Taking the first step onto Youtube with a Chameleon demo

Alegree

It's been a long time coming, but I'm finally on Youtube!

The first, scary step onto Youtube introduces my Chameleon humbuckers. 
This video was a whole lot of fun to write music for and record. More pickup demos will be coming soon for sure. There's quite a lot of waffle for the first couple of minutes explaining what they are, how they work and what I feel to be the optimal way of wiring them up, you'll want to skip to 1.45 if you just want to hear them.

In the meantime I have the intention of doing some general pickup modding, pickup building and general tech walk throughs. If you have anything in mind that you'd like to see, please let me know.

normula1

The link is just to an image rather than a video.

Alegree

normula1 said:

The link is just to an image rather than a video.

That's odd. It was working before.
Let's just do this the old fashioned way with a written link.

TTony

Having just watched the video, I have one Q ...

Was the only difference between each of the soundclips *just* the pickup selection, or did you also vary amp settimgs or add any FX?

Alegree

TTony said:

Having just watched the video, I have one Q ...

Was the only difference between each of the soundclips *just* the pickup selection, or did you also vary amp settimgs or add any FX?

Pickup selection and amp settings. 
Everything else was the same.

RiftAmps

Alegree said:

normula1 said:

The link is just to an image rather than a video.

That's odd. It was working before.
Let's just do this the old fashioned way with a written link.

It's because you edited the post after the fact. If you do so, you then need to re-paste the video link again otherwise you just get a screenshot.

Re your video - clearly you've discovered how complex creating a demo is, and good for you for trying. My tip is to not worry about the video quality at first (most iPhones can shoot good quality 1080p), but ensure that the audio is recorded to the highest standard that you can. It really pays dividends to invest in a high-end amp, microphone, and interface. Even better would be to hire out a small local recording studio for the first few videos to see how the engineer works, and then copy his approach. Take a look at Johan Segeborn on YT to see how effective the OK video/great sound approach can work. Cinematic it is not, but the sound is always 10/10.

I always bring in a pro player to demo my amps, because my playing simply isn't good enough for the standard expected on YT today. That frees me up to focus on the recording the sound and video. You might benefit from trying the same approach.

These videos are your shop window, so treat them as such!

Good luck

stickyfiddle

Generally good. 

A couple of things - lighting is everything, and will make your clips look much more professional. I'd also start with some playing, because everyone on the internet is impatient with a low attention span, and also because your pickups sound great.

Alegree

Thanks folks.

I'm using professional photography lighting - what's the issue with it? I personally thought the lighting was one of the few things that came out great.

The guitar audio was recorded miced up the way I record with my bands - any issue with the audio is solely on the player! Unfortunately I only had the guitar on lone to me for the one day for the shoot and didn't have time to reshoot some sloppy bits.

I'll be reaching out to some influencers and guitar materials that hopefully should be able to provide a more polished demo, but I think having a less than polished demo at the moment is better than none. Especially as it puts a face to the business. It certainly didn't help that to demonstrate the versatility of these I wrote and played a lot of stuff that is completely alien to me (that was the first time I've ever played anything remotely country for instance). I'll be recording my Amazonian Wildfire humbucker set next - probably with a play through with my most recently written song, I expect a metalhead playing metal without being rushed this time is going to come out much better. But alas, it is a very steep learning curve!

In regard to starting with playing - I completely agree, I intended on having a pop up saying 'skip the waffle' that took impatient people to the playing start, but Youtube appears to have removed that ability for an unfathomable reason to me. I certainly won't have nearly that much waffle in my future videos, but these pickups were a bit of a special case.

Feedback is much appreciated and will be taken on board with my next video shooting this weekend where I will demonstrate how to build a humbucker

Jez6345789

First and foremost I do like what you are trying to do with the Chameleon pickup it's interesting and a bit different. 

Video is hard and I know as I have tried for some our products. That said there is probably more videos on youtube on how to do it than actual video bloggers. 

As has been said lighting is king even with straight to camera stuff. It was fine where you were talking but the playing stuff was grey shadowy and you either need a few more lights or more powerful lights etc. 

If you have a video camera and an iphone try using a two camera rig and cutting between shots made a lot of difference for me as it stops stuff being straight to the camera talking head which loses people interest unless you are doing yoga in a leotard. lol

As for sound and playing without being harsh get a better more versatile play who can nip round the styles you need to show off the product. I know you wrote all the stuff and to be honest it sort of showed. I certainly could not do any better but for Beer money you will find a really versatile local guy who can nip through the styles and happy to be on You Tube. 

I also found that having a set of scenes written out and a plan made editing a lot quicker and easier. 

As for sound I am not sure what the amp was but on some of the clips it sounded like a box of spanners. 
From a selling point of view you could do with perhaps a little bit of talking so here is the low power single coil mode notice how the upper mids are boosted etc etc etc. 

For me I prefer pickup demo in a guitar I know and understand so fitted to a benchmark guitar does not matter if it's a basic studio or MIM its a better reference for people to understand the difference between the pickup modes. 

I also like a quick clean and dirty strum through an explanation and then the whole lot put together over a backing track towards the end for like 60 secs so you can hear it in a musical showcase. 

Finally, I think you have done a great job for a first attempt and none of what I have said is meant to be harsh just things that I learnt going along and my first attempt was way worst as I did not plan and the video took hours to edit. 

I do like the Chameleon concept but it maybe could do with a bit of rethink on the wiring may be a single switch for low or high in each mode and just let the two volumes do what they do. Personally I always forget that a pull pot is up or down also sometimes harder to see when looking down.

Alegree

Jez6345789 said:

First and foremost I do like what you are trying to do with the Chameleon pickup it's interesting and a bit different. 

Video is hard and I know as I have tried for some our products. That said there is probably more videos on youtube on how to do it than actual video bloggers. 

As has been said lighting is king even with straight to camera stuff. It was fine where you were talking but the playing stuff was grey shadowy and you either need a few more lights or more powerful lights etc. 

If you have a video camera and an iphone try using a two camera rig and cutting between shots made a lot of difference for me as it stops stuff being straight to the camera talking head which loses people interest unless you are doing yoga in a leotard. lol

As for sound and playing without being harsh get a better more versatile play who can nip round the styles you need to show off the product. I know you wrote all the stuff and to be honest it sort of showed. I certainly could not do any better but for Beer money you will find a really versatile local guy who can nip through the styles and happy to be on You Tube. 

I also found that having a set of scenes written out and a plan made editing a lot quicker and easier. 

As for sound I am not sure what the amp was but on some of the clips it sounded like a box of spanners. 
From a selling point of view you could do with perhaps a little bit of talking so here is the low power single coil mode notice how the upper mids are boosted etc etc etc. 

For me I prefer pickup demo in a guitar I know and understand so fitted to a benchmark guitar does not matter if it's a basic studio or MIM its a better reference for people to understand the difference between the pickup modes. 

I also like a quick clean and dirty strum through an explanation and then the whole lot put together over a backing track towards the end for like 60 secs so you can hear it in a musical showcase. 

Finally, I think you have done a great job for a first attempt and none of what I have said is meant to be harsh just things that I learnt going along and my first attempt was way worst as I did not plan and the video took hours to edit. 

I do like the Chameleon concept but it maybe could do with a bit of rethink on the wiring may be a single switch for low or high in each mode and just let the two volumes do what they do. Personally I always forget that a pull pot is up or down also sometimes harder to see when looking down.

Thanks for the feedback.

In regard to the amp, I guess that comes down to a taste thing - as far as the tones go I think they were fantastic and wouldn't change them. Views will differ, I detest Fender tones for instance, which puts me in a slim minority.

Two camera idea is a good idea. I'll  have to give that a go. I planned it and it still took 4 days to edit! Hardest part was aligning the visuals and the microphone that decided to record at completely different rates - nightmare.

That was one of hundreds of way to wire them, I'm about to write a page on my website dedicated to it all. They really can be wired up in any way you can possibly desire.

TTony

Alegree said:

TTony said:

Having just watched the video, I have one Q ...

Was the only difference between each of the soundclips *just* the pickup selection, or did you also vary amp settimgs or add any FX?

Pickup selection and amp settings. 
Everything else was the same.

Then that's an impressive range of - useable - sounds out of the pickup.

Nice work.

antifash

I wouldn’t use that video. The audio levels are off, the settings / environments are mixed (therefore looking amateur), the playing isn’t demonstrating how good the pickups are as it’s too distracting.

Sorry, but I found it unwatchable. 

JMP220478

firstly great concept - perhaps compare n contrast the pickups you're emulating ie high output  HB and similar from recognised manufacturer ; agree with classic guitar shape comments  as we are generally a conservative bunch and also have preconceived ideas of what a tele / strat / LP sound like .. also if I missed it I would mention amp / speaker / control setings in use to provide a sonic reference point.

Never done any youtube demos personally for entirely all the reasons mentioned above - its difficult to get all things right without very gifted amateur help or better still pro support .. you are competing for hard earned cash and theres lots of competition out there .. 



great tunes / playing / sounds and versatility demo'd 

dindude

If you want honest feedback, then I wouldn't subscribe to the "any video is better than none" - that vid would probably put me off buying your pickups rather than the other way around, just because the quality of it doesn't reflect the product.

RiftAmps

Alegree said:

In regard to the amp, I guess that comes down to a taste thing - as far as the tones go I think they were fantastic and wouldn't change them.

This is worrying.

If you want to sell gear, you need to demonstrate them using reference points that 99% of guitarists recognise.

In my videos, we demo each amplifier with the big three - Strat, Tele, and Les Paul

If I made guitars, I'd want to demonstrate them with a Marshall, a Fender, and a Vox

Demoing your pickups with a relatively unknown guitar into an unknown amp recorded poorly will not achieve the goals that you're aiming for.

If you're going to use the strapline 'The most versatile humbucker ever' then you need to prove it beyond any doubt. The video above certainly does not.

Sorry.

EricTheWeary

Alegree said:

TTony said:

Having just watched the video, I have one Q ...

Was the only difference between each of the soundclips *just* the pickup selection, or did you also vary amp settimgs or add any FX?

Pickup selection and amp settings. 
Everything else was the same.

Just watching it as an embedded video so that ^ and the signal chain might be explained in your YouTube description but it needs to be somewhere ( although not the very dull five minutes chat of ' my signal chain is'). 

You are in your own shadow a bit so if you have decent lightning you might play around with it. But it's a pick up demo, I'm not sure we should be expecting something too glossy. I think ideally you'd be using a more familiar guitar so that there is a clearer reference point. 

Winny_Pooh

My favourite part was the "haunting cleans"

Chalky

dindude said:

If you want honest feedback, then I wouldn't subscribe to the "any video is better than none" - that vid would probably put me off buying your pickups rather than the other way around, just because the quality of it doesn't reflect the product.

Exactly. 

@Alegree by all means make videos using the instruments and amp sounds that you like, if all you want to do is make a personal video.

But if you want to sell a relatively expensive niche product (which is what a pickup is), then that video is simply too poor.  The sound is not good and leaving out Fender tones is just plain silly.  Know your market and make sure you are presenting an attractive proposition to the majority of it.

I'm an avid pickup demo watcher and I own a *lot* of aftermarket pickups.  I didn't make it through that video - that should worry you.  Clearly you need help as listed in the excellent feedback so far in this thread.

I'm sending out communications to several thousand people soon. I need to make sure they are top quality. So I'm not writing one word.  I'm getting them done by folks who know how to do these things.  I'm good at what I do and I don't do what I'm not good at. Keeps business successful.