Video recording

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If you want to work with video for analysis there are several things to think about:

  • Permission: Remember to get a permission to record the performance
  • Placement: Place the cameras so that you get the best combination of close-up and overview.
  • Lighting: The better light, the better image result and the better analysis result. This is not so easy to control in the concert situation, unless you are able to talk to the light technician beforehand (if there is one).

Tips for recording:

  • Use a camera stand, and move the camera as little as possible (if at all) during the recording. If your video is going to be source material for analysis, you do not want "dogme filming".
  • Use multiple cameras from different angles, if possible
  • Try to place the camera so that you get an even background, without too much distractions. This makes it easier to separate foreground from background (both for qualitative and quantitative analysis).
  • Try to use an external microphone that you put closer to the instruments. Cameras typically have to be at a distance to capture the whole thing, but the sound is better recorded closer up.

[edit] Recording with multiple cameras

Often it is best to record with two cameras. Place one camera in the back that will record everything, and use one camera to record closeups. In the editing software you can add both video streams to the timeline, and then use the best shot for the final video.

Synchronization of the two (or more) recordings is always a challenge. The classic method of doing this is by clapping in front of the camera, or taking a photo with a camera firing a flash. These markers can then be used to synchronize the video afterward. An alternative method, if the cameras allow for it, is to use something like SMPTE time code to handle the syncing.

[edit] Recording music

[edit] Selecting camera

There are lots of cameras out there. Which one to choose? A few things that are important from a musical point of view:

  • Microphone input: many cameras do not have the ability to connect an external microphone, and should be avoided. Most cameras that do have a connector only offers a minijack, while some of the larger professional cameras also include an expander with XLR and phantom power.
  • 3 CCD: lighting conditions often differ greatly during concerts, so having 3 CCD is important for getting the best light conditions
  • Lens: in a typical concert situation you will either have to place the camera at the back or at the front of the room. Somewhere in between will most likely lead to problems with people getting the camera in the sightline, people bumping into the camera etc. If you are at the back you probably need a zoom lens, if you are in the front you need a wide angle lens or converter.
  • HD: this is the future of digital video, and it does not make sense to buy a SD camera nowadays.

Some possible cameras:

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