My First Video (warts and all )

Since I am not playing out much since my 17 yr, 3 times a week gig ended, I am trying to learn video. Here is my first:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwIAHVXdWvw

Hey Bernie, thank you for uploading your video , I wish more of us would share our work.
Good playing, but I’d like to hear a bit more backing which I think will give you a fuller sound. Just my opinion, so take it for what it ‘s worth….

Hi Paul
God bless you for the comment, the only one in 118 views. You being the master of the Latin genre, I fully agree. I am brand new to video, and didn't realize the importance of many elements to come together. With your encouragement, I will soldier on.

Thank you.

I hate to say it, but I got to agree with montunoman.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I posted about listening to demos before you post and trying to see if they’re in balance with the style..! It’s quite possibly the #1 mistake most people make. We try so hard to hear ourselves well, we end up making sure you can barely hear anything else at all!

It is honestly one of the most difficult things to do, to play WITHIN the mix, not completely on top of it. The rule of thumb is, if it’s a pretty busy style, if you can hear yourself really well, odds are you’re too loud..! If you can JUST hear yourself, it’s probably about right.

The trouble of course is, how do we play well without really hearing ourselves upfront, loud and proud? That mostly boils down to learning the song and solos etc. to the point where you don’t HAVE to be loud and proud just to avoid mistakes.

But there’s a trick you can try….

Record yourself to your arranger’s sequencer. Play it back. Then edit the recording by turning down your keyboard Parts until they sit within the mix so you can hear both them AND the backing in a nice balance. Now note how much you had to turn them down, go back to your registration, and turn down the keyboard Parts that same amount.

Now record again. Try not to play harder to compensate. Listen to the recording. You might have struggled to hear yourself while you played, but the recording should now be far more balanced.

Now you should have an ‘ear’ for how much you should struggle to hear yourself in general, but you will gradually get used to it, and both your recordings and your audience (if playing to other people) will notice a much fuller, balanced sound.

It takes a while, but the end result is worth it, not only in a better balanced sound, but you’ll probably find yourself playing more rhythmically and dynamically better, as you can cue off the style better and groove off the drums when they are as loud and proud as you!

As players, we all want to hear ourselves, but the minute you are playing in a band (which is what playing with an arranger is!) you have to remember that everyone is just as important as you… the drummer, the bassist, the guitarist, the horns etc.. Even though you’re not playing them, they ARE as important as you..!

Try the recording to the sequencer trick. It will help you enormously! 🎹😎

Thank you Diki. I appreciate the critique, and will try your method. I guess a one shot record is too iffy right now. I am learning that there is lighting, backdrop, and expressions to work on also. With the forbearance of you all, I will keep on.

I don't consider myself a "master" by any means but thanks Bernie!

Here's an idea for you new YT channel- I see you have several different brands of keyboards. Perhaps you could do comparisons- play the same tune on each keyboard. I know it would be practically impossible for most people to ever compare these boards in one place, so you would be doing a great service for those looking to buy a keyboard.

It is a good idea which I will think about. I have to get a little better at video, making sure everything is constant except for the keyboard. Diki had good points I will study. We all have seen good comparisons, then some that could not be accurately judged because it wasn't comparing apples to apples.

Thanks Paul

I would suggest that, until you can get the audio balanced, perhaps hold off on the video end of things… 😎

The old ‘walking before you run’ thing comes to mind! Not to mention, a bad video of a great audio is, at least for me, far preferable to a well lit and framed video with fundamental audio flaws. You definitely don’t want to use your phone’s microphone, so a little audio interface that is phone compatible will go a long way to giving a pro sheen by cutting out the room acoustics…

And while you are at it, if you are going to sing, check carefully that you haven’t drenched your vocal in too much reverb! That’s probably the #2 mistake so many of us make. Because you are always hearing your head voice mixed in with the output of the vocal processing, it always sounds drier while we sing than it does at playback. So, once again like the style/live play balance, if you struggle to hear your reverb while you sing, out front and on the recording it’s probably about right…

Just take your time… and prioritize the audio to start. After all, that’s what we want to focus on, right?! 🤩

I am using a Zoom Q2n HD camcorder for vocal and keyboard(not wired in). I tried direct record and I had a feedback problem, also tried using a good Sennheiser mic plugged into the 1/4 jack of the Yamaha.

I am sure you are right about procedures. Thank you.

Bernie, two things:

1. Smile while you're playing .

2. Learn the basics of video editing so you can delete the end where you turn off the camera.

Those will be the quickest and easiest ways to improve your videos. BTW, you're absolutely justified in your initial comment about the lack of responses to your initial posting. Clearly you were looking for feedback and suggestions for improving your performance/video skills. That's (one of) the primary purposes of a forum like this and we should all make our participation a priority. I myself, am/was guilty even though I had some thoughts I should have shared. I will blame laziness and procrastination but that's a lousy excuse. Luckily, Paul (as usual) responded (in his usual supportive way) and that at least triggered other responses.

I say, if we want to keep the forum viable as a learning platform, we need to respond to postings that forumites (probably not a word ) put up for critique. Keep 'em coming, Bernie. I know that you (along with Paul and Diki) are one of the ones that will usually respond to a posted performance.

chas

PS: You may want to invest in a video editor if you want truly pro results. I use Cyberlink's Power Director which works for me and gives a lot of bang for the buck. However, there are lots of others in that price range to choose from. Other members may have some other suggestions.

Chas
Thank you for the well founded critique, as well as great supportive commentary. I have to be honest and say that I have a video editor but haven't gotten around to learning it. I have a bad habit of looking somber when concentrating on several things at once, but we can't always stay in our comfort zone if we choose to improve. I must say, it is easier for me, with the support of the forum, to venture forth knowing comments are constructive.

Thanks to all

Learning software is very much like learning an instrument. You don’t jump in and play a concerto to start off with!

Now might be a very good time to take a short video, maybe 30 seconds long, and then practice putting it into the computer chopping it up, editing it, trimming the beginning and ends, practice making transitions, Color correction, all that sort of stuff…

Your computer will work much faster on a very short clip, and you can familiarize yourself with the different options without the pressure of it being on something that you want to release eventually, at full length…

Scales and arpeggios first, full pieces second! Walk before you try to run…!

By the way, because arrangers have a locked in tempo, it’s pretty easy to do two or three takes from different angles and cut them together for a real pro three camera.look… 🎹😎

Diki

I was doing so well with your suggestions until the last one. lol. I guess you'll see me in the fall, as you just raised the bar.

Seriously though, thank you.

Just kicking ideas out there!

But yes, walk before you run..! But no harm in planning a light jog for after the walking part!

One of my funnest recording projects was a duo I was in with an acoustic guitarist where we played several days a week on the same pool bar on the Gulf. We brought down an eight track ADAT recorder, and basically recorded everything for about a week.

The really cool thing came about from the locked tempo of all the tracks and styles I used, so it was easy to just take several days’ takes of the same tune, stack them up on each other in a DAW, line them all up, and then I could cut and paste between takes for the best solo or the best vocal performance, but also use multiple takes for say rhythm guitar and do the old pan them apart hard left and right for that double tracked feel..! Same with harmonies, even lead vocals.

So we ended up with a quite studio sound, but everything had been recorded ‘live’…

Now imagine the same concept applied to video tracks… If there’s one thing that’s pretty easy in a video editor, it’s cutting between takes and doing cool transitions like wipes and fades, etc..

Once you get the basics down, playing around with editors is easy as long as you have that nice locked in tempo!

Not a bad first Video Bern. The audio critique by Dikie is one that I'm also guilty of. Too much volume on right hand, and not enough "umph" with the style. There are times, of course, when simulating a solo, you do want that right hand out front, but generally, getting the whole band involved sounds better. Maybe pay them better

On the video end, and I'm somewhat of a video fanatic, actually possessed you have what they call "fish-eye phenomenon". It usually occurs in the camera lens, because you are too close to the camera using wide-angle. You can try and reduce this effect, by moving away from your camera. Curious, are you using a web cam, phone, or dedicated camcorder. Fix the "fish eye" and it will look great.

Making musical videos is a fun hobby, and it's a great way to pass the time, you're off to a good start. I can tell you are a pro player, who probably was brought up on a Hammond, or similar non arranger. Good job playing. Thanks for sharing.

I’m as guilty as anyone of letting my player sounds and vocal effects creep up if unattended for long! This is why I strap a pocket digital recorder (I like my Zoom H4n) on my headphone outputs if I’m not using them, and just roll on record most of the time, whether rehearsing or performing.. I find it next to impossible to be super accurate about levels while I’m actually playing - I can get in the ballpark but to truly judge if I got it right requires me to listen critically to the playback. Then it’s a snap to hear whether any player part is too far forward or backwards, whether the effects match the backing (another common mistake) and if my voice sits in the track correctly. Play, record, listen, adjust. Rinse and repeat a couple of times or three, it gets on the money! Sure, eventually you get an ear for what’s going to be close, but ‘perfection’ (whatever THAT is!) always takes a few goes before it’s good. Digital recorders are an arranger player’s greatest asset after the keyboard itself…!

Thank you Larry and Diki,

I have no doubt every observance by both of you is spot on. Now to correct these flaws:

1. Fish Eye seems to be on top of the list, and is being worked on by changing the settings on my Zoom Q2n HD from wide angle to "tel" and moving back.

2. Audio balance to be scrutinized- no more" one take" productions.

3. Maybe changing the shoot angle, so every furtive glance I make to lyrics etc, won't be so apparent.

There are more, but I will start with these, with a continued thank you for your help.

I shall return !

A little bit of editing using VSDC Video Editor. Hope you don't mind me using your video Bernie.




You Tube Link

Nice job, Larry. That's why I was pushing Bernie from the very beginning to crack open that video editor. You brought him "out of the shadows and into the light" . However, by trimming the end of his original video, we'll now never know if he actually succeeded in turning the camera off .

chas

Thanks Chas, it's a challenge to straighten out a curved video. That was something new to me. It's hard to get it just right. Adding some color, increasing gamma, and contrast help. It's not perfect, but ya can't make chicken soup out of chicken sh*t

I'm still looking for way to video edit myself 20 lbs. thinner.

I have managed to learn how to trim and fix the Fish Eye. I had my camera on "wide Setting" wrong according to the Zoom Q2n HD forum. I was advised to use standard or telescopic, with telescopic not so good in some cases. This may be peculiar to my camera, but it takes out most of the effect. I can trim like the big boys, now lol.

Larry, nice job

[quote=lahawk] It's not perfect, but ya can't make chicken soup out of chicken sh*t

Larry,
I know you were a marine, but you shouldn't call my song chicken sh*t. lol

That's great Bernie. I learned all the 'basic' stuff in video editing but like most people my age, if I don't use something on a fairly regular basis, I have to go back and re-learn it (over and over again ). You're headed in the right direction though, so keep it up; it'll keep you out of trouble .

chas

Not the song, the video.

I know, I just had to rib you. BTW I made another chicken song. If we can't laugh a little, to bad for us.

I know your just kidding.
I saw your latest Facebook videos. Big Improvements. No fisheye, and you even combed your hair.
Keep up the good work.

Reading you guys posts, I haven't smiled/laughed so much in the last year . This is what USED to make this forum special.

chas

I know your just kidding. smile
I saw your latest Facebook videos. Big Improvements. No fisheye, and you even combed your hair. smile
Keep up the good work." end of quote from Larry.

Thank you noticing the hair, Larry. Actually, I have two, but with a grainy video the other one got lost I guess.

On a more serious side; thanks guys for the support.

Larry, please post your corrected video’s URL. We still have that problem with some platforms not seeing them (my iPad for one…).

Thanks.

You Got It Diki
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFo_a1TLUQw&ab_channel=LarryHawk

Looks and sounds good to me.

Gary

Thanks…