@glassharmonica I wonder if the instrument makes a difference whether DIY works or not. My son is a bass player and I really notice the difference between decent recordings done in a studio and those made using his iPhone. That being said my son has applied to programs (and been accepted) using just an iPhone recording. But I also know he there are some programs or grants he has not received where he admits he wished he had put in the extra time to go to a studio to do the recording.