<p>AND OMG I SUCK!</p>
<p>I've been playing in school bands for almost 5 years now, and I'm to be in the highest HS ensemble next year. Now my confidence is dashed.</p>
<p>Does the fact that I recorded on my cell phone make any difference? And I bought slightly different reeds from usual.</p>
<p>LOL, cell phone? Yes.</p>
<p>And I think any recording skews the sound a bit. Once, I played a solo with my youth orchestra and everyone including my parents (they're tough cookies) thought it sounded nice. But when I received the CD, oh wow, it was an out-of-tune slushy made from 25 year old lemons.</p>
<p>So, don't lose confidence and keep on practicing.</p>
<p>Recordings sound horrible, unless you buy those recorders worth tens of thousands of dollars that companies use. </p>
<p>Especially don't trust your cell phone...</p>
<p>it sounds similar to how i hear myself, though</p>
<p>Recording on a cell is not the same at all. We had a playing test once, and everyone's playing is like... 10 times worse than their real sound.</p>
<p>anyone else have this problem?</p>
<p>it sounds worse. I did a ringtone of me playing rent and I cringe everytime. Trust me-you sound better in person. Even if you don't, do you get joy from playing?</p>
<p>Maybe youre just judging too harshly. If you're gonna be in the highest band, then you're probably better than you think.</p>
<p>ask your band teacher to record you, my band teacher has a digital recorder and i listen to myself. I've been in marching band and concert band for 6 years, Im going to be in my 3rd year of jazz band next year, and 1st in pit band next year. I'm not THAT great but i love music. i'm president and section leader for next year also. this is coming from a semi-bandie.</p>
<p>actually lets say... a fellow saxophonist...</p>
<p>Yeah unless you have expensive equipment your sound is going to be much worse than what it really is.</p>
<p>YES!!! Listen to everyone here! We have to do tape tests at home (on our own tape recorders). I always record myself billions of times because my clarinet sounds terrible on the recorder. I tune myself millions of times, and change reeds, but nothing works... because it's not me! And, it's not you. It's a CELL PHONE! Record your voice and listen to see how messed up you sound. Don't feel bad about yourself- it's the cell phone, not YOU =)</p>
<p>^Yea, cell phone voice recorders suck. I just use my video camera....the sound that comes out is much more different than a cell phone recorder's sound.</p>
<p>I tried to record myself on a laptop mic a few times. The sound, tone, dynamics, etc sound worse than I hear myself just because the mic isn't great. On the other hand, it helps me realize when I'm rushing or when I'm out of tune on my cello. I wouldn't worry too much about it.</p>
<p>I bought some pretty expensive equipment to record myself playing the violin. It cost like $700. I got some mics, a preamp, and a soundcard for my computer. It sounds pretty good. When I play, I always think nobody will notice my mistakes, or that I don't have to do it THAT perfectly. But, after hearing the recordings, I realized that my mistakes are really noticable, and it gives me incentive to practice those parts. It really improved my playing.</p>
<p>I'm a fellow violinist too. And I always record myself using a tape recorder. yeah, it definitely sound alot worse than the actual thing. Even professionals listen to their own recordings and think they suck. But recording does help you pinpoint ur mistakes.</p>