As we move forward I think lots of us are forced to accept that we’ll be living with the threat of the Covid virus for some time to come, and that this will create inevitable restrictions on our lives. The impact on musicians has already been huge, causing widespread cancellation of events and halting rehearsals. The problem is that music is a social pursuit, and it’s very difficult to imagine a future for it in the context of a world in which people are not able to mix.
That said, there are some practical solutions to the problem of how to play together when we’re not allowed to be in a room together. One such solution is the collaborative music video. You’ll have seen lots of these pop up on TV and on YouTube – videos in which people record their parts separately at home and then someone puts them all together. Professional media outlets have very expensive equipment and whole teams of people at their disposal to make this happen, but you really need little more than an internet ready device with a camera to get started. Furthermore, your project doesn’t need to be very ambitious to be really satisfying.
I’ve started making music this way with my stepdad. He is a really keen violinist and guitarist, so he’s been recording himself playing pieces, and I’ve added parts to them by listening to his recordings and playing along at home (while recording myself using a mobile phone). As you can see, the result can be rather effective:
If you’d like to have a go at something like this, either with my musical support or as a collaboration with your friends / family, then I’d be happy to give you advice as to how to put the final video together. I’ve been using a free piece of software called ShotCut. I found this to be the best option for me, but there are various others if you have the time and patience to have a go.
Lesson Slots for this week
Face to face lessons have started in earnest of the past couple of weeks, and my schedule is already really filling up. As a result, I have fairly limited space in the week ahead. If you would like to book a lesson with me, check out the free slots below, and then drop me a text on 07746637472.
- Mon 21 Sep
- 10:45 (30 mins)
- 13:45 (2 x 30 mins)
- Wed 23 Sep
- 19:30 (30 mins)