Video Lessons: A Quest for Perfection on a Limited Budget
How does one conclude that video guitar lessons is the right project for them? My conclusion is the sum of my degrees in Music Education and Broadcast Journalism. Then you need to divide that by the product of my experience as an NBC editor (among many other paid video editing gigs). Be sure not to subtract my 18 years of private music instruction experience. OK... no more braggin'.
Musichas always been my "first love" trade. Broadcasting was not just a career to fall back on, but a subject that tempted my interest while I was in college. It began as a special project in the Concord University recording studio and quickly widened the scope to video editing. Working with video tracks is very similar to audio tracks. Effects, transitions and timing are the same with both, except you are influencing two senses, instead of just one. As a music instructor, I have found myself constantly recommending video lessons over a book. A book can do a lot more good, if someone is already familiar with basic theory from previous experience (school band or private lessons). Even a bad video lesson is more valuable to a beginner than a good book. There is just no substitute for human intervention while you take your very first musical steps.
This endeavor began when I was doing my coffeehouse tour in December 08. We brought my Kodak camera to the gigs. The Kodak was a hand me down that my dad and brother could not figure out. It only recorded at a low resolution, but it was all we had. After the Holiday season, I found myself sitting in my office with a few guitars, a camera and tons of initiative. The only thing I lacked was something to initiate. A guy who is currently ascending to great success in the world of jazz guitar, just recorded his first lesson video. That sparked the idea in my heart. I immediately began to work on my first video. It was shot on the low resolution Kodak camera, but I soon reproduced it with my new Canon. This is my first lesson video to be available on Ultimate-Guitar.com.
The comments from this video gave me mixed emotions. Some people made me feel like I did not have enough tattoos and power chords to appeal to the UG audience, and other people recognized the conciseness and accuracy of the lesson. What it comes down to. Are you looking for a cultural experience or a scientific experience. It is educational value versus entertainment value. As an individual in a free world, you are free to choose. My lessons do stand on the scientific educational side of the spectrum, however I am taking the criticism into account and re-evaluating my approach. The two upcoming videos are Lesson 2 Scale/Chord and Lesson 3 Chromatic Scale. The two new ones are pretty much in my comfort zone, but after that I am veering off a little bit left and paving the way for more entertainment.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this blog and watch as I try to please everyone in the universe with a guitar lesson.
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Video Lessons: A Quest for Perfection on a Limited blog
