Secrets to Crafting High-Quality Audition Videos

Can a simple smartphone and an affordable microphone transform your audition video into a professional masterpiece? Heck yeah! Today we dive into how you can take your audition videos to the next level and convey your professionalism!

This episode is available as a blog post. Click here to read!

Your Audition Guidebook? Click here.

Click here for more about working with an accompanist with Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano 

Here's the microphone I use!

Click here for the episode show notes

Confident auditioning is a skill. Start building it now with The Confident Musician's Audition Guide

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:51 Creating the perfect space
• 5:41 Your recording equiptment
• 8:17 Professionalism inside AND outside the video
• 10:43 Recap
• 11:45 Final thoughts

Transcript

Your host, Eleanor: 1:23

And you saw a video from someone who dressed in concert dress, obviously very focused and very serious about this video. And then you see another person in, like jeans and a top. Which one are you gonna think is more professional? Hello and welcome to the Confident Musicianing Podcast. I'm your host, eleanor, and after countless practice sessions, a ton of broken res and seven different music school acceptances in three different countries, I have learned a thing or two about savoring your practicing, becoming your best practice companion and actively working towards your musical goals, and I want to share this with you because I want you to become your best musical self. Are you with me on this? Let's get started. Hey there and welcome.

Your host, Eleanor: 2:19

Audition videos can be so useful. Unlike in-person auditions, you get to do multiple takes and send the videos off anywhere. I recently went through a phase of recording videos for different applications and you know the feeling of reusing those videos for multiple purposes. I mean the productivity. But in order for these videos to serve us, we got to put in the work and make them look good. Now, how do we do that for you? That is what we're going to dive right into today. The first thing is the place. This might seem obvious, but it's really important. Audition videos in your bedroom versus in a theater can make such a difference. And let's say you can't afford a bigger space or you can't get a bigger space, that's totally fine. Audition videos give us the opportunity to get creative. Maybe your bedroom isn't good, but maybe you have another room in your house that's good, or even a white wall. You can also ask your school if you can use a space there. Maybe, like you know, ask one of your music teachers hey, can I use this space for an hour on this day and see what they say? You can also ask your accompanist if they have any connections to places as well. For my audition videos I have been able to use professional spaces for free or for a reduced rate, because my accompanist had connections and were able to fit me in to these places, had connections and were able to fit me in to these places. I even remember one time I used my accompanist's living room because she had recording equipment there and her pianos were there and like her living room is like a space where she puts on recitals and does recordings anyway. So she was like there's no need to book a place because we can just do it in my house and that was really, really, really handy and helpful. So ask your accompanist, they might know places that you can record Now in order.

Your host, Eleanor: 4:19

Now, in terms of the space, make sure to look at the audition guidelines and rules, because this can help you decide what will work best. If they say you have to have this type of space, then you know do that type of space. Or if they don't have any space requirements, then it is up to you to get creative. Just take a look at your space and be like is this professional? Does this look professional? You want to look as professional as possible and remember, when you're looking for spaces, anytime anyone says no, ask for recommendations of where to ask next. So this has happened to me so many times and I know that I'm not the only one. When you phone up a place and you're like hey, can I use you know this space on this time, blah, blah, blah, and they say no, Then your next step is to be like okay, that's totally fine. Do you know of any other places that are that have spaces or that I could get in contact with to get a space? Because those people who have the spaces probably know other people who have spaces. So get in contact with anyone and everyone, ask all around. You got this. It can definitely be frustrating, but it is definitely worth it because then you have a good space. A good space is worth the time and effort.

Your host, Eleanor: 5:41

The next thing is the equipment. This can be so important because the equipment takes can either have a good sound quality or a bad sound quality. This can be so important. So for me, I use my phone for the video and my podcasting equipment for the audio. It's very handy that I podcast, but how can we do this for you? You do not have to break the bank for some good equipment. The microphone that I use for my podcasting and also for my audition videos is very handy and not a break the bank situation. I think it's like 20 bucks on Amazon. So if you're interested in that, I'm going to be linking that under. You know, in the show notes I'm going to be linking the microphone. So, just in case you want to go, look at that.

Your host, Eleanor: 6:29

But yeah, you know there are ways to get recording equipment. That's not like so super duper, duper, expensive and a big investment. Let's say you can't get recording equipment or you can't afford recording equipment. That's totally fine too. You can ask your accompanist if they have recording equipment. I have used recording equipment from accompanists. Now, of course, you have to be polite when you ask right, you have to like there's obviously all of that stuff that goes along with it. But if you just you know ask if you can use it, that can be helpful as well. And they might not have recording equipment, but it is. It is helpful to ask. Or you can ask if your school has recording equipment that you can use as well. Or maybe if your friends have recording equipment, or even your teacher recording equipment, or even your teacher. You know like I use. I have used my teacher's recording equipment before. He has like a microphone that he gives me if I need to use it. Before I got this microphone, before I started a podcast, I was using his, and that was really helpful as well. So just ask around. If you aren't able to get recording equipment yourself and by that I just mean a microphone then you can ask around 100%. But focusing on a good quality audio can really help, and I think audio is probably more important than video. If we think about it, it's an audition tape, you know. But just ask around and see if you can find some recording equipment or if you can buy some as well. You know, as I have struggled and worked through audition seasons, I have tested out and collected strategies for all aspects of the auditioning process and this is to go in a special guide just for you. There is a link all about this in the show notes, so go check that out.

Your host, Eleanor: 8:17

The third thing is the professionalism in the video and outside the video. So, for instance, do you need to introduce yourself or the piece? It changes depending on the audition. I mean, personally, for me I always introduce myself and then if you know it's not necessary or not needed or wanted, then I just cut that off. But it's handy to have it just in case it is wanted. But just to know those guidelines. Do you need to introduce yourself? What do you need to do All of these things? Make sure your dress is also concert attire. Be as professional as possible. If you were a judge, okay, and you saw a video from someone who dressed in concert dress, obviously very, very focused and very serious about this video, and then you see another person in like jeans and a top, which one are you going to think is more professional, definitely the one that's dressed in more professional clothing. So make sure your dress is concert attire. Be as professional as possible. You are showing that you really, really care about this.

Your host, Eleanor: 9:21

And, in terms of being professional outside the video, make sure that you have a few takes, but be gracious of your accompanist and the time. For me with oboe, if I you know, after two or three takes my mouth is very tired. I can't do anymore. But if you have an instrument where you don't end up doing it like that, then you need to remember to be gracious of your accompanist's time as well, because if you have a time slot, you need to not take up too much of your accompanist's time. Take a few recordings and then be done okay.

Your host, Eleanor: 9:55

This goes along the lines of what do we do when we are working with an accompanist or a collaborative pianist, and that, my friend, is something that we have gotten into because there is a podcast episode. This is episode 28. It is called Working with a Collaborative Pianist slash Accompanist and Studying in the US and Brazil with Dr Natalia Cato Giordano. Dr Natalia Cato Giordano is a professor at Duquesne University and we dive right into all of the different like etiquette things and things that we should do when working with an accompanist or a collaborative pianist. So if that sounds like something that you could benefit from because, let's be honest, it was a goldmine of a conversation that link will be in the show notes, so make sure you go check that out.

Your host, Eleanor: 10:41

All right, let's do a bit of a recap. The first thing the place. Make sure the place is professional and get creative with it. Okay, ask people if they know of different places that you could go to, whether that is a teacher at school or maybe your private teacher or friends. Whatever it is, try to find a good space for you. The second is the equipment. Make sure that your equipment can really get your sound and remember you don't need to break the bank at all. You can even ask other people if you could use their equipment, ask your accompanist, ask your school, all of these things. Try to see if you can use them.

Your host, Eleanor: 11:20

And the third is the professionalism in the video and outside the video. Make sure you know the rules, make sure that you are wearing good concert attire, but also make sure you're gracious of your accompanist and that you are polite and kind inside the video and outside the video, and in that we can dive into episode 28 with Dr Natalia Cato Giordano, so make sure you go check that out. All right, that is about it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. As always, all the things to do with this episode will be in the show notes, from the blog post that goes with this episode to the episode with Darcey Natalia Caccia Giordano, to the link for the audition guide. Do yourself a favor and check out these show notes because, let's be honest, there's some good stuff in there, and if you want to show your love and support for the confident musicianing podcast, make sure you give it a follow and I will see you in the next episode.