As a guitarist, I feel that one of the best ways to promote
yourself over the internet (such as on Youtube), get some serious exposure, or
even to make a buck or two, is via videos.
For instance a well-made, professionally-created video could
do wonders as far as your exposure is concerned. All you need to do is create
one single video, and you’ll have the option to put it up on multiple video
hosting websites, such as Youtube, Metacafe, Vimeo, DailyMotion and many
others. These websites get millions of views every day, and a single video on
any one of these website could get you a ton of exposure and help you get the
word out about yourself.
Furthermore, you can also earn a buck or two through your
videos. A lot of musicians and guitarists are using their blogs and websites to
teach the guitar. You could also look into doing this by developing a series of
‘Learn to Play the Guitar’ videos, and putting them up on your website and
charging a fee for access to those videos.
This is similar to what the popular guitar-learning websites
GuitarJamz and JustinGuitar do, however the latter
employs a donation-based method, giving free access to the videos.
And let’s not forget that Youtube also allows you to
monetize your videos – via Youtube ads or your own AdSense account – via the
Youtube Partner Program. (You can read all about the program on Youtube’s
support page).
The point is, as a guitar player and a musician, you should be making videos. Instructional
videos, original songs, cover songs… the whole deal. It’s super-easy
(especially in this day and age), has tons of benefits, and I’ll even walk you
through the process in this article.
First off, you need to choose and decide upon the hardware
that you’ll use. You have a couple of options here, one of which is using your
laptop’s webcam, or your iPhone’s camera for slightly better quality.
Alternatively, you could invest in a professional camera-tripod combo, a
wired/wireless mic and/or cables and adapters
(or some other way) to connect your guitar with your setup, whatever you
choose to do.
It all essentially boils down to how much you can spend (if
at all) on new hardware. And if you’re low on funds, making do with what’s
readily available is the best solution. For instance you could use the camera
on your iPhone; the latest iPhones have a pretty great camera hardware that can
record HD videos (720p on the iPhone 4 @ 30FPS, and 1080p on the 4S and 5!).
If you use a camera or a camcorder to record, get a tripod
for it as well.
As far as the audio is concerned, I would always recommend
getting an external wired or wireless mic with your setup. Microphones that are
built into cellphones, webcams and cameras usually do a poor job of recording
audio, and end up capturing too much noise room. A mic that is clipped to your
shirt or your guitar will ensure that the sound that is intended to be recorded
is actually captured. Here are a few iPhone
external mics.
Here
is a resource that has more information on to make a video using your
iPhone.
Choose a place in your house that can be used as a
mini-studio of sorts (or go to a studio for recording purposes if you have
access to one). Make sure that you record with a solid backdrop, or hang a blue
sheet behind you.
As with all forms of photography, lighting will be
detrimental to the quality of your video. The place where you record should be
brightly-lit, preferably with a bit of natural light. However avoid putting
direct light on the subject (which in this case is you), and instead try
reflecting light onto the subject. You can learn more about this here
and here.
Make sure that you have a comfortable place to sit, and that
the camera angle is right; the frame should not cut off your face, and your
audience should be able to see the guitar clearly. For instructional videos
though, it might a good idea to zoom into the guitar itself.
Once the video has been recorded, it’s time for
post-production. Which means that the ‘raw’ version of the video in your
possession will go through a software for editing and effects, in order to be
made into a video that can go online. You can use one of the many video editing
software available out there for this purpose. Windows comes with a pretty
great, but basic, program called the Windows Movie Maker. Off-the-shelf or
third part solutions for Microsoft Windows include Sony Vegas Pro, Cyberlink’s
Power Director, Adobe Premiere Pro/Elements, and of course, the brilliant
iMovie on Mac OS. Here is a list of Lifehacker’s 5 Best Video Editors.
You can of course, outsource the post-production process to
entirely someone else (for instance on Fiverr), or ask a friend to help you out
with this.
Once you’re done and have the final-cut in your possession,
it’s time to export it into a commonly-used video format that won’t compromise
the quality (MPEG, AVI), and upload it to all popular video-sharing/video-hosting
websites. Voila, you’re done! Or are you?
At the end, you’ll also need to spend time and energy
marketing your video, sharing it over the internet, and getting the word out
about it. Use your own blog or website, and embed a link to your video on it. And
of course all your social media profiles to get the word out. Look for other
free methods of publicity (and paid-for as well, if your pocket allows) that
will allow you to leverage the power of videos to get exposure.
Good luck! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a
comment below.
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