Video Project!
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!
Our concept is backlit silhouettes in a dark room. Everyone should start out playing but can get creative after that. Make me laugh. Rayna, you need to do something to make it obvious you are singing. I suggested a flashlight on you, or the sunstar thing. I trust you. Have fun!
Careful 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.
Hurt All the Small Things Buddy Holly You are Going to Hate This DVP Teddy Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass Bruno Pass Pass Pass Pass No Rye Pass Pass Pass Pass No Grant Pass Pass Pass Pass No Niall Pass Pass Pass Pass No Rayna Pass Pass Pass Pass Pass
Current Assignment:
Everyone: Play along with the old songs once a day. Focus on you’re going to hate this, it’s still a little loose. It’s way loose. Loose.
New Videos for DVP PUP are below. Don’t feel like you have to learn the whole song at once, but it’s there.
DVP Structure: Intro, Verse, chorus, , verse 2 progressions, Verse w/ hits, Chorus, Intro 2, Bridge, Double Chorus
Bruno: 5/19 Got your video. That picking pattern sounds great. You should try it with a metronome app. You’re playing it at 180 (or 90 if you get annoyed by the clicks). The real song is 300 (or 150). A great way to speed up something that you already understand is to loop it for say 5 minutes a day. For the first 2.5 minutes play it at the tempo that you can do it perfectly, 180 for you now. This reinforces playing it the right way. For the second 2.5 minutes up the tempo to where you just start to lose it. Maybe 200 for you now. this pushes the speed. Do this every day for a while and you’ll find that yesterday’s fast speed often becomes todays slow speed. Then you just have to keep it up and wait. You should also try to make your pick slightly more parallel to the string. Otherwise you start to get a slicing sound and not as fat of a tone.
Rayna: 5/4 I think your scream singing is great! So there’s an assessment. It’s getting better too, way less Louis Armstrong than before. To be honest, the fact that you’re able to do it with such confidence is impressive on it’s own. Do not stop. You’re going to really enjoy doing it with an actual cranking band. If you can do it with a quiet recording get ready. You can really sing any way you want if you exude enough confidence. No one goes to shows to see a perfect vocal performance, they go to get excited. The song itself seems very close. I’d ditch any trace of his accent, make it yours. I’d also like to see it memorized. IF you could do his falsetto scream right before the last chorus I’d be super pumped.
Teddy: 5/18 Pass! Nice work Teddy! Those power chords still sound weird but your technique looks great now. I think you may need to tune your low E string. I’d keep playing two old songs along with the recordings once a day, rotate through them to keep them fresh. Solid!
Rye: 5/4 Sick! I’m glad you separated the intro from the verse beat. The verse beat is right on, and it’s not that slow! You’re at 112 and the original song is at 154. Try playing that every day for 5 minutes. For the first 2.5 minutes loop it at a comfortable speed. For the second 2.5 minutes play it 10bpm faster. Use a click for both. You’ll find that your fast speed will become your new slow speed in a day or so. Then, Dial DVP up on YouTube and set the speed to half speed and try to play along. It’ll still be hard but in a different way and you’ll be able to learn the structure. Make your next video of you playing along with that and a few measures of the verse beat at whatever your current comfortable speed is. Solid!
Current songs edited to match our key and arrangement:
Super Thunder Punch Arrangemnt Hurt
Super Thunder Punch Arrangement All the Small Things
Super Thunder Punch Arrangement Buddy Holly
Super Thunder Punch Arrangement You are Going to Hate This
Super Thunder Punch Arrangement DVP
Videos: