November 6, 2026

Most Manhattan School of Music applications require a prescreening video audition, which is due December 1 along with your application. While your musical performance is much more important than the quality of your recording, we wanted to give you our top tips for recording your best prescreening videos.

You can view specific prescreening requirements for your instrument, as well as which instruments/programs are exempt from the prescreening requirement,* on our Prescreening & Audition Information page. The following strategies will help you produce a clear recording that showcases you at your best:

*Current MSM students and Precollege students who are applying directly to another MSM program are exempt from submitting prescreen videos, except for the following areas of study: MSM College students applying to OP Flute, DMA/AD Piano, and the DMA in Jazz Arts. If you have already graduated from MSM, you must submit prescreen materials if required by your major.  

General Tips for Performing on Video

• Try recording a “dress rehearsal” a week before you record your full audition. This will allow you to perfect your video and audio settings (see below), as well as review your recording for any mistakes you may have missed while practicing.
• Really familiarize yourself with your repertoire. This will help you look and feel more comfortable and relaxed when recording.
• Most importantly, breathe and have fun!

Three important settings you will find on recorders:

• Audio Gain/Input Volume: turning up the gain/input volume will increase the volume of your recording, resulting in a fuller sound. But turning the gain too high will result in “clipping” and audio distortion. Many recording devices will have a volume meter that turns red when the audio is clipping. So as a test, record soft and loud passages of your audition and ensure that the recording is loud enough without clipping. You can always turn up the volume of a recording later, but you cannot get rid of clipping after it happens!
• Sample Rate: Some recorders will give the option as 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz for the sample rates for audio. Both will be perfectly acceptable for an audition recording
• File Format: Many recorders can export audio to different file formats, which can be divided into “uncompressed/lossless” formats and “compressed/lossy” formats. Uncompressed/lossless file formats are larger (the file names will end with .wav, .flac, .aiff). Compressed or lossy files are much smaller (usually ending in .mp3 or .aac). Uncompressed files will be a better choice for audio quality, and should not be too large to upload with a standard internet connection.

Methods for Home Audio Recording

• Smart Phone Apps: We recommend the Shure MOTIV App, which is free and straightforward (there is both an audio or video version).
• Standalone Recorders: Recorders like the Zoom H1n usually contains two microphones in stereo, creating fuller, more detailed recordings.
• USB Microphones: These microphones, like the Audio Technica Audio-Technica AT2020USB+, plug directly into a computer. And while they are straightforward to use they do require does require the use of a Digital Audio Workstation, or DAW, like Garageband, Audacity, Logic, or ProTools.

Note: many standalone recorders and DAWs have options to add an automated “limiter,” “low cut,” or other audio processing. These are unnecessary for an audition recording and can do more harm to your recording than good. Make sure they are turned off!

Microphone Placement:

• The main challenge of recording at home is unwanted reverberation in the recording. This is caused by the surfaces in the room as well as your distance from the microphone. While some reverb, like in a concert hall, adds dimension and warmth, too much reverb leads to a “muddy” sound, obscuring the sonic details in your performance.
• Distance: Try performing about four feet from the microphone to minimize reverb. Listen to your recording and adjust closer or farther as necessary.
• Surfaces: Unwanted reverb is caused by sound reflecting off hard surfaces like walls, ceilings, hard floors, and music stands. Soft objects like sofas, pillows, and rugs can absorb unwanted reverb, while large sturdy items like bookcases can deflect unwanted reverb.
• Avoid and minimize ambient background noise like ceiling fans, air conditioners, or street noise. Choose a quiet room to record in, and remember to test your audio equipment and listen back! Your ears are the most important tool in creating a clear recording.

Lighting

• Placement: Keep the lighting in front of you to make sure you are clearly visible. Avoid performing with a window behind you; the bright light will create a silhouette.
• Resolution: Avoid 4K video resolution, which will create a large file size that is difficult to edit and upload. This high-quality format is unnecessarily large for your audition video.1080p is a standard resolution on video recorders and will be perfectly fine.

Advanced Techniques

For more techniques for syncing separate audio and video recordings and editing, watch “How to Record Your Best Prescreening Videos” by MSM Chief Recording Engineer Dan Rorke!

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As always, the Admission Team is here to answer any questions you may have throughout the application and audition process. Please reach out to us here: admission@msmnyc.edu.

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