I’ve got other ideas that work for me. A whole bunch. Really. Contrary to what my only two Works-For-Me-Wednesday posts may suggest, my life is not all about my MP3 recorder.

However, I found yet another application for my much loved recording device.

We went to my brother’s house this weekend so that my girls could practice their Solo & Ensemble pieces with him. One girl will play a flute solo and the other will play clarinet with my brother as the accompanist. They practiced through a couple of times and it sounded so great with both parts. As the girls were putting away their instruments, my brother ran through it on his own.

Then I remembered the MP3.

I carry it with me always now, you know. I’m never without it. I practically sleep with it under my pillow (because don’t we all get our best ideas as we’re falling asleep? Or in the shower–I haven’t figured out how to waterproof it yet, but when I do, it’ll be hanging in there, too).

I whipped it out of my purse. “Hey, let me record just you,” I suggested. So we held it up to the piano and recorded his part.

Back at home, I downloaded the accompanist recordings to my computer, turned up the speakers, and each girl got to practice as many times as she needed to with the person who will be accompanying for the contest.

Then I e-mailed it to the flute teacher who has a computer in the music room, and she will be able to play it during my daughter’s lesson this week. I’ll take my MP3 in case her computer doesn’t work, and they can use that.

This could make practicing piano duets a lot more fun for the kids, too. I can take in the MP3 and have the teacher play the second part so that all week my daughters can practice along with the recording, which is so much more fun than practicing one part and trying to put it together on the spot with the teacher during the lesson.

It’s like homemade karaoke for anyone with a vocal solo….ask the choir teacher to play through the music once, then the student can practice at home as often as he wants.

Take it to band or choir class and record some of the upcoming concert music as they go through it together so that while your student is practicing at home, he can play or sing along his friends.

To listen: Download the file to your computer or simply unplug the computer speakers and plug them directly into the jack on your MP3 and press play. I guess the student could just listen on earbuds and play along, but it’s more fun and realistic to hear it through speakers.

Updated: I forgot to link back. Please visit Rocks in My Dryer for more great ideas!