Lip sync video of pre-recorded music advice and new post 10-14-21 pg 3!

Hi All!

I'm just checking back in to say I'm still hanging in there and have not yet made the big leap to schedule that pro studio time I mentioned after numerous trials with my Zoom Q8 and Studio Projects B3 condenser mics. I did some research because I have a problem that is not predictable where I have phlegm around my vocal cords that can have a dramatic effect on my singing. I don't want to pay for studio time and show up unable to sing.

Pro vocalists use either a "nebulizer" or a "steamer" to moisturize their vocal cords directly before singing. There is a steamer/nebulizer debate. The real gist of it is dryness around the vocal cords. You can drink a lot of water and just be "hydrated" in general and maybe not have the problem. I'm 66 yrs old and can be, due to the aging process, easily dehydrated. You might think if you drink just before singing that it will moisturize your vocal cords, but the vocal cords are not in your esophagus, they are in your trachea or wind-pipe, and that's why steam, or using a nebulizer is used by pro vocalists.

There are several videos where they purport that a nebulizer is best because it penetrates deep. I found often they are videos where eventually by the end they want you to buy a nebulizer they are selling. I read two ENT doctors comments stating nebulizer produce super fine atomized water (like a thick fog) that penetrates deep into the lungs and are designed for use with various lung medications. Steam does not penetrate that deep, and so they contend steam is better for vocalists. I ordered finally, after a lot of searching, for a portable steamer that I can always bring with me and use before I record. It's suppose to arrive in about 5 days by mail.

It's September 2nd and a few days cold already in Minnesota, so I hope the day I record it is warm outdoors. Where I use to live in the north I learned long ago in that area they have snow recorded every month of the year except July ha! I'm hoping for warmth because doing my trial runs by bicycle (I commute by bike and don't own a car) I've seen a couple of very nice parks with pavilions that I'm almost sure have AC plug-in. I can moisturize there, about 2 miles from the studio. I'm thinking it might not look so good if I'm using a steamer in the main area at the recording studio, an area that has couches, a kitchenette with a bar like counter, and a main front counter that looks like no one ever sits behind. When I was there on one of my trial runs that main area was very busy. There were a lot of people and very expensive looking cameras etc involved in a video that seemed to be using both the small and large studios. It could be a busy day the day of my appointment. I'm going to, thanks to advice here, bring my Zoom Q8 camera and a tripod as at the studio the owner emailed they only have mic stands -- so more to carry in my side bags. That's how it is so far. Thanks for all the patience with my amateur ways, and with all the great advice here!!

Top of the Day!
Winfred
 
Equipment means very little. 150 for your song sounds fine if you can get it recorded and mixed in that time. I can't see how you can give quotes like that. What's the quality threshold? You've got a dodgy hand so are you prepared to play multiple times, or are they going to take say three takes and edit? The job I just finished took 9 attempts to record the singer's voice till she felt she was happy and then three hours to comp from these to get the end result she needed. This was with a track already produced. You have voice and guitar. How long do you think it will take to get the takes done? The studio will stop when you are happy. If it's still crap and you run out of time, you need to make a tough decision. Accept the product for what it is at that stage, or keep going and keep paying. Probably if you play and sing ok, it will be fine.

Not being funny, but you still have the problem of a one shot video don't you? Are you ok syncing up? Normally you'd have a count so you can hit the first note or guitar strum. How are you managing this? Getting the studio to put a click on the start, or something else? With your low Tec approach you have to press play on the audio machine, press record on the zoom and then hit the first note. Presumably you'll edit this out on YouTube?

Hi Rob!

I'm replying to a message you sent at the beginning of my thread because I think I can reply more briefly and because I made an important decision, though long ago now, to trim my cover of "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell to at most be 3 min 30 sec long. The studio gave me the quote of $50 an hour 2 hr minimum. Also the minimum for doing the mastering is $50. You ask about my playing my song multiple times... I feel I'm prepared to play multiple times as that is what I do when I practice.

I let diffidence creep into my life too often and have procrastinated about finally making the big call and scheduling studio time. Also Minnesota has had some quite cold temps and I don't own a car, also cold is not good for my guitar. I've tried to avoid public transport, but will have to give in on my day of recording. It's 2 1/2 hrs each way or 5 hours round trip. It's two city buses and a light rail each way to get there and walking 1/2 mile each way with my guitar on my back and carrying my tripod, Zoom 8 Camera, a small steamer I purchased to moisturize my vocal cords, food, water... The steamer is because I've read that singers need to moisturize their vocal cords and avoid phlegm. I have a problem with phlegm that is unpredictable and can't risk that problem during studio time.

I last May purchased a different acoustic guitar, all "things", and myself, are ready as can be. I'm glad you told me I have a dodgy hand as no one has told me that maybe because coffeehouse open mic goers are more in the encouragement mode than anything. You were honest and I appreciate that. I am reluctant to a degree but willing to still give it a try. In fact it's their reactions, the open mic goers, over a 2yr period that have made me think I want to "leave something behind" with my music on YouTube. In a way too I'm wondering if my music might be liked by many on YouTube as another "test" as to how the general public, different than the open mic goers, and will react. When I posted my 7:33 long video around in June in 3 days I got 104 clicks and 7 nice comments, which wasn't much, but might be better with my shorter version and with a pro level studio. I'm going to take it all as it comes that way.

You mention having a count down to start. I tried that and start with a strum as the first note then the rest is all fingerpicking and singing. Do you mean the "studio putting a click on the start" so I have an exact starting time so you or whomever said they'd merge the video with the audio accurately? Someone here advised just to start my Zoom Q8 and let it record the whole time I'm recording.

I have to go to bed as it's almost 4AM, but someone was very kind to say they'd merge my video with the Studio recording. Was that you? Let me know if all seems like I answered your questions. It's "do or die" and decided to stop my putting things off. Thanks for all your help, and the help from so many here. I'm ever grateful!

Kindest Regards,
Winfred
 
Clicks are very handy for syncing picture to audio - so when you come back the song starts say with click click click click strum and in the video you can hear it and in the audio you can hear it - so putting the two together is easy. Lets say the vocal comes in for a song on the second beat of the bar, that's 4 clicks plus one then in, but the first click is still in the right place for sync. Otherwise you'll play catchup putting picture and one or two audio tracks in sync. Doesn't matter so much with just music as all tracks are locked together.

EDIT - Now I'm really confused - you said thanks for me saying something about having a stiff hand or something? That's gone now? But it related to you telling us you had a bad wrist, not your playing abilities? By the time I came to finish this post off, it had gone?

Have I lost it?

As for the video thing - I said I'd be happy to take the video you shoot and try to sync it up to the audio. That offer's still there if you want.

Is there a time warp here we've fallen into?
 
Last edited:
WInfred, have you looked into what an Uber would cost for your trip to the studio. I've only used it a couple of times, but when I visited my son in Denver, I got a ride from the rail depot downtown to his apartment building for a pretty reasonable price. Do you have any friends that might give you a ride? Even one way would save you a bunch of time and hassle.
 
Hi All!
I have improved my recording via a simple angle I should have considered long ago, and thanks for help here too! I should first say that I did go to that pro studio 2 times as practice runs to be sure I could get there by appointed time via 2 city buses and a light-rail which takes 2 hrs 30 min each way. One of the times I brought my bicycle and so I could see how long it took. Also both times the owner/engineer wasn't there, so never met him. I posted my recording of Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now", in June 2020. I didn't like the sound quality and low hits on YT and pulled it. I was told by someone, maybe here, that 4min 47sec is way too long. Even then on YouTube I got 104 hits, 3 subscribers, and 7 very nice comments. I forgot how many "likes" or thumbs up. I pulled it after 2 1/2 days thinking I wasn't sounding good enough. Then 4 other local musicians, and I asked each all separately over time, said 104 hits in only 2 1/2 days is very good.

I emailed the studio of my dreams in May and again in September trying to schedule studio time with no answer. I telephoned about 10 days ago and after 1/2 hr of questions etc he was going to call me back the next day which was last Saturday and never has. It caused me to be depressed and I thought, "turn a negative into a positive". I called and left a positive voice mail saying he is a gatekeeper, a big job, etc and I fully understand. I thought of other studios, then gave up, not a good idea.

I had bought a nice pair of Audiotechnica headphones that have 3 lengths of cables, which have an important role in all of this... Also, very sad but true, a man next door to me, on the other side of a thin wall, who coughed and sneezed almost around the clock and told me he wasn't going to quit cigarettes tragically died. The next person to move in is amazingly quiet. It's very crowded but I set up my two Studio Projects B3 condenser mics, my Zoom Q8 camera, and recorded this time with headphones on right in my apartment. I could more accurately adjust the gain on the camera that is only 2 knobs, and listen to how I sound while I'm recording. It made a major difference! I could also move the mics to better locations etc. and while playing and recording I could move at times closer to the mic etc.

Also another sad fact is I posted it yesterday on YouTube, so if you could go there and if you like it give me a thumbs up, and if you like it enough subscribe. Tonight I might record for YouTube my own original song, but I'm in a self-debate because now I only have 16 hits, 1 Like, and one very nice comment after almost 24 hrs where in June 2020 I would have been at about 50 hits by now, a lot of likes, and 3 subscribers! Let me know here and not there if you don't like it. Be frank and I understand. I might re-record because of such a low score.

Again this time it is amazing what led me up to this advantageous point for recording -- the studio not calling back, my apartment now much quieter, quietest in years, and being able to record right in my little apartment and not have to go to a distant basement room where suddenly others could in the middle of my recording come to shoot pool. I am very grateful as many do not have that golden opportunity like I do. I decided to turn a negative into a positive as I don't need any pro studio. I can save the the few dollars I have anyways. Again, this is my crucial YouTube debut of a popular song to attract listeners to go on to listen to my original songs... but something is wrong with such a major difference from when I first posted "Both Sides Now" in June 2020. This time I also trimmed my rendition down to 2:57 to do my best to stay with the 3 minute rule as I am an unknown.

I appreciate you all and hope others are learning from my experience too. Sorry if I'm doing the wrong thing attaching the video link in this way. It's hard because my YouTube video I later learned how to edit in my YouTube "Studio". That 3 minute video took about 8 hours to upload!! I wonder why because you see videos much longer than my 3 minutes. I about 10 hours later edited out the crucial start time I took to turn the camera on and off that probably drove others away. So I don't have it as a best edited file to attach and can only give the address or link to the video. Try if you can to tell your friends and anyone here to take a look. I can't tell others here who have been so kind to help me with repeated emails as that is against the rules. Is this the best way to let others know? Will most miss it all because this thread is so old by now? Thanks for all!!!
Kindest Regards,
Winfred
 
WInfred, have you looked into what an Uber would cost for your trip to the studio. I've only used it a couple of times, but when I visited my son in Denver, I got a ride from the rail depot downtown to his apartment building for a pretty reasonable price. Do you have any friends that might give you a ride? Even one way would save you a bunch of time and hassle.
Hi Talisman Rich! Very nice of you to help so many times! I thought of Uber in the past but read some that they treat their employees very bad, so ruled it out. Also read about some rides not being very nice etc. See my latest post today 10-14-21 as I've changed about the pro studio route... at least so far, with my new convoluted path to where I'm at now. See more there if you have time. How have you been? I had Covid19 in November 2020 but fortunately what I consider a moderate case. I had the worst head and eye ache practically in my life, and lost my sense of smell for several months. Also a sudden change in my memory capacity, but a lot to be thankful for.
Later!
Winfred
 
Clicks are very handy for syncing picture to audio - so when you come back the song starts say with click click click click strum and in the video you can hear it and in the audio you can hear it - so putting the two together is easy. Lets say the vocal comes in for a song on the second beat of the bar, that's 4 clicks plus one then in, but the first click is still in the right place for sync. Otherwise you'll play catchup putting picture and one or two audio tracks in sync. Doesn't matter so much with just music as all tracks are locked together.

EDIT - Now I'm really confused - you said thanks for me saying something about having a stiff hand or something? That's gone now? But it related to you telling us you had a bad wrist, not your playing abilities? By the time I came to finish this post off, it had gone?

Have I lost it?

As for the video thing - I said I'd be happy to take the video you shoot and try to sync it up to the audio. That offer's still there if you want.

Is there a time warp here we've fallen into?
Hi Rob! So nice of you and always remember your offer to merge the video and sound as then I was going to go to that pro studio. There have been a whole series of events and my allowing diffidence to creep into my life etc. to where I am now so far not needing your talent, but only maybe now, or maybe you can see my video I just posted, my second attempt at my debut on YouTube. Really though see my post there as there is a series of convoluted events that led me to where I am now.
Carpe Diem!
Winfred
 
I believe that when you set it to MOV, you do get the sound, but it's embedded in the video. When you have it set to MOV/WAV it keeps the audio separaste from the video. In anycase, for this exercise, you should not rely on the battery. Does the unit not come with a power supply?
Hi Gecko zzed! You are amazing and so patient! I still have 2 batteries to rotate and a charger that I originally bought. I describe a series of events and some technology (headphones ha!) in my latest post. I describe what happened with that pro studio and even with my living condition that have led to me recording right in my little apartment. I barely have room and slide around my mic and camera tripods. I can barely do my tai chi ha! You'll see my video I posted yesterday on YouTube and some not so great news about that. I hope this finds you doing well!
Later!
Winfred
 
A couple of thoughts cross my mind. The first one is about that nebulizer solution container on which you saidthat the seal was broken and that you saw a hair stuck to that broken seal. In my opinion, THAT SITUATION WOULD BE A BIG "RED FLAG" IN MY MIND! That container looks OK, but how do you know for sure that no tampering has occurred. For one thing, that item from Amazon should have been a NONRETURNABLE ITEM when originally purchased from Amazon; it is obvious to me that someone else has had it before it came to you. If I were you, I'd contact Amazon on that one and arrange for a replacement of the container of solution. It simply isn't worth taking a chance with your health.
Now to get to the "meat" of our question - not that what I said above is unimpportant - OK, you could use Reaper to sync the beginning of your song with your vocal track; but here is a problem: As your song progresses, you will have, in my opinion, horindous problems with keeping EVERY NOTE in sync with EVERY LIP MOVEMENT.
Is there any way by which you could take your recording camera to the studio where you do your sound recording? If you could do that, you could have a recording of your real performance - both audio and video. Now I admit that I am biased as a totally-blind person with NO INTEREST in video; but if you are not a professional in this stuff - both sound and video presentation - I think you are setting yourself up with a horendous problem to get everything synced up properly. If you have several obvious lapses in synchronization, it will have an effect on the impression you make with whomever you decide to share your product.
If I were doing it, I'd rather either go with an audio-only recording or a video taken live as you sing and play your guitar. Remember, too, that we have spoken only about the vocal synchronization; you also have the matter of synchronization of your guitar playing sound with the guitar visible track. I hope your project works well; but I'm glad that isn't a project of mine.
Hi Hautbois16!
Great advice and don't remember if I responded, so sorry. I remember your advice and sent the steamer back! I recorded last night and ended up not using it, but we have very cold dry winters here and found in winter steaming my vocal chords has made a big difference, not an atomizer or nebulizer as some are designed, but a steamer I read in more than one case is best as it doesn't go deep into your lungs, where the other devices are designed more for medications etc. Also I just sang last night without using a steamer, but higher humidity now I think that comes from some of the Gulf storms. I also ended up using my Studio Projects B3 condenser mics with my Zoom Q8 camera... but more at my new post. You can read more too about all the things that led to my recording the way I did last night, quite a series of events. Thanks for all of your input!
Later,
Winfred
 
I do this all the time. I Personally worry about the quality of the recording first & THEN I put it to video. Your music SHOULD come first IMO. I record on a TASCAM DP24 at home. So I can take my jolly sweet time. Even when I cut tracks in the studio, I don't necessarily want to worry about filming on STUDIO time. I'm there to cut a track, or at least a vocal. If you MUST have the camera there, just let it run if you restart your track if you make a mistake. Don't mess with the camera. You can edit later. I think you should let cameras run, so you get the studio shots you want.

Once my track is done, I will worry about VIDEO. I go back & video shots of me playing guitar, or piano, or singing. I sing or play exactly as I do on the final track with all the nuances as best I can. play the track through my computer, sometimes connected to a Blue tooth speaker, sometimes not. Now I've got 2 camera angles, because my iPhone is one angle & my SONY AX53 is another...( I would suggest you run 2 ways to capture video for diversity. Use your phone too) So I'll sing to the track, play guitar, or piano...I can edit later. I get plently of takes, so I can weed through it & find what I need.

The beauty of movies & videos is it is a false sense of reality. It is all smoke & mirrors...

I just posted my first video here.
Hi Steve! Such great advice here I'm so grateful for! I think I answered back when you were so kind to comment. Now I so far decided not to go to that pro studio to record and in my latest post I mention the series of events and what I'm doing presently to record. I hope you have time to take a look. I also posted my video I put on YouTube last night and about what is happening and any feedback is appreciated here at this site. More later!
Carpe Diem!
Winfred
 
Hey Winfred, good to see you back. Hope you're back to full health. This past year has been a bitch for a lot of people!

You commented that you only got 16 hits. For two days, that's actually pretty good. I have videos that have been up for 5 years, and only have about 50 hits. That's fine, since they were meant for a select group of people. I"m not doing this for monetization. From what I saw, the comments you have are really positive. I would go ahead and start working on one of your originals. Don't worry about posting it until you get things the way you want. I would look at possibly hanging something as a background, either get some cloth, or a relatively clear wall. Also, you might consider doing one with the headphones, then when you get it set, do another take just removing the phones, and play. Don't move or change anything, just do the song again.

Quantity and quality are important, of course.. I'll give you an example of one of HR's members, Jimmy Quango. He's got almost 2000 subscribers and close to 200 videos. He does excellent work, and a lot of his videos only have 6 or 700 views after more than a year. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDThF_XBdrXvES9DFWwdLnQ Jimmy has been releasing videos for 8 years, it's really interesting to hear how things have progressed over that time period.
 
@Winfred
I enjoyed your version of both sides now. It was unusal and engaging.

Two thoughts about the video . .

1 Your vocal could come up a bit more. It has a nice quality that doesn't need to be hidden.

2 Make sure the background behind you is what you want.
 
@Winfred
I enjoyed your version of both sides now. It was unusal and engaging.

Two thoughts about the video . .

1 Your vocal could come up a bit more. It has a nice quality that doesn't need to be hidden.

2 Make sure the background behind you is what you want.

Hi Geckozzed, and All Here!

Very nice of you to take the time to listen to my song and plus give feedback! I am grateful. Now later coming back to the top this is long! I understand if you don't have time!

I don't know how to increase my vocal level within the video. A guy from San Diego just commented too about my voice in the YouTube comments... is he a friend of yours? He actually commented about my voice in 3 different comments! It seems like he's even a pro conductor or something! Do you mean change it in the already existing video, or to re-record and increase it? I know wearing my new headphones with a nice long 9ft cord (it came with 3 lengths of cords) helped because I can finally hear how it would sound on the video and can lean closer etc or turn up the gain I think they call it on my Zoom Q8 camera. There are little knobs mics 1 and 2 with a zero through 10 level on it. I also get self-critical and back off on my own voice.

When I recorded it was during the 7 day cycle of of an antibiotic for the flu and sore throat that I got enthusiastic and rushed too much to record. That 3 minute video took 8 hours to upload to YouTube!!! Right now after almost 6 days I only have 74 hits and seven nice comments, and 12 "Likes". “Likes” means when they click on the thumbs up icon. The reality is... last time in June 2020 in 2.5 days I had 104 hits and 7 nice comments, and forgot how many likes, so something is wrong. I don't know how to get people to listen.

I might get too anxious about a second famous cover song to maybe attract more listeners before recording my originals. It's a strange musical happening as I had been playing the late great British Folk singer Sandi Denny's song, "Who Knows Where The Time Goes?" There's no way I can do real justice with Sandi’s talent… like Joni Mitchell with her songs too. Sandi died of cancer at 20 yrs old in 1969! Her very successful band in England was called "Fairport Convention". I had been working on a song I am writing called "Signals" that was created due to my thinking back about when I was a teenager when I was a Ham Radio operator.

So somehow I started interweaving them, Sandi's with my song. I don't know what they'll say about copyright or whatever, but I'm only going to post it for free, not "monetize" it. I better stop! I'm going to call it, I think, "Who Knows Where The Time Goes/Signals, Sandi Denny And Me".

I thought I might add -- "A Cosmo-llaboration" kind of using “Cosmo” which means universe and blend it with the word collaboration, but probably too long of a title and people won't click on it. At times when I play it I put in a brief instance of actual Morse Code doing the dots and dashes on my guitar ha!

Any feedback is much appreciated! If you can pass the word on about my video that’d be nice as I need all the “PR” I can get. I understand too if you don’t have time.

Later,

Winfred
 
Hey Winfred, good to see you back. Hope you're back to full health. This past year has been a bitch for a lot of people!

You commented that you only got 16 hits. For two days, that's actually pretty good. I have videos that have been up for 5 years, and only have about 50 hits. That's fine, since they were meant for a select group of people. I"m not doing this for monetization. From what I saw, the comments you have are really positive. I would go ahead and start working on one of your originals. Don't worry about posting it until you get things the way you want. I would look at possibly hanging something as a background, either get some cloth, or a relatively clear wall. Also, you might consider doing one with the headphones, then when you get it set, do another take just removing the phones, and play. Don't move or change anything, just do the song again.

Quantity and quality are important, of course.. I'll give you an example of one of HR's members, Jimmy Quango. He's got almost 2000 subscribers and close to 200 videos. He does excellent work, and a lot of his videos only have 6 or 700 views after more than a year. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDThF_XBdrXvES9DFWwdLnQ Jimmy has been releasing videos for 8 years, it's really interesting to hear how things have progressed over that time period.
Hi TalismanRich!

So nice of you to answer! I just saw this now. See above I think at what I said to Gecko-zzed just minutes before this! Are your songs on YouTube under your name TalismanRich? I'll have to click on your friend's link you give! It's hard to hang a cloth but maybe I can with a sheet and try that. I suppose wearing headphones looks clumsy-like, right? Also, I now have 74 hits 12 likes now 7 comments times 2 because I replied to all of them so it looks like 14 comments after almost 6 days now. I'm thinking that's pretty grim numbers and doubting my "talent", but I might post a second video of a cover song that ended up being interwoven with an original song I've been working on... more with Gecko-zzed reply. See that in my reply to "Gecko-zzed and All". So nice of you to give me pointers! One guy liked what he saw in the background which is a rosary a guy gave to me before he died... but a joke too about the background being in my "kitchen" ha! I have hardly any room in my 481 sq ft apt and thin walls so I was holding back subconsciously with my voice.

It is very nice of you to give advice, and any ideas on how to increase hits etc let me know and pass the word on to anyone you know as the reality for me is I hardly know anyone and actually told 2 local friends who kind of know me. I am very grateful to you!

Carpe Diem!
Winfred
 
@Winfred
I enjoyed your version of both sides now. It was unusal and engaging.

Two thoughts about the video . .

1 Your vocal could come up a bit more. It has a nice quality that doesn't need to be hidden.

2 Make sure the background behind you is what you want.
Hi! It's strange as my new headphones that thankfully have a 9 ft cord, I took them off like you or someone here advised but felt like I really needed to hear what I sound like in terms of the recorder as it's like I can do subtle changes by backing off the mic and leaning towards the mic at times, a minor kind of adjustment, although my voice... I changed the background to a different wall, but maybe looks too cluttered for viewers, maybe depressing ha! I did get a high percent rate of those who saw my thumbnail and clicked to listen. Very low numbers of 9 views past 8 hours of my second song, but one nice comment but no "likes" or new "subscribers". I'm more sensitive about numbers as I want to attract people before posting my originals. With the song up now for 8 hrs, my second on YouTube, it's a cover song that strangely without my planning an original song of mine started interweaving with it, and also names of 2 other musicians came into the meaning of the song, but the cover and 2 other musicians are known in Europe more and time of day was much later than here and people probably sleeping most of this time... also I can't be too sensitive about numbers. If you write back here about my 2nd song you don't have to comment but any feedback is appreciated, yet I 100% understand if the music isn't for you, that music is as varied as every listener. Even now decided 49 degrees F and 8mph wind going to ride bike for fresh air I really need ha! I'm not sure if it's okay or not to put the link here. Have you heard of a thread here where the musicians post links to their songs on YouTube? Thanks for all of your patience with me and great advice as in other areas besides this website I don't get any input except you and TalismanRich and very grateful! Here goes nothing and you don't have to like it. If you do give me a like and comment etc.
Carpe Diem!
Winfred
 
Playing is great and you've got a good sound on the guitar.

When you lean in to the mike we get a clearer sound on your voice. I liked the bit where you sing and play the melody together.

Wear headphones if you are more comfortable doing so.

It doesn't really matter whether your background is plain or cluttered. But you have to make sure that what the viewers see is what you would like them to see. So the stuff on the wall is a reflection of you that you want the viewer to appreciate. However, in front of the clock, there is paperwork of some sort, and that does not look as if it has been placed deliberately. It's more like an accidental intrusion.
 
I think the snag with this on YouTube is that viewers don’t have the info we have on here. Just the video, and it gets judged in the same way a mega star’s pop video does.

forget the music for a moment. What do people see with the sound down. The see half a guitar, you lose the guitarists because they cannot see your right hand doing the work, and they can’t see the guitar. The non guitarists lose your face for much of the song behind the popper stopper, and the big shadow because it’s in the way, and you’ve not used any lighting. You have a snag in the production vs the look. When you get close to the mic, the balance improves, move away and your guitar is so loud we can’t hear you. Move in close however and we can’t see you. Your mic and shield is huge. Your playing is loud, so the mic has to be close so you’re stuck. Are we using just the one mic for the whole thing?

people who watch don’t care about anything other than the sound and the picture. The singing and playing are not what they think about, it’s the overall impression. The impression is of a guy in his house who has simply slapped up a mic, roughly pointed a camera and pressed record.

Let’s say you didn’t know how to record, but just had you and the guitar, and you went to a local studio. They would give you a plain background, or something subtle, or maybe green screen you against a picture. They’d light you, and as a minimum stick a mic on the guitar and a mic on you, probably a smaller one, to get some separation. Then they’d treat your voice to make it have more substance, probably add some subtle reverb, and do the same for the guitar. They would probably make the guitar a little wider, or move it slightly to one side. With the two mics there is then the possibility of a little tuning. Then, the YouTube folk might get to the end, and subscribe and like. It’s possible people simply are not getting to the end, hence more people are hearing it than the stats suggest. Remember people do NOT like things that they’d not want to watch again. My music is a good example. It’s dull, boring and rather niche. Sometimes I link to it on here maybe to use as an example in a topic. Most people will press play, say yuk, and stay long enough to form an opinion, then move on. Do not expect the counter to rise, and don’t expect a like. It does NOT mean it’s no good, just not to their taste, and most will discover it from the link here. Few will ever find it on YouTube direct.

A quick fix is to add lights, fix the balance, adjust the framing to show more guitar and less wall, and most importantly, perform.

it’s more a fly on the wall image, security cam footage, created accidentally, than something planned. The audience are fickle. They really will compare your video to something costing mega money. First thing to fix if you want views/listens is to fix the audio so it sounds produced and not evidential. Then fix the image. Consider maybe also recording it on your phone from a different angle and cut the two together. With just you, movement is difficult, but two shots adds interest.

the big issue is simply that we cannot hear you properly, and when we can, we can’t see you. This you need to fix.
also remember that forum folk are in different time zones. 8 hours can simply be sleeping!
 
Having 8 or 10 views in a couple of days is actually not as bad as it seems.

Something else to take into account, there are almost 40,000,000 Youtube channels, and users are posting about 500 hours of content every minute. Putting up one random video is at a severe disadvantage unless there is a some driving outside force bringing views. Youtube's suggested videos comes from previous videos you've viewed, as well as popular videos that will drive revenue. That means The Beatles channels will be promoted, because they know that it will make for a million views. The rooftop video of Don't Let Me Down has 350,000,000 view, and that means ad revenue for Youtube. Eric Clapton' just posted videos from The Lockdown Sessions, and his version of Black Magic Woman has 300,000 views in 2 day. BUT that's the competition.... Eric Clapton, The Beatles, PewTeePie, etc.

If I posted a video today, the odds are against someone seeing it this week unless I promoted it widely.
 
Back
Top