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3 min read
By Carl @ RunThrough

Recording Your Practice Sessions

Enhance musical skills by recording practice sessions for objective feedback and progress tracking.

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Most musicians only hit record when they think they're ready for a "final take." But here's the thing: Recording is a practice tool, not just a documentation tool.

The Feedback Gap

When you're playing, you're experiencing music from the inside. You feel the strings, you hear the sound bouncing around the room, you're focused on your technique. But you can't actually hear what the audience hears—or what the microphone captures.

The Three Versions of Your Playing

  1. What you think you're playing (in your head)
  2. What you're actually playing (what the mic hears)
  3. What you want to play (your goal)

Recording closes the gap between #1 and #2.

Why Recording Changes Everything

1. Objective Feedback

Your memory is unreliable. You remember the good parts and forget the mistakes. Recording doesn't lie. It shows you exactly what happened, not what you hoped happened.

2. Immediate Comparison

Play a passage twice, then compare the recordings. You'll hear differences you didn't notice while playing. Maybe your timing was slightly off. Maybe your dynamics were inconsistent. Maybe your tone changed.

3. Progress Tracking

Record the same piece weekly. After a month, compare Take 1 to Take 30. The improvement will be obvious—and motivating.

4. Problem Identification

Can't figure out why something sounds off? Record it and listen back. Often, the problem becomes clear when you're not focused on playing.

How to Use Recording in Practice

The Comparison Method

  1. Record Take 1: Play it as you normally would
  2. Listen: Identify what needs work
  3. Make one adjustment: Focus on one specific thing
  4. Record Take 2: Same passage, with your adjustment
  5. Compare: What changed? Did it improve?
  6. Repeat: Keep refining

The Slow-Motion Method

  1. Record at full speed: Capture your current level
  2. Record at half speed: Work on accuracy
  3. Compare: Notice how slowing down reveals issues
  4. Record again at full speed: See if the slow work improved the fast version

The Isolation Method

  1. Record the whole piece: Get the full context
  2. Record just the problem section: Isolate what needs work
  3. Work on that section: Focused practice
  4. Record the whole piece again: See how the fix affects everything

What to Listen For

When reviewing recordings, check:

  • Timing: Are you rushing or dragging?
  • Dynamics: Is your volume consistent?
  • Tone: Does your sound quality change?
  • Articulation: Are notes clear and distinct?
  • Phrasing: Does it flow musically?
  • Mistakes: Where do you consistently stumble?

Overcoming Recording Anxiety

Many musicians feel pressure when the red light is on. But here's the secret: These recordings are just for you. They're practice tools, not performances. The more you record, the less pressure you'll feel.

Make Recording Routine

Record everything—even warm-ups, even mistakes, even experiments. When recording becomes normal, you'll play more naturally.

The RunThrough Advantage

With RunThrough, recording is frictionless. One tap, and you're capturing. Compare takes instantly. See your progress over time. No DAW complexity, no file management headaches—just you and your practice.

Start Today

Pick up your instrument right now. Hit record. Play something you're working on. Listen back. What do you hear that you didn't notice while playing?

That's the power of recording. It's not about perfection—it's about progress.

Record everything. Compare constantly. Improve faster.