Part of pointing your students toward success in SmartMusic is ensuring that they’re set up to take the best recording of their performances, thus receiving the most accurate assessments. Taking into consideration a wide range in the quality of built-in and external microphones, combined with a wide range of instrument frequencies, recording isn’t a one-size-fits-all-instruments effort. Here are some tips for helping your students improve their recordings in SmartMusic.
General Recording Tips
- All users should begin by standing one arm’s length away from their device.
- It’s important to remember that the quality of the microphone that the manufacturer built into the device will impact how well a recording is assessed. Try these steps to set up your environment for a great recording: Setting up to record
Woodwinds (Excluding Saxophone)
- Students playing these instruments should experiment with standing a bit closer to their device so they are picked up accurately by the microphone.
Brass & Saxophone
- Students playing these instruments should experiment with standing a bit farther from their device and/or turning 30° to 45° away from the device, thus enabling the student to still read the music while not overwhelming the microphone.
Non-Pitched Percussion Instruments (Excluding Drum Pads)
- Students playing these instruments should experiment with standing a bit farther from their device and/or turning 30° to 45° away from the device, thus enabling the student to still read the music while not overwhelming the microphone.
- Users playing a snare drum should turn off the snares. Leaving them on will confuse SmartMusic’s assessment.
Drum Pads & Pitched Percussion
- Students should experiment with standing a bit closer to their device with these instruments so that they are picked up accurately by the microphone.
Voice
- Vocalists should experiment with standing a bit closer to their device so they are picked up accurately by the mic.
Strings
- Students should experiment with standing a bit closer to their device with these instruments so that they are picked up accurately by the microphone.
Low-Register Instruments (Upright Bass, Low Brass, etc.)
- Students playing a low register instrument may need to experiment with distance from their device in both directions depending on the room and the volume at which the student is playing.