Actually Scott, I think recording into a video camera and using only the available mic on the camera is a very useful self-examining tool. It's not very discriminating and tends to record everything pretty much equally badly (!). Having said that, I think they can be very truthful as well.

Donny: I appreciate Scott's arranger-only ethic but I don't share in it, nor do I take offense at it. I find that many arranger styles tend to sound repetitive and mechanical after a short period of time. I also find that it restricts my playing style too much to be triggering chordal progressions constantly. I use the arranger portion of my keyboard to allow song options (esp. performing a song I know but isn't programmed in advance) and to jam in freestyle now and then, but I rely on SMF's mostly for my live music. I don't think that devalues my performance, nor has anyone who ever saw me play said that it did. It's just a different choice.