Video Project!
Seven Nation Army Video Guide Track
Actual Music Video Instructions:
In this video there is no reason to use headphones when you play the guide track, just play it on something nice and loud. We will not be using any audio from this video. Feel free to talk while you’re making it. If you’re playing you should attempt to play the actual song so it looks a little like it’s lining up with the music but it’s not super important. If you’re singing you should actually sing so your lips line up with the music. If you can do the claps in the beginning without messing up your video please do them! KEEP THAT CAMERA SIDEWAYS!
We’re going to be playing the song again but with as many people as possible throwing stuffed animals at us. Use the video guide track again, no headphones, and do the claps. Aim for a waist up shot where you fill the camera frame. Remember, you won’t be in the video for the whole thing, I’ll be switching back and forth, so if something gets weird for a second it’s OK. Instruments should play the real notes but if you make mistakes it’s ok because you won’t hear them. Marcelo you should try to sing the right words so your lips line up with the old video. Have fun!
Careful Music Video Instructions:
The first video we’ll be making is the “careful” video. For this one the goal is to carefully play the song so we have a good audio track for the final video. I’ll also be using the video from this round to make our “studio” video. To make this video grab some headphones and play along with the video guide track that’s above. In the intro you’ll hear my count, then a clap, another clap and then one more count. After you hear the first count you should clap along with both claps and after the second count start playing the song. The claps are important, if you don’t quite get it right start again. These claps will sync up your video and audio with the rest of the band so if they’re early or late you’ll be out of time in the video. You should play the song as well as you can, maybe do a few takes. DON’T STRESS about perfection though! I can fix a few mistakes in post production so if you crush the whole song but miss a note at the end you’re done. Below are the guidelines for each instrument that will help you get good audio and video so please make sure you read yours before you start. Have fun!
Guidelines for Everyone:
Hold your camera sideways (landscape/horizontal format). No vertical video!
Use headphones to listen to the guide track.
Record in a quiet room. Every sound in your video will end up in the final videos.
Rooms with less echo are better to record in, you’ll sound better. Rooms with furniture, carpet and curtains work well.
Keep your camera steady. If possible, put it on something instead of holding it.
If possible have a solid color for a background, like a painted wall.
You should have plenty of light on you but make sure it’s NOT coming from behind you.
No need to look at the camera, pretend it’s not there.
Phones almost always have better cameras than laptops so if possible use your phone.
Don’t trim the video’s beginning or end. I’ll handle that.
Vocal Video Guidelines:
Keep the camera close. Aim for a head and upper body shot from the side like THIS.
Sing loud, don’t hold back!
Drums Video Guidelines:
A real challenge for recording drums is getting the cymbals to not drown out the other drums.
Play the cymbals lightly and other drums loud. Kick and Snare are most important!
If you have time try a few different camera positions and see which one has the quietest cymbals. Holding the camera close to the floor can help. Try somewhere around the kick drum looking up at the drummer’s face like THIS.
Guitar and Bass Video Guidelines:
Tune right before you make the video! I can help tune on zoom if you don’t have a tuner, just email or text me to set up a time.
Use your amp and turn it up! As long as you can hear the music in the headphones you’re not too loud.
Aim for a video that has your head and most of your instrument like THIS.
If you don’t have an amp it’s VERY important that the room is quiet. I’ll be boosting the signal a lot so any background noise will get boosted too. Play loud but don’t beat on it. Holding the camera like THIS will help.
Keys Video Guidelines:
If you’re playing a piano try holding the camera like THIS. Play normally.
If you are playing a keyboard THIS is a good angle. Keep the volume high.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 3:30 The Refractionists 2:30
Radio Fire 3:30
Five More Minutes 2:00
Livewire 8:00
Louisa/Nina/Sunny/Maya/Sybil 4:30 The Osmos 3:30
The Daylights 3:30 Melophobia 4:30
The Vowels
3:00
Marin/Isla/Becca/Jessie/Lucille 9:00
Title Wave 5:30
Hebron Lames 4:30
Ballpit 4:30
Death Destroyer 5:30
The Nevers 4:00
Night Mares 10:00
Decades 5:30
Avani/Fiona/Layla/Nico Band 5:30
Kilonova 5:30
Unicorn Fury 6:30
The Hazards 5:00
The Bloodhunters 11:00
Empire Scorn 7:30
TTADA 6:30
The Favorites 7:30
The Irrelevants 6:00
Ship to Saturn 7:30
Imperfect Strangers
Current Assignment:
Everyone: Play along with the old two songs once a day.
Marcelo: 5/20 This is sounding awesome Marcelo! Before you go on to sing along with my version I’d like you to fix up the chorus. There’s a couple of lines that trip you up. Also, make sure you know when the chorus starts after the solo. You don’t have to play the solo, but you need to know it perfectly or you won’t know when to come back in. In all songs, when you miss a line, never back up and sing it again. That’ll make everything after it late. When you miss a note in music it’s gone forever, who cares. On to the next one! Nice work Marcelo!
Guthrie: 5/22 Awesome Video Guthrie. I should put you in charge of the end of the year music video projects! Breed is sounding really good. The transition from the chorus to the verse was perfect. There was a little hitch going from the verse to the chorus. I don’t know if it was just that once or it’s all the time. Once you tighten that up you’re ready to play along with the slow version on the web page for sure. Nice!
Lennon: 5/27 Sick Lennon! That’s totally right! I think you may be ready to try to play the whole song with the slow version I put below. Make sure you keep an ear on the music at all times. Make it loud and then play quietly. If you get lost stop and start again, don’t try to keep up. It may also help to just listen to the song a couple of times and keep an eye on the structure below so you can tell where the parts change. Go for it Lennon!
Harrison: 5/15 Dang Harrison! The whole song! Nice work! Here’s some missions for you. First, on the verse you are a little messy at that speed. Practice it by itself for 1 minute each day at whatever speed you can play it perfectly even if it’s really slow. In the chorus you’re forgetting the last hit on the second and 4th chords. You did it right in the last chorus though. Also, the chorus only ever comes FOUR times in a row then you switch back to the verse. You’re doing 8 every time. I think you should leave your guitar unplugged when you play along with the slow version. I don’t think you can hear Nirvana and you’re not quite with them. that’s it! Keep it up!
5/5 Nice first outing on Blood//water! You’re actually not far off. Here’s a few things to work on. First, I think you should play each part over and over again for one minute a little slow. You have a lot of random wrong notes and if you do this for a few days they will disappear. Take a break from playing the whole song until the parts feel easier. Second, where the structure says chorus you’re playing the verse. Check my video at 2:45 and you’ll see there’s a whole part you don’t do, the chorus. Third, be careful not to rush the prechorus. It’s a little slower than you think. Also, each time it comes you should play it twice then do an extra measure on the last note. Soldi work Harrison!
7 nation army structure: V 12x, T, C 2x, T, V 12x, T, C 4x (solo), T , V 12x, T, C 2x
Breed Structure: Intro 16x, Verse 4x, Chorus 4x, Intro 8x, Verse 4x, Chorus 4x, Intro 8x, Intro 16x (solo), Chorus 4x, Intro 8x
Current songs edited to match our key and arrangement:
Colton:Guthrie:Lennon:Marcelo:Harrison Arrangement Sucker
Colton:Guthrie:Lennon:Marcelo:Harrison Arrangement Stepping Stone
Colton:Guthrie:Lennon:Marcelo:Harrison Arrangement 7 nation Army
Colton:Guthrie:Lennon:Marcelo:Harrison Arrangement 7 nation Army Slow
Colton:Guthrie:Lennon:Marcelo:Harrison Arrangement Breed
Colton:Guthrie:Lennon:Marcelo:Harrison Arrangement Breed Slow
Videos: