourself. This will easily allow you to view your playing, and analyze it from the perspective of a third party.

iMovie is just one of the ways we can incorporate the use of the computer in piano study. This is not only easy, but is also really fun. My students love seeing themselves on ‘TV!’