Guitar Playthrough Video Advice

M

McShredsAlot

New member
Hey guys. So I've recently started doing guitar playthroughs and messing around with filming multiple shots and working on color grading and such. I'm not the one filming it but I do give advice on angles, editing etc. I've noticed HUGE improvements in the editing every time I've worked on a new video. Especially since it started with me using a GoPro and now I'm using a Black Magic Cinema Pocket Camera. Anyways I just wanted to get your opinions on how you feel about the filming and editing of this video. Thanks! By the way the music is along the "Djent" side so I know it may not appeal to everyone. Just looking for video advice but if you're into the music, feel free to mention that as well!

-Joey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kfhJ6Wx_Dk
 
Well, as you say, not my style of music but a few real nit-picking suggestions:

You have some continuity errors among shots. Sometimes you're tapping the rhythm with you right leg, sometimes the left, sometimes not at all. Not many people would notice it but it might be something to watch for.

You're probably shy but the occasional shot of your face looking down at the fingering on the neck would have been a nice touch.

Since you're outside, a little bit of audio atmosphere (even if only at the beginning and end) would increase the sense of space.

...but as I say, I'm nitpicking. It's not bad at all.
 
Exactly the type of stuff I was looking for! Thanks a ton. I'll watch for the leg tapping. And I totally agree with the audio outside. Unfortunately we don't have a mic for the camera and the built in mic is garbage haha. Definitely something I'll add in future videos though!
 
I would get a tripod and just put the camera on that. I think the camera was moving a little to much for my liking.
 
All the master shots seem to be on a tripod with some of the deliberate CUs, pans and tracking shots handheld. I don't think there was too much camera movement (or cutting between shots) at all.
 
When you make a video of any kind, there is a particular audience in mind, or should be. Play throughout have fundamental problems. They're for specific audiences, not generic. So it's either fans of the song, guitarist looking for playing tips and tricks or very narrow strands, like in this case, people who may be moving to an extra string. The usual tricks with cutaways and non sync shots fail, like in this case, the leg tapping, and sometimes, from these narrow strand's perspective the video fails because the editing is visual on the entire image, with no continuity of fingers in places. From the general viewer perspective it's the music that will cause them to click back to the next clip on YouTube if it's not their choice. For those that like the style but not guitar enthusiast stuff, it's a bit dull just watching somebody thrash away, and the setting, clothes and animation work against it to a general audience.

I think the real problem is that the needs of the audience weren't really forward in your mind. I've never played a 7 string, hate the genre, but would have watched to see if I could pick up a few clever tricks, but couldn't see how a few little trick were done, which is a shame. Quality of sound and vision is fine, but is that enough?
 
A "playthrough" is something new to me and I was judging the video as I would any music video aimed at a general audience. If it's meant to be in some way instructive rather than simply entertaining, maybe a more static camera would be better--but boy would it be boring for a more general audience!
 
First off I like the music and your playing is quite good as well. And since I love guitar I ignored whatever shortcomings the video may have to focus on the music and playing. But others here have made the point that you have a problem as far as appealing to a general audience and still satisfying the guitar crowd and they are right I think.

I think there are a lot of things that could be done to solve this problem. You've focused on what matters to you, but you could put more effort into the video aspect here. If you were in a band performance situation you wouldn't just sit quietly on a park bench dressed casually because your live audience would be bored, right? It would be easy to splice together some action shots with different settings, costumes, lighting etc. and still let us watch your finger work in a more interesting way. Just my opinion of course!
 
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