Last thread I found on this was 3 years old. What type of equipment did you use to create prescreen videos and how did you get it into the correct format to send to the school? Thinking of using an Ipad or Iphone with external mic. Any suggestions are much appreciated!
The iphone/ipad video with mic should work just fine in most cases. The cameras on devices have improved so much in the past few years that a different camera really isn’t necessary…especially with a good external mic.
Will it be just you and a pianist or are you recording jazz with a rhythm section? We had studio recordings made, but only because we had some contacts. One excerpt that didn’t require a rhythm section got re-recorded last minute on an iphone with no external mic and it didn’t seem to matter.
All the schools S applied to accepted a wide range of video and audio formats. Some had size restrictions. You can use imovie or whatever video editing software you have to trim, size and format for download if needed.
I was cautioned against DIY recordings for prescreen. We paid some of our son’s teachers from his prep program and used a local music schools recording studio. It took one evening and it was slightly on the pricey side but nothing compared to tuition (LOL). More importantly our son passed all his prescreens. Working in a real recording studio is also a good experience for your child. If money is especially tight then consider hiring local younger musicians to accompany your student and using a recording studio at a local college or school.
Just to give the other side of the argument about DYI, my daughter has also always passed all prescreens–for college, grad schools, summer programs, competitions–always DYI. These are for top programs in instrumental classical music (not sure what your specialty is.) The accompanist is a big enough expense. She uses one of the Zoom video recorders, although as @indeestudios says, recent advances in iPhone technologies probably mean that those devices are good enough. But of course if you have the budget, there is not reason not to rent a recording studio. I just don’t think it’s necessary.
I have a DSLR and a Zoom audio recorder and I bought an appropriate cable to connect the two so that the Zoom served as the external mic - I also have a cheap hotshoe adapter that screws into the Zoom so it could be mounted to the top of the DSLR. My son had only one school with a prescreen, but he passed it and will be enrolling at that top school this fall.
If you use an iPad or phone definitely make sure it is on a stand or something stable. If you happen to own or can borrow a tripod there are little smartphone tripod adapters that will attach to a standard tripod if you don’t have a surface at the appropriate height for a small stand. This one, for example: https://www.amazon.com/MeFoto-SideKick360-Smartphone-Tripod-Adapter/dp/B00IF4NZCS
@glassharmonica I wonder if the instrument makes a difference whether DIY works or not. My son is a bass player and I really notice the difference between decent recordings done in a studio and those made using his iPhone. That being said my son has applied to programs (and been accepted) using just an iPhone recording. But I also know he there are some programs or grants he has not received where he admits he wished he had put in the extra time to go to a studio to do the recording.
I agree with @StacJip that perhaps instrument is a determining factor… my D is a vocalist, and while we did DIY recordings, we did rent a camera and tripod from a local photography store. For vocalists, a well tuned piano and a well chosen room are important, because adjudicators are looking for things like Vocal size and color, not just facility. I’m SO GLAD all our prescreens are done for the foreseeable future! Best of luck to all of you planning to make those videos this year!
Thanks for the replies so far! My son is applying to VP programs. Not going to go the recording studio route…
I have found the Zoom Cameras to be a great place to start. I wish I had picked up the Q8 (which has phantom power for an external mic) https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1116341-REG/zoom_zq8_q8_handy_video_recorder.html but it wasn’t out yet. I’m happy with the Q4 and an external XLR w/phantom box. You also don’t need to break the bank on a mic. Someone gave me one of these to try… I don’t record vocals but I was surprised with how well this held up compared to some of my more expensive mics https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/275641-REG/Behringer_B_2_PRO_B_2_Pro_Studio.html.
My S used either his Zoom video/audio recorder, has also used a laptop using the zoom as the mic, and it worked fine for him. Keep in mind they aren’t expecting perfection and unless the recording it totally horrible they likely will hear what they are listening for just fine. I will add a recording studio and professional person doing the recording is easier on you, if you don’t feel comfortable with the DIY, then by all means go that route, but my experience with it both personally and through the network of music families I know is it isn’t required, especially now that DIY has so many options.
One warning, don’t try and make a bad recording sound better with things like reverb or playing with the waveform recording, one advantage of DYI is you can do takes until you are happy with it, and the only cost is time:).
I agree with musicprnt. The key thing is that this is not an album you’re planning to launch. It’s a prescreen. The adjudicators can tell whether you’re qualified to audition without hearing the best possible quality recording. And the inverse is true: a great studio recording (unless you cheat and also pay for editing, which I don’t recommend for many reasons) is not going to help you pass a prescreen if you’re not quite at the level the school is looking for.
My son DIYed his recordings with his iPhone, no external mic. He passed all his prescreens, and for one school it was his entire audition (Miami). He was accepted with a lovely scholarship there.
A few more comments to add to the above. My D went off to college with a BlackBerry (lol) so the equipment has changed greatly since her first pre-screenings.
For others reading this and considering a professional recording studio, that’s fine too. It is an extremely busy time and if you just feel better putting it in the hands of a professional, go for it. I would just be sure to check if they have done pre-screens before (meaning NO editing) and their pricing. It really shouldn’t be expensive. We had my D’s music school do the recording with their studio equipment. It was for VP and took 30 minutes. Never had to think once about the equipment…or invest in it…and I think it cost about $100. We just gave them a list of what was needed and they did the cuts (ALL was done in 30 min - I spent more time worrying about it!). My D now has an iphone and I know she has used it for summer/YAP screenings. She also sometimes hires a friend with good equipment it they are available and low priced. There are always kids on campus trying to make an extra buck doing recordings or head shots. All methods seem to work fine.
But as pointed out earlier, IF the pre-screen does not honestly represent your student, you should consider getting some help. We used an antiquated taping system from her high school originally and I just didn’t think it really sounded like my D. She was in a cinder block room with a so-so piano. So I decided to pay for the studio and professional equipment. Also I think the surroundings helped my D be more comfortable. She could forget about the recording device (she’s a worrier) and just sing. It was getting late in the game and I wasn’t going to figure out recording equipment since our first attempt didn’t work. So be sure to give yourself some time to make adjustments.
Have done hundreds of auditions using my DSLR camera + Tascam. Sync’ed the video and audio using Pluraleye software afterwards. All you want to accomplish is a clear video and a clear audio for any auditions out there. No need for professional studio work.
I asked the same question 2 years ago for my son who went through the application process last year. We ended up going through the professional studio route for the audio portion because he had to record with a whole jazz rhythm section, i.e. three other instruments beside himself, and also one of the pre-screens was audio-only.
Here’s the thread if you’re interested.
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/1777432-quality-of-pre-screen-recordings-p1.html
We took our own video camera, a Zoom Q8, to the studio session. My son integrated the audio, which the studio provided on a CD, and the video. This took some effort. I think he used Adobe Studio, which he already had. He passed all of the prescreens, including Juilliard. In hindsight, we both think he would have passed all of his video prescreens with just the Zoom Q8 recording. The Q8’s strength is in the audio more than video and takes external mics.
We hired a pro drummer and bassist; pianist was a combo-mate. I think having a pro rhythm section (so the accompanist in your case) mattered much more than the studio environment. He had to record 9-10 songs, so not having to rehearse or compensate for the rhythm section had a big impact.
I agree with finding a pro rhythm section. Like StacJip above, we hired our son’s prep teachers (including @StacJip’s son it turns out!). They really understood how to support/highlight my son’s guitar playing in a way his high school friends, all excellent musicians, might not. And they all showed up on time! My son really enjoyed the experience.
There are now some fantastic microphones for iOS which yield excellent quality recordings. For anyone, make sure that your acoustics are good in the room and your background is simple. Singers need a to have the piano recently tuned, but the panel honestly doesn’t care about the"size or color" of a kid’s voice- they know that they’re hearing a 17-18 yr old and are listening for potential not whether the kid can be heard in the back of a 3500 seat house the next year.