Video #1 Choosing the Right Style of Guitar

YOU CAN SKIP THIS.... :mrgreen:

What the project is about:

This is the first couple of days of a project that I'm expecting to stretch over several months, if not longer.

The idea is to make a series of short YouTube style videos covering the basic questions that most beginners would like answers for. I'm not aiming at detailed lessons or demonstrations of how to play specific songs. Instead, the intention is to provide an overview of each topic, with a mixture of general information and useful detail, without going too deeply into all the possibilities.

A huge number of people now seem to learn (or attempt to learn) guitar in a pretty random fashion. They might take a lesson or two, learn a bit from clips on the net, skim through a few books, swap ideas with friends, and so on. It's all good fun too, but there can be many moments of serious confusion and some major misunderstandings happening along the way. Even the books I've seen (and I've bought a lot of them...) have been pretty patchy with their explanations. The information they give is usually not actually wrong, but it's still often not well organised or enlightening to the reader who doesn't already have all the background knowledge that the author had. So I'd like to try and fill in some of the gaps, answer some of the more commonly asked questions, and explain some of the popular misconceptions.

Here's what I'd like to get from it:

1) To have some fun learning how to use a video camera (Canon HG20) and the editing software (iMovie 09), by focusing it on a subject I enjoy.

2) To learn more about guitar. There's no better way to learn something than by trying to pass it on. This will force me to fill in the gaps in my knowledge and polish up some of the many slack areas.

3) To get involvement from anybody who is interested, and to be able to pass on what we learn along the way. We should be able to gain some knowledge, not just about learning to play guitar, but also about putting together videos to a reasonable standard.

I've already had some generous offers of help from members here, and other local friends, but it's open to anybody to comment and/or contribute. The aim is start out rough and learn as we go. So everything is welcome - from comments about what I'm getting wrong through to sound files, picture, additional clips or whatever. I'd particularly like to feature some of the Guitarnoise regulars playing short pieces either for background use, or to illustrate certain aspects ( non copyright stuff would obviously be preferable). I see no reason why it can't be built into a useful resource that can help new players of all ages. :)

Hi Chris

This is a heck of a task you are setting yourself, so, as someone who has listened and watched countless numbers of these type of videos in the past, present and more than likely future, I will give you my thoughts on where you are with this one....

I accept the fact that you have a lot of toys to play with on the vid editing side and you're trying a few things out so I won't comment on any of that at the moment but the overriding factor of any videos such as this is making it easy to understand, entertaining and unique.

Don't try and cram too much into just one sitting - spread the thing out. A good video is about planning (who am I to talk :roll: ) so plan out what you're going to talk about and fit it into the time available - don't make the video too long and ramble on otherwise people will just switch off and won't return again....

The first thing I felt when watching this video was confusion - I didn't know what message you were trying to get across...
If you have a list of questions that beginners ask, then use that list and add a caveat half way through the video or at the end - maybe half way through tell the listener the question, then give the answer at the end - it will pad the video out a bit - add a bit of content and interest and keep people watching until the end.

You need to be a little bit closer to the watcher/listener - you don't need all that stuff going on in the background - crop in closer, while being able to see enough of the guitar and yourself.

I think KR2 said that you need to play the guitars more - this is important. A guitar is there to be played - sure, talk about it's merits, build, origins etc, but PLAY it, doesn't have to be much, just play a few chord progressions or a part of a tune. Maybe pick a tune that is usually heard on that type of guitar. Show what it sounds like on other guitars....but you have to have a plan.

People like a routine so don't jump about and change the routing from vid to vid - if you find a structure that folks like, then stick to it. They will know what to expect and feel comfortable watching and listening....

Don't clip the scenes during a talk about the same thing. This can be annoying if not done properly. Say what you want to say, then move on to the next scene when you come to the next section - it's all a big learning process - Maybe Joe can help a bit more with this as it seems to be what he does for a living...

People like facts - something useful. Instant gratification. Try not to be too chatty because this is an education video. keep the momentum going - build it up.

I like the teaser of showing a pile of guitars - people want to know what they are. Tell them, then say "I'll be showing you all of these throughout these videos (or something like that)...Treat 'em mean to keep 'em keen!

I was also very interested in the acoustic electric and what type of sounds you can get out of it - that's a video by itself - great. Don't forget to tell people about the amp your using and also add effect pedals etc - brilliant...

I know with all those fancy transitions it's easy to get carried away, but remember, it's education so keep the transion style to a simple level.

Lighting looks ok - need to have a look when you go to close ups of the guitars, amps etc....

Sound is ok - you have to remember what most folks are listening to these vids through - but get the best you can and leave it at that!

Rock on!
D 8)

You say

Hi Chris

This is a heck of a task you are setting yourself, so, as someone who has listened and watched countless numbers of these type of videos in the past, present and more than likely future, I will give you my thoughts on where you are with this one....

Brilliant! Thanks very much mate, that's exactly the sort of feedback I was hoping for - thanks for watching and commenting.

Especially interesting that you were confused as to what I was trying to say, because that's also what seems to happen with the people who write many of the books that I've bought. You get so close to it for so long that you can no longer detach yourself and see how it comes across 'cold'. A bit like not being able to proof-read your own writing without automatically reading what you meant to write instead of what you did... :roll:

So I'll take a good hard look at that. The beauty of throwing it up for comment at this early stage is that I've not got to the stage of "Oh, I don't really want to change that bit, because.... blah blah..." that can happen with this just as easily as it can with songwriting, or any other kind of construction. I know that it's all very amateurish compared to the standard that could be achieved with some more practice, planning and actually listening to feedback!

I'm expecting that it will take me some weeks to get my script wrangling and delivery anywhere near up to scratch, so the first one will be an important learning experience. As you say, the next ones need to follow a similar format, so getting it right is worth sweating over at the start. I need to make sure I don't rush it and settle for half-baked outcomes. :)

For instance, the tendency to swap scenes while still on the same subject is largely a by-product of screwing the lines up, needing to stop and untangle the tongue and reactivate the remaining brain cell, and then stitching the bits together rather clumsily. :oops:

The point about music is well taken. I'll try and mix a few bars of me with some sound files from other people (either from GN members or local friends). A few seconds behind each guitar should be enough - trying to play each one adequately on camera would take far too long.

Back to the drawing board. First task - a clearer and punchier introductory scene. :wink:

Thanks again,

Cheers,

Chris

I'm not sure what the intended lesson was . . . but I'll tell you what I got out of it.
I didn't know you could make an acoustic sound the way you did.
Was that an acoustic-electric?

Instead of getting into tone is in the fingers . . . something that is miles and miles away for a beginner and therefore almost completely useless info, you would start off in more general terms and talk about the types of guitars available.
Maybe it's the scientist in me, but I would classify them like how plants or animals are classified . . . taxonomically.
And then present them that way.
Acoustic vs Electric
Types of Acoustic . . . dreadnaught, jumbo, classical, steel string
Types of Electric . . . semihollow . . .
and then show the hybrids . . . this is what you did in your first video and that worked.
Point out what type of guitars are used for what type of music and give prerecorded samples (5 seconds) of that type of music.
Folk using mostly acoustic (and give audio samples)
Rock/Hard Rock/Metal using electric (and give audio samples)
Country using slide guitar, electric, acoustic (and give samples)
etc.

Thanks for the feedback Ken. :)
I'm not sure what the intended lesson was . . . but I'll tell you what I got out of it.
I didn't know you could make an acoustic sound the way you did.
Was that an acoustic-electric?

Instead of getting into tone is in the fingers . . . something that is miles and miles away for a beginner and therefore almost completely useless info, you would start off in more general terms and talk about the types of guitars available.

The point I was trying to make about tone being in the fingers is that you can make pretty much any guitar sound any way you want - if you have the skills (i.e the fingers). Add an amp, an effects pedal, or a computer program and the old divides about which guitar is used for what music style really don't mean that much any more. You can play rock on something with nylon strings, or tap Bach on a Strat through an amp.

Trying to explain that - in the context of showing some of the range of guitars - is what makes this video tricky to do. But it's also why it's worth trying to do it - because a lot of beginners seem confused by all the options.

So if I get it wrong (as is clearly the case at present.... :mrgreen: )then it IS useless information. But if I can get it right then it should be very useful indeed.
Maybe it's the scientist in me, but I would classify them like how plants or animals are classified . . . taxonomically.
And then present them that way.
Acoustic vs Electric
Types of Acoustic . . . dreadnaught, jumbo, classical, steel string
Types of Electric . . . semihollow . . .
and then show the hybrids . . . this is what you did in your first video and that worked.
Point out what type of guitars are used for what type of music and give prerecorded samples (5 seconds) of that type of music.
Folk using mostly acoustic (and give audio samples)
Rock/Hard Rock/Metal using electric (and give audio samples)
Country using slide guitar, electric, acoustic (and give samples)
etc.

That's pretty much what I'm intending to do. The current video is working only on the introduction. The five minutes or so to follow will be along those lines, starting with a nylon string classical and working through to solid bodied screamers. But the problem with saying that they get used for this or that type of music, and then giving a sample is what I said above - the imagined boundaries really just aren't there any more. :? What I was doing with that Ibanez can be done with pretty much ANY guitar - i.e play whatever style of music you like, run through whatever gear takes your fancy. So I'm planning to go light on the business of suggesting that a particular guitar will sound like *this* as opposed to *that* - because whilst it might be true that it can sound like X or Y when Clapton plays it, or like Z when I play it - it actually won't sound like either when Bill Beginner tries it. :wink:

Thanks again for listening and commenting. :)

Cheers,

Chris

I think both Dylan and KR2 have given some really solid advice.

I think that I'd break it down into a general introduction of what you want to achieve with the series of videos - tell 'em up front that there's going to a lot more to come! Plan the rest of the series and give them an overview.
The next vid should introduce the various types of guitar - classical, steel string acoustic, archtop, semi-solid (ES335, etc) and solid. Solids (and maybe some of the other styles) are going to have to be sub divided into sub-classes - Strat, Tele, LP, flying V, etc.
For each style I think that I'd try to create a format - along the lines of "what sort of music is most associated with this style?", "Who are the main proponents of this style?" (list some of the famous names that use this type of guitar).

.................I am going to have to think this through a bit more, I can't keep up with the flood of thoughts.

I think I can very helpful . . . because I know so little about guitars that anything you say is going to be news to me.
the imagined boundaries really just aren't there any more. :? What I was doing with that Ibanez can be done with pretty much ANY guitar - i.e play whatever style of music you like, run through whatever gear takes your fancy.
That is the lesson then. It is certainly what I learned.

I imagine you want to make this entertaining . . . something that keeps the viewers attention.
Your target audience is most likely going to be a teenager that wants to learn the guitar so he/she can become famous . . . next week. And wants to know what type of guitar is going to do that based on the type of music he/she listens to.

So, how would George Lucas or Stephen Speilberg do this? :mrgreen:

Here's a suggested script:
Introduce the two types of guitars, acoustic and electric with the statement that "Traditionally, guitars can be classified as acoustic or electric"
Acoustic:
Give (better than audio samples) 5 second VIDEO clips of Joan Baez, George Strait, Richie Havens . . . bang, bang, bang . . . one after another . . . playing the acoustic.
"And these are examples of electric" 5 second videos clips of Jimi Hendrix, Slash, Van Halen . . . again video/sound bytes one right after another.
And then take your Ibanez, strum it, then plug it into the amp and strum again to show the acoustic can be made to sound like electric.
With the conclusion that "The distinction between acoustic and electric isn't so clear cut anymore.
And there are other factors that determine the sound . . . like the amp setting . . ."
And then go back to presenting the guitar types.
The subject is "Choosing the Right Style of Guitar" so viewers want to be informed as to what is available and what are the differences.

So, how would George Lucas or Stephen Speilberg do this? :mrgreen:

With a slightly bigger budget than mine?... :D

Unfortunately I can't afford to pay for clips of Joan Baez etc, and simply stealing them would result in the video being removed from Youtube if it became widely viewed. It could also open the possibility of being sued. So I might skip that one. But it does sound like a great way to start, so I'll work on putting together an all round punchier way to begin.

The overall ideas of being clearer about the intent and scope of the particular video, and using music in a better way, are coming through as a ‘must do'.

I'm now thinking along the lines of a short explanatory opening caption on a blank background, followed by a brief spoken introduction to camera. Without trying to match a precise sound to a specific guitar it should be possible to put together a short medley of sounds ranging from softly classical through to screamingly overdriven, and run it as a background. Perhaps it could be played behind a collage or rapid fire series of pictures of various different types of guitars, without matching specific sounds to particular guitars. I'll experiment a bit and see how it comes out.

I may also need restate or reinforce the aim of the video along the way - which is to try and provide a potential newcomer with at least some overview of what they're getting into.

There are several angles to this, so I'm not sure yet which ones can be fitted into the first video, and which can be expanded on later. My intention is to try and at least give a taste of what some of the issues are without getting bogged down in too much detail.

I'd like to run through the things that are pretty much common to all - such as a headstock, nut, bridge, neck and body and give a brief description of each. You could do a lengthy video on the fine detail of any one of those, but it's not necessary here. However I would like to pass on some general information that could help the intending new buyer navigate through the maze.

For instance, I might mention the name of the nut, and describe what its function is (to point out how some do a better job than others), but not go into the detail of how to replace or alter it. In similar fashion, I'd like to point out how neck width, profiles and scale lengths, etc can vary, and what effect that might have on your choice. Again, I'd aim for an overview not a stack of details.

Clearly, I will need sound files, but doing a direct tone by tone comparison covering all the possibilities would be hard to do in a whole set of videos, let alone one. So I'll be juggling the need to show a variety of styles, and keeping a bit of relevant music, going without getting to much into trying to cover all the sound possibilities of every model. I have a few ideas on the boil, but I now need to test them more. I dropped into my friend's music shop this morning and he and his son are happy to help out. They have plenty of guitars and amps there of course, but can also play a range of styles. So we'll try a few things out and see how we go.

Busy day today, and for the weekend, but I hope to have something more to show sometime next week.

Thanks for all comments.

Cheers,

Chris

I enjoyed this so far. We want more :twisted: BTW was that 2 rolls of TP under your left loud speaker :?: If so ...it works for me :D

The Smokindog eye has lost none of its sharpness! :D

Those are actually special High-Tech Vibration Absorbing Audio Pillars, and there's a story attached to them....

A week or two ago I was chatting to Scrybe about our respective setups for recording. In the true spirit of "I'll show you mine if you show me yours" we exchanged pictures of our little clusters of techno-goodies. Scrybe pointed out that my monitors really ought to be off the desk. She had some nifty stands and had even put vibration absorbing sand in there somewhere.

I was going to scuttle off into the shed and rustle up some wooden stands, but I was sitting doing a bit of thinking (as you do) and wondered if cardboard tubes might not do the job better, as wood is pretty good as transferring sound and vibration. The next stage was to image surrounding the tubes with some additional material that was soft, strong, and absorbent...

So after investing a few zillion dollars on R & D I came up with those stands. Each speaker sits on a tripod arrangement.

For marketing purposes I've bundled them in convenient packs of six (which will do a pair of monitors). Expect them to be available in discerning Audio stores, Music Shops and Supermarkets near you soon.

A big part of the blame for all this rests squarely on the shoulders of a man whose setup I saw and coveted a few years back. His ability to put together the sound of a whole band, playing track by track on his own, inspired me then - and still does. (Somebody and the Bluezers if I remember rightly). So you can expect a big discount..... :wink:

Thanks very much for taking the time to watch. :)

Cheers,

Chris

Oh Hell yeah....Some of the most complex problems have the most simple answers :lol:

I took this video as just a "preview" of what's to come, so here are my thoughts on where I think it's going and such.

Lighting:
I think this is fine, you have a good room light, and you are well lit and we can see the guitar easily, so nice job on that.

Audio:
I don't know if you have lavaliere mic or not, but I think that would be very important as once you are talking over the guitar, forget about hearing you, it's really really low.

Also the overall volume of the video is low until you play plugged in.

Lower 3rd graphics:
I think these should be added when you are playing different guitars so that the view can easily tell what guitar you are playing.

Transitions:
I think that when doing transitions they should mean something, like dissolves or cuts when within the same story/segment, and you can use other wipes when going from segment to segment or place to place, like going to the shot of your guitars and doing the VO there works because it's a complete change of scenery.

Hope that this helps, again if you want some help with the video stuff since this is quite a daunting task, just PM me!

I took this video as just a "preview" of what's to come, so here are my thoughts on where I think it's going and such.

Absolutely. This is the rock bottom starting point, to test everything out. It's a 100% cold start for me on pretty much every aspect, including using a video camera, the editing software, the lighting and sound issues, balancing scenes and script, presenting to camera, etc. I rather enjoy tackling new challenges by jumping in at the deep end. :shock:
Lighting:
I think this is fine, you have a good room light, and you are well lit and we can see the guitar easily, so nice job on that.

The light is reasonable provided there's enough additional natural light from outside. So I'm going to try and sort out some internal lights so that it's more consistent and predictable.
Audio:
I don't know if you have lavaliere mic or not, but I think that would be very important as once you are talking over the guitar, forget about hearing you, it's really really low.

Also the overall volume of the video is low until you play plugged in.

No laveliere, just my music mics. I was using a cheap dynamic mic on a regular stand, just off to my left, and it wasn't really good enough. As it was, I doubled the volume in iMovie (the max) I'm getting better results with a RodeM3 condenser mic, but it's still going directly back into the camera. I might try putting it through the audio interface to the computer and see if the levels are better, and whether it's then possible to sync it or not. I need to turn the amp down a lot and get the distances right, but it was all very quick-n-dirty.

I've also got powered monitors on the computer, so it sounds loud enough - which is misleading. I'll make a note to also test the levels on a computer with much more basic sound and see how it comes up.

Lower 3rd graphics:
I think these should be added when you are playing different guitars so that the view can easily tell what guitar you are playing.

Does that mean using a titling strip at the bottom to give the relevant detail? Sound good.
Transitions:
I think that when doing transitions they should mean something, like dissolves or cuts when within the same story/segment, and you can use other wipes when going from segment to segment or place to place, like going to the shot of your guitars and doing the VO there works because it's a complete change of scenery.

Getting longer takes without hesitations and mumbles, plus getting the right balance with the transitions will make a major difference to how well it works. I'm expecting to need to do a lot of practice and experimenting on those angles, so I'll work through what you said there.

Hope that this helps, again if you want some help with the video stuff since this is quite a daunting task, just PM me!

Thanks a heap for the feedback, and for that offer. I'll definitely have some more questions to PM you sometime next week.

Thanks again Joe,

Cheers,

Chris

Does that mean using a titling strip at the bottom to give the relevant detail? Sound good.
Sorry, I'm used to calling it by what I call it during our news shows.

Yep, that's it. I've got Final Cut 4 HD that I can burn and send ya if you want, it comes with LiveType which is an awesome program for that sort of thing.