# Record a training take

Capture or import a take for the open score so Trainer can calibrate it and Follow can replay it.

> Type: How-to · Status: Stable · Platforms: iPadOS 17+ · Last reviewed: 2026-07-18

A take is a recording of the open piece, stored with that piece. `Trainer`
calibrates against it in step `3 — Calibrate`, and the `Replay a take` mode in
Follow can play it back against the score. There is no separate training
button: every saved take is already training material.

![A calibrated replay on iPad with system bands, page-turn animation, and the Replay sequence manager.](/assets/demo/calibrator-replay-manager.jpg)

*A saved take can be replayed against its calibration before live use.*

## Record in the Studio

1. Open the piece and the score version you intend to use with Follow.
   Calibration is tied to the take **and** the version it was recorded
   against.
2. Select `Trainer` (the dumbbell icon beside the `Follow` control in the
   reader toolbar). In step `2 — Studio`, select `Open Studio`. The same
   recorder also opens from `Toolbox` › `Recording Studio`.
3. Allow microphone access if iPadOS asks. See
   [Permissions](/docs/start/permissions).
4. Tap the round record button and play the piece through. The elapsed time
   and the live pitch readout (note name and Hz) confirm the Studio hears the
   instrument.
5. Pause and resume if needed — pausing keeps the take open. Use the retry
   control to discard and re-record in one step, or the trash control to
   discard without keeping anything.
6. Tap the record button again to stop and save. The Studio header changes to
   `Take saved`, with `Play` to check the capture and `Calibrate` to continue
   directly.

The take now appears under `My Takes`, step `2` in `Trainer` shows a
check, and the `Takes` status chip fills in. One clean, complete pass is
enough; keep the device in a stable position and avoid speech or unrelated
playback during the capture.

> **Important** Do not start a second audio source while recording. Take
> playback, Follow, the tuner, embedded recordings, and the Studio share the
> device audio session and can interrupt one another.

> **Limit** A Bluetooth headset microphone is never used for capture.
> Recording uses the iPad microphone or a wired input; a connected USB audio
> interface is selected automatically when available.

## Check the take in Trainer

Step `2 — Studio` lists each take with its file size and calibration state:

- `Not calibrated yet` — recorded, but not yet aligned to the score.
- `Automatic calibration saved` — `Auto-calibrate` has run for this take.
- `Calibration saved · open` — a manual PDF calibration exists; selecting it
  reopens the calibrator on this take.

Each row has a selection circle (the take step `3` will calibrate), a play
button, a wand button that auto-calibrates that specific take (filled once
done), a share button, and a delete button. Play the take once from its row to
confirm the correct performance was captured before calibrating.

If step `3` shows `Record a take in Step 2 first`, no take is saved yet for
this piece.

## Import a recording instead

If a usable recording already exists, open the piece's properties and select
`Import Recording` to pull an audio or video file from Files or iCloud Drive.
It appears under `My Takes` alongside recorded takes. Recordings downloaded
from authorized sources keep their licence metadata and are listed separately
from `My Takes`.

> **Limit** Imported recordings calibrate locally and manually by default.
> The cloud `Auto-calibrate` path accepts them only under a Public Domain,
> CC0, CC BY, or CC BY-SA licence, and only once the service confirms uploads
> are deleted after processing. A blocked take shows `local/manual only` in
> its row, and the `Auto-calibrate` button reads `Imported recording:
> manual/local until legal upload is available`.

## Delete a take

Takes are listed under `My Takes` in the piece's properties, where they can
be played, renamed, or deleted.

> **Important** Deleting a take also deletes every calibration file tied to
> it — timing anchors, repeats, page turns, and voicing. Re-recording the
> take means recalibrating it.

For general-purpose recording and take management, see
[Recording Studio](/docs/practice/recording-studio). To calibrate the take
you just saved, continue with
[Prepare a score for Follow](/docs/follow/prepare).