Mara Squander

Video Project!

Crybaby Video Guide Track

Poor Boy Video Guide Track

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.

 

MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday
3:30 The Refractionists2:30 Radio Fire3:30 Five More Minutes2:00 Livewire8:00 Louisa/Nina/Sunny/Maya/Sybil
4:30 The Osmos3:30 The Daylights3:30 Melophobia4:30 The Vowels 3:00 Marin/Isla/Becca/Jessie/Lucille9:00 Title Wave
5:30 Hebron Lames4:30 Ballpit4:30 Death Destroyer5:30 The Nevers4:00 Night Mares10:00 Decades
5:30 Avani/Fiona/Layla/Nico Band5:30 Kilonova5:30 Unicorn Fury6:30 The Hazards5:00 The Bloodhunters11:00 Empire Scorn
7:30 TTADA6:30 The Favorites7:30 The Irrelevants6:00 Ship to Saturn
7:30 Imperfect Strangers

Current Assignment:

Everybody: Play along with the old songs once a day

Mimmy: 5/8 Pass!  Nice work Mimmy!  You’re good now, just stay fresh on the old songs.  Solid.

Maddie: 5/21 Pass!  nice work Maddie.  That’s what I was looking for.  I can’t feel you tugging at their time anymore, it’s right in the pocket.  Solid!  A really fun bonus song is Come back home which is under the Vitoria band page.  Great guitar part.  You could work on that until we get a new going.

Phoebe: 5/29 Pass!  Nice work Phoebe.

5/8 Sounds tight! Last thing to fix.  It’s the timing at the end of the prechorus and the chorus.  F 1 2 Ab 3 4 Bb 1 2 F 3 4 and it should be F 1 Ab 2 3 4 Bb 1 F 2 3 4.  Play that part and count out loud until you can make that happen at the speed of the song.  If you want send me just a video of that with the counting and I can make sure you got it.  So close!  Everything else sounds mint.  Except you need your piano tuned big styley;)

Anna: 5/22 Slow is perfect, fast is shuffled. You basically double your speed for the fast one but you don’t double the speed of the two kicks. That makes the second one late. It may be a technique thing, like you can’t actually play two kicks in a row fast enough to make it work.

Mara: 5/28 Pass!  This is sounding great Mara!  Keep practicing with the note when you practice, it’s helped you a lot.  You nailed singing both notes in the very beginning.  As you practice keep watching your timing, be AFTER every chord and the only time you wait more than a whole chord progression to sing is the two prechoruses and the second bridge.  Nice work!

Crybaby Structure: V 4x, PC 4x, C 4x, V 4x, PC 4x, C 4x, B1 4x, B2 4x, C 4x done.

Current songs edited to match our key and arrangement:

Mara Squander Arrangement Paralell Universe

Mara Squander Arrangement Poor Boy

Mara Squander Arrangement The Hunter

Band of Horses Funeral Verse, Heavy Verse, Chorus, Verse, Heavy Verse, Chorus, Ending

Mara Squander Arrangement Destroyboys

Videos:

Mara Crybaby Video

Maddie Crybaby Video

Mimmy Crybaby Video

Phoebe Crybaby Video

Anna Crybaby Video

Band of Horses Funeral Guitar

Band of Horses Funeral Bass

Band of Horses Funeral Keys

Band of Horses Funeral Drums

Band of Horses Funeral Vocals