Day 26: Recording and Listening Back
Today’s task is simple—but it can feel uncomfortable: record yourself singing your chosen song, then listen back and take notes on how the performance differs from your ideal.
The goal is to step outside of “this is me singing” and listen as critically as possible, as if you were evaluating another singer. Many people dislike how they sound on recordings, but this process helps you identify whether the skills you picked yesterday are still the right focus—or if something else needs attention first.
Today’s Task:
- Record yourself singing the full song.
- Play it back without stopping and just listen.
- Listen again and take notes on differences from your ideal performance.
- Compare these notes with the skills you selected yesterday.
Use the same observation style and terminology from Days 22–25 so your notes stay consistent and easy to compare.
Helpful Mindset:
Think of your recording as data, not a judgment. The goal isn’t to love or hate your sound—it’s to learn from it.
Order for Isolating Issues:
While skills can be worked in any order, it’s often most effective to address them in this sequence:
- Breath/Support – Is your airflow steady? Are phrases supported start to finish?
- Pitch – Are you consistently on pitch? Are there specific trouble spots?
- Tonality/Timbre – Does your tone fit the style you’re aiming for? Is it consistent?
- Everything Else – Phrasing, diction, stylistic choices, dynamics, ornamentation.
It’s hard to fix stylistic details if your breath and pitch aren’t solid.
Why This Matters:
Hearing yourself as others do is one of the fastest ways to spot where your technique supports you—and where it holds you back. This step bridges your listening work with real, tangible self-assessment.
Tomorrow: We’ll take one element from your list and focus on applying it directly in your singing.
