First Ever Video

[albertjohn]

New vid camera which I was testing the other day and have now worked out how to upload to youtube.

 

It's rough (first and only take, first thing in the morning etc etc) and I don't know why it appears squashed up. Any suggestions?

 

[YOUTUBE]

[/YOUTUBE]

[Gilliangirl]

Wow wow wow wow! That guitar has a beautiful voice! And yours is just fine too. I don't know why YouTube squishes things sometimes? I know the videos undergo compression when we upload them, but sometimes they fare well and sometimes not. It changes the sound too.

Anyway, congrats on your first, and very good, video, AJ!

[DonCarlos]

Even though you appear to be a Giant under a descending ceiling........I enjoyed it. Good job !!!!

[albertjohn]

Thanks Karen. You are very kind, particularly about the voice - it needs work I know. But I totally agree about the guitar, it has a lovely tone.

 

Thanks DonCarlos. I thought I had the framing correct after a couple of short test runs but alas no.

[MisterGibs]

Welcome in youtube, Albert ;-)

You do it very good - is it really the first time you videorecord yourself?

I am waiting for the next ones!

I like your voice and it is very tender and I'd say fine.

This SWD is a great guitar - hope to have some day one...

 

Krasi

[Buc McMaster]

Very nice, aj! The guitar sounds strong, so strong your voice gets buried for the first verse or so, then you power up the vocal around the 1:40 mark. I understand dynamics in music, the lows and highs of building a performance, but you might try palm muting the chords for that first, softer vocal passage, then let both the guitar and the voice go as you did later in the song. Your song? I like it! Please do some more.......I like this kind of thing.

 

(....and just for the record, what kind of pick are you strumming with there?)

[onewilyfool]

Very cool Albertjohn......Vocals on videos are always comprimised, email Nodehopper for advice on how to improve the sound on those. Your voice sounds great, just needs a little boost to blend with the vocals. Nice guitar and playing. You can put to rest the old wives tale, that cut-aways take away from tone and volume, guitar sounded GREAT......keep em coming!!!

[albertjohn]

Mistergibs and Buc. Thanks for your comments. Coming from you guys is praise indeed.

 

Yes, this is my first time ever recorded. I need a mic when singing as my voice is drowned by the guitar, which is pretty loud. I do mainly harmonies with my 3 playing/singing partners, which I am much more comfortable with. I have a couple of gigs in August and will take the camera for some more.

 

The song is Wild Wood by Paul Weller - wish it was mine though. He often does it with a 12 string solo.

 

I used Fender meds for acoustic and heavy for electric.

 

PS. Cheers Wily. Yep, the voice needs work on the technique, I know. I do get the odd lesson.

 

I'm really very pleased with the way the guitar sounds and the sound quality from the camera is better than I thought. Just confirms what I've always thought. The SWD is a very fine sounding guitar and rather under-rated IMO.

[MisterGibs]

The more you record yourself - the more you will experience the way of controlling your voice to the power of the guitar sound.

This is a very good first video record, I'd say excellent. My first video records were not long ago and now I am more habituated to the camera before me.

I still try to "shake off me" the hard way I strum before the camera... That's because I am nervous.

I have a friend - a great guitar player and musician who once told me: "... so you feel nervous before the camera? The only way to get rid of this feeling is to record yourself! I was nervous and scared like you but I started to record me every day several times and now I am fine with the cam!"

So if we admit the nervousness before the camera like a type of sickness - the cure is obviously lots of videorecords

 

Albert - start to cure yourself (like I do) - we'll see the results :D/

[larryp58]

Good job, AJ!!! I'm hoping soon to post a video. I hope I can do it as well as you!

[jefleppard]

nice job, aj. gotta love paul weller. swd sounds lovely. now i miss my old one. thanks.

[Bluegrass]

Very nice!!! Beautiful guitar also. Don't stop!!

[sjl200]

Albertjohn that was very enjoyable sure doesn't sound like a "first time" video. Take that camera to some of your gigs and give us a treat!

Sweet sound you have.

 

[albertjohn]

Thanks gain to everyone who replied and for the honest and constructive criticism. This stuff is so valuable.

 

For me, this is probably the most inspiring thread I have started, thanks to you guys.

 

BTW I have solved the stretching problem with the video on YouTube so if anyone has a similar problem, drop me a pm and I'll send you a link with the fix.

[adoptedson]

Sweet performance man! Vocals and guitar sound great.

 

I see that you said you're using fender meds for picks. I'm going to try those.

 

What strings do you use?

 

Again, nice job! Congrats on your first video.

[albertjohn]

Thank you very much adoptedson.

 

I've tried all sorts of picks over the last 10 years (when I picked up a guitar again). Big, small, heavy, light, upteen brands. I've settled with the standard Fender 351 classic meds for acoustic and heavies when I pick up an electric. My teacher always says use the heaviest guage pick you can. The heavy is OK with a 6 str acoustic but I can't get on with them for 12 string (which I play a fair amount), so hence meds.

 

The strings on the vid are Martin SPs 12s - see link from where I get them. They are the ones with the bronze coloured plain strings so are blinged up to match the SWD!

 

http://www.stringsdirect.co.uk/products/4764-martin_msp4100_studio_performance_12_54_light_acoustic_3_pack_free_martin_t_shirt

 

I have a growing Martin t shirt collection now!

 

They are great strings and very good value too. They were very old (about 3 or 4 months) but sound great once they are played in. I found a set of Elixirs in my kit bag and changed them at the weekend and now it sounds like I'm playing trough a cheap tranny (that's a transistor radio in the UK!) on AM radio. Very disappointed with them.They will improve with age so I'll persevere but will definately go back to Martins. I've used D'addarios EJ16s too. Always 12 gauge for me.

[Guth]

Hi albertjohn,

 

Good to hear you were able to resolve the video issue — did it have something to do with the resolution that you used to make the recording? While I've only been focused on audio recordings, I'm sure that if you were to post your solution to the video dilemma here on this thread, multiple people would benefit from your findings in the future.

 

By the way, I'm not familiar with the original tune, but your cover was very enjoyable. Others here who also play and sing have offered some nice advice. I would add my observations that you exhibit a quiet confidence and steadiness in your performance, which is impressive to me, especially as this was your fist video recording. While you might not speak too highly of your vocal abilities, I'd love to have such a voice to work with. There truly is a reason why I focus on instrumental music only!

 

Thanks for sharing your creative endeavors with us! I hope that you'll do so again in the not too distant future.

Guth

[albertjohn]

Hi albertjohn' date='

 

Good to hear you were able to resolve the video issue — did it have something to do with the resolution that you used to make the recording? While I've only been focused on audio recordings, I'm sure that if you were to post your solution to the video dilemma here on this thread, multiple people would benefit from your findings in the future.

 

By the way, I'm not familiar with the original tune, but your cover was very enjoyable. Others here who also play and sing have offered some nice advice. I would add my observations that you exhibit a quiet confidence and steadiness in your performance, which is impressive to me, especially as this was your fist video recording. While you might not speak too highly of your vocal abilities, I'd love to have such a voice to work with. There truly is a reason why I focus on instrumental music only!

 

Thanks for sharing your creative endeavors with us! I hope that you'll do so again in the not too distant future.

Guth[/quote']

 

Will do on the video fix Guth.

 

While your video is uploading to YouTube, you will see a box marked tag. Enter in one of the 2 codes below.

 

yt:stretch=16:9, or

yt:stretch=4:3

 

Once up loaded play the vid. If it's the wrong one, then you can go back into your uploaded vids and edit the tag settings

 

I'm not sure which one is which but it depends which way your vid has been stretched. I didn't know it was stretched until I played the uploaded vid. It was trial and error to be honest which one worked but I got there in the end.

 

Yes, I checked the camera settings but it plays back fine on a computer or TV straight from the camera. Something to do with widescreen formats etc. Beyond me that stuff! But I can work the Sky+ now without the assistance of a small child, which I am very proud of.

 

I need to belt out the vocals a bit more which helps the range a tone. Also, I'm rubbish in the mornings. The voice needs several hours to warm up.

 

Hope to record some duets soon. I have a couple of gigs in August with 2 of my playing partners, and between us we have several Gibson acoustics to show off.

[drathbun]

Love that guitar! Thanks for sharing! Terrific sound.

[Rame]

I agree with everyone that this is an excellent first video recording of yourself. Much better than mine that's for sure! The sound quality from the camera is pretty dang good too. I also like your voice.