YouTube has become the easiest way to share your DJ creativity with others online, but most people aren’t exactly born with the knowledge of how to produce a great performance. Over the last five years, I’ve recorded over 100 videos with close to 20 million views to date, and now I’m going to share my secrets with you. Take the following tips and use them to enter this months Dj Video contest with nearly $4k in prizes!
-Ean Golden
The essentials of a great DJ routine video can be broken down into these components (by importance):
- The Musical Arrangement
- The Audio Quality
- The Performance Engagement
- The Video Quality
- The Video Editing
THE MUSICAL ARRANGEMENT
Madeon’s Pop Culture video (pictured above), is arguably one of the more successful “DJ” videos in the last year (nearly 12 million views and counting) Boasting just a single camera angle and no editing – it excels in amazing arrangement and musical content. The first and main thing you want to practice with your music video is how the musical arrangement of your performance flows. You might be shooting a video, but this is really all about the music.
- Shoot at least 4 draft videos of you improving on the routine
- Edit those drafts together and comp together the best arrangement
- It’s OK to loop or repeat sections that really shine
- Listen to that arrangement over and over again
- Try to structure the arrangement in a cohesive pattern that is musical!
- For video 2 minutes or less is ideal.
- Memorize the routine arrangement – and once it can be reliably played you are ready to shoot
Check out Riccardo Betti, the winner of our last contest. His simple video had a great musical arrangement which really set him apart from the other contestants (at the time of publication, his video had 1.2 million views):
“Technique-wise, your routine might be cutting edge, but if it sounds like raking fingernails across a chalkboard, scrap it. Never sacrifice musicality for technicality.” – DMC competitor and judge Jay Slim in “An Open Challenge To All DMC Competitors”
THE AUDIO QUALITY
Most casual viewers may not even notice, but the audio quality of your video is one of the first things they pick up when making snap judgements about a video.
FACT: Viewers decide if they are into a video within 10-15 seconds on YouTube.
Audio quality is definitely one of the main elements our brains scan when deciding: “Should I invest my time in this content?” “Is this something good?”
Here are the common ways to capture audio (from most ideal to least ideal):
- Right in the software, capture a digital version of the performance – you will need to sync this up with video later
- Run a line output from your DJ mixer into a digital recorder
- Route your mixer’s output back into the computer to record in digital land
- Use a high quality mic in the room (large diaphram condensor or bi-naurel are best)
- Use the built-in mic on the camera
(Recently here at DJTT HQ, we’ve found the Zoom H4 Recorder
If you have nothing else, the built-in mic on a cell phone or flip cam will do – but it’s only going to capture a narrow spectrum of the audio field in a very compressed format. This will be further compressed by any editing AND YouTube, with the end product being fairly grainy.
CRAZY TIP: When bouncing your video out, export the highest quality audio possible so it’s not encoded to MP3 twice
THE PERFORMANCE ENGAGEMENT
This is where the medium starts to matter. If people are watching a video, they expect to see things happen and to be entertained or wowed. At the very least there needs be a strong connection between what people are seeing and hearing. Head bopping, dancers, movement and camera tricks have very little connection to what’s really happening in the music.
Here in NI’s most recent Traktor / Kontrol F1 promo video, we see a good example of great production quality but little performance engagement:
In the following video I performed for the S4 launch – the production quality is noticeably lower, but we are always seeing a strong performance connection between the audio and physical motion.
Five ways to improve performance engagement:
- Have a static overhead shot that can always be used in a pinch
- Get lots of close ups of the hands at work
- Avoid using music video tricks and editing techniques to add false excitement. Keep it real.
- Don’t be afraid to really get into the performance and move with the music. Show us your enthusiasm!
- Be authentic with your performance, as an audience can pick up on a fake show designed to impress. If you are serious and minimal – then shoot it that way.
THE VIDEO QUALITY
After you have nailed the first two categories of performance, audio and arrangement then you can move on to upgrading the video quality. Don’t invest time and money in this class until you have passed the previous ones!
The easiest way to upgrade your video production is by simply upgrading your video production tools – buying a dedicated camera that isn’t embedded in your laptop can be a great first step. (Many readers ask us what cameras we use in the DJTT studi0 – we have a pair of Canon Rebel T2i digital SLRs) But many mediocre cameras can work well with basic lighting. The frame above from this video, is a good example of the deep focus effects you can get from a SLR camera.
Here is a typical upgrade path you would follow when stepping up your video rig
- Built-in camera on a computer (free!)
- Flip Cam (These are so affordable and very good quality HD) $99
- Canon PowerShot – These little “consumer” cams can shoot some excellent video with focus control. $199-$299
- Basic SLR Camera – For the Sexy Deep focus shots and great low light, you need a SLR. The basic ones with HD video now run for about $399-$599
- High End SLR with a Great Lens. This starts to get into the really sexy territory but can set you back about $2k!
LIGHTING IS KEY..
Every camera needs basic light to function but with great light, they really start to shine. If you are shooting with basic gear then it’s best to try day time shoots with lots of natural light for easy, good quality results. The following video was the very first DJ TechTools performance/tutorial in 2007 and it was shot with a single Canon powershot with basic daylight. Yes, the headband is regrettable in hindsight but we all had to start somewhere.
If you are ready to step up and add some lighting to your rig, it can be in-expensive and easy! The “Cowboy Lighting” kit only costs $199 and will easily light any DJ setup. Follow the DIY route and collect lights from around the house arranging them in the following setup:
SIMPLE CLEAN EDITING
While many music videos and television shows rely on great editing to keep them interesting – DJ performances seem to demand the opposite:
Really show the action and let us follow the performance without jarring transitions.
The general rule of thumb we follow is to make a cut when it’s required to really see the action. Is something interesting happening in software – switch to the screen. Is the front shot not showing the action, cut to a closeup and so on.
Less is more, and generally it pays to pick a great angle and just leave it. If you really want to keep people interested set up two shots and alternate between them to keep things interesting. Spend a lot of time setting up a great shot that really shows the action so you don’t have to fix that later in post.
BIG TIP: Avoid complicated programs like Final Cut unless you are a professional. Basic tools like iMovie produce easy, fast results so you can focus on the performance.
EXTRA CREDIT – Screen Capture
Since many of your viewers will be DJs they really want to see what is happening and now that everyone uses computers, showing what the software is doing can help explain and pull people into the performance. Some producers put screen capture throughout the video, but we like to highlight interesting aspects of the performance with screen capture, revealing details that make the audience appreciate any hidden effort the DJ might be putting forth. Sometimes it’s nice to leave out screen capture entirely, as it can be distracting but if you do choose to include it – use this tool sparingly.
Here are some great options for screen recordings!
- Camstudio (Windows) is free.
- Camtasia (Windows/Mac) has a free 30-day trial.
- For basic screen recording on a Mac, just use Quicktime! Check out this article, under “Screen recording in QuickTime Player.”
- Screenflow (Mac) is a paid application that Ean swears by – it allows you to edit your video very easily, and you can add other video sources in as well!
BIG TIP: Create movement with your screen capture to break up static screens. Zoom in on key elements and move the screen around
Additionally, if you’re a whiz at Adobe After Effects (or better yet, if your video-editing friend is), you could consider incorporating some extra synesthetic content from your screencapture, like the floating sample icons in the DJ Shiftee F1 video.
GRADUATING CLASS CONTEST
Alright, class is over – it’s time for your homework! We want to see what you’ve learned, so we’re having a contest to see who in the DJTT community can make the best DJ routine video. As usual, we will be giving away fabulous prizes. Here are the rules of the contest:
Must be a digital DJ routine OR tutorial on how to do something cool with DJ software.Upload your masterpiece to YouTube with “DJ TechTools Video Contest: (Name of your Video)” in the titlePost your entry to this page as a comment!Vote up the comments that contain videos you enjoyEntries will be judged by DJTT staff on the quality of the video, using this article as a guideline.
Ean Golden is the founder of Dj TechTools and a worldwide Dj specializing in controllers and new performance technology.
Follow Ean on: Twitter Facebook SoundCloud YouTube
[…] at once (as seen in this video) I entered this video for video DJ contest at DJTechTools (http://www.djtechtools.com/2012/06/24/how-to-make-a-great-dj-video). Didn’t win though […]
[…] songs quickly and/or for jamming with your friends. It’s also a fast way to become a internet video sensation. The basic concept is to turn electronic music into a living, breathing instrument and be able to […]
[…] Wondering if there’s a standard for routine videos?We wrote up a guide to great videos for DJs/performers […]
[…] Wondering if there’s a standard for routine videos?We wrote up a guide to great videos for DJs/performers […]
[…] That being said, we would love to see the actual performance, and maybe even Ableton screen capture, to be able to see what’s going on. Wondering if there’s a standard for routine videos? We wrote up a guide to great videos for DJs/performers: read our tips here. […]
[…] That being said, we would love to see the actual performance, and maybe even Ableton screen capture, to be able to see what’s going on. Wondering if there’s a standard for routine videos? We wrote up a guide to great videos for DJs/performers: read our tips here. […]
[…] Read More: How To Make a Great DJ Performance Video […]
[…] DJ can record multiple takes of a routine until submitting the best take. This means there’s a lot of room for creativity and ingenuity when creating a routine. After viewing the finalists we found the most intriguing routine to be DJ […]
[…] DJ can record multiple takes of a routine until submitting the best take. This means there’s a lot of room for creativity and ingenuity when creating a routine. After viewing the finalists we found the most intriguing routine to be DJ […]
Hey Check out Mario Ranieri’s Videosets. They are really stunning and
are recorded with 3 camera angles: http://videosets.marioranieri.at
[…] written in the past about the things that make great DJ performance videos, but strapping on a GoPro to your head while DJing does present a whole new set of challenges. The […]
[…] written in the past about the things that make great DJ performance videos, but strapping on a GoPro to your head while DJing does present a whole new set of challenges. The […]
[…] written in the past about the things that make great DJ performance videos, but strapping on a GoPro to your head while DJing does present a whole new set of challenges. The […]
[…] Tip: Read Ean’s advice on shooting a great performance video or watch winners from past […]
[…] Tip: Read Ean’s advice on shooting a great performance video or watch winners from past […]
[…] Tip: Read Ean’s advice on shooting a great performance video or watch winners from past […]
[…] Record it (ideally with great-sounding audio; get some tips on making a great performance video from Ean Golden in this article) […]
[…] Record it (ideally with great-sounding audio; get some tips on making a great performance video from Ean Golden in this article) […]
i know that this is now over for entries, but i wanted to share my video with everyone here. it was my first video. a bit long, but full of some bangers! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWvxlzxA6Es
WOW!
No Turntablist made it to the finals.
Hell, Only 4 DVS systems entered the contest; including a system just 4 show.
So it’s true what they say? That Turntablism has become a Dying Art-form?
Or is it just the nature of this contest?
That do you guys (n’ gals) think?
This is DJTT; a blog that pioneers controllerism. What did you expect? Also, I’m not sure if Skrillex is out on vinyl…
my entry preforming on a DIY MF Pro clone in an old arcade
http://youtu.be/EB4__oS5Lv0
Here it is, sorry about the mike sound or not. My speakers may be blown.
Learn how to turn your S4 into an instrument.
http://www.kpg.wix.com/od
Here is my entry! 😀 I am a 14 year old DJ from Seattle and I mapped my DJ Hero controller to control effects in Traktor! -Joe Hayes
Here is my entry!! Check it out!!
Here’s our submission to the contest! We are mixing on a Kontrol S2 and routing through a Kaoss Pad 3. Enjoy!
Bass N1xx1N Entry, 2 original songs and mutliple shows and performances thank DJTT FOR EVERYTHING!!
Updated link, for video HD video coming soon, waiting for a new computer processor
HD Video W/ Song Links in description
Played a Novation Launchpad as a piano, using an AKAI LPD8 to control filters and clips in Ableton. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTjeCTk_fjU&feature=plcp
I played my Novation Launchpad as a piano and used an Akai LPD8 to control clips and filters in Ableton. Enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTjeCTk_fjU&feature=plcp
Here is my submission! I hope that you all enjoy it! I had a lot of fun making this! Great learning experience!!! 🙂
Thanks for the great articles and opportunities!
http://youtu.be/LdkqHYmPJoo?hd=1
Are the comments moderated? I already tryed to post my entry three times and it never shows.
I’m Gui Empke from Brazil and this is my entry. I hope you guys like it.
last but not least here’s my entry the original quality of this video is 13 gb but that could never be uploaded in time on youtube so i had to convert and convert and convert it
Having watched some of the other entries, I can safely say I don’t stand a chance, but at least I’ll be able to give you something else to listen to apart from endless dubstep. Anyway, here’s my entry:
here is my entry. beware it’s pretty unusual both in term of selection (Darkstep and crossbreed stuff) and toy cause i’ve made this mix with my octatrack
hope you’ll like it
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXQzEpoTLTg
Hey Everybody! Here is my submission! i made it using my latest version of my custom Collision Mapping for the APC40! Hope you like it!
here my entry for the contest, hope it’s not to late.
..it is kinda shitty, but I have to admit I had only 2 days to realize it and I did all on my own. Editing is not perfect and the music doesn’t sound good all the time, but I like it anyway =) the video was shot a friends’ workshop… we often have some beers over there as you can imagine 😉 the idea behind the music is taken from Jaguar Skills’ Pool Party Mix. I really love his work, so I decided to do my own live interpretation of it. hope you enjoy it though it’s really simple 😀 cheers !
here is my entry preforming on a DIY MF Pro clone!
http://youtu.be/Pn-5AlF1eco
Hey Guys, This is our entry.
Really hope you all like it 🙂
http://youtu.be/17FIcg46Hxw check me out ! my first controlism attempt ! very sloppy however i hope u like the effort!
Hi everyone. Here is my entry, it’s a Live DJ performance of my own track 4AM.
hey guys check mine out,hope you like it
Here is my entry !!!
hope you all enjoy
Hej guys here’s my entry for the video contest.
Here is my entry hope you enjoy
http://youtu.be/o71aKIm2qhs
Here is my live mashup of “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga and “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” by Skrillex, using a Traktor Pro 2, a MF Pro Cue Mastern and a Launchpad.
sorry, accidental double-post.
Here is my live mashup of “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga and “Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites” by Skrillex.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yu3MAGAzjU
Hey,
this is our entry for the contest.
After our last gig we were allowed to use the location for the video.
The powerbash is a cutout of our live set there.
We want to show you how to exhance your live set with the brand new remix decks in Traktor Pro 2.5!
Jeah really great job!
I like the location and the sound is super awesone.
Good luck for the contest.
One question, where u buy this super taff stand for the f1?
The f1 stand is custom made sorry.
And thanks for your nice words 😉
Great job!
The end scene with the accapella is great…
Awesome you guys!!!! great video!!!
Nice video!!! One of the best !
Great sound and awesome lightning.
Best video on here and thank god no dubstep!
Nice one
Wow! Nice Video you guys! Great camera as well.
Here’s my entry to the contest, hope you’ll like it :
http://youtu.be/MK_Hn9VT6TQ
Here’s my entry to the contest, hope you’ll like it :
http://youtu.be/MK_Hn9VT6TQ
it introduces my new midifighter classic midi mapping, designed to use the midifighter alone to mix (browsing/loading/looping/beatslicing/instantgratificationing/EQing are mapped)!
it introduces my new midifighter classic midi mapping, designed to use the midifighter alone to mix (browsing/loading/looping/beatslicing/instantgratificationing/EQing are mapped)!
Hi! Here is my entry. I am eleven years old and I am mixing on my dj2go and traktor scratch pro 2. I have an alternate mapping for my keyboard and the dj2go. I hope you enjoy!
Hi! Here is my entry. I am eleven years old and I am mixing on my dj2go and traktor scratch pro 2. I have an alternate mapping for my keyboard and the dj2go. I hope you enjoy!
Great video! Awesome mashup routine…you have real dj talent, kid. Big potential!
WOW!!! This is so awesome, this is unbelievable that an 11 year old produced this mix. Keep it up, you are extremely talented!!!
great job!
For your perusal. Lovin the tutorials, cheers for the tips.
http://youtu.be/zr6ihHbtXYs
here is my entry, old school flava:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uldESRAohjo&feature=youtu.be
enjoy!
best regards,
ganove
for those in germany, watch here:
for those in germany, watch here:
a screen capture of a short routine showing serato Itch
You have many entry for this contest ^^
yes, combination of not having a job and a desire for knowledge of making better videos
Here is my entry for the DJ TechTools “Graduating Class” Contest. I decided to go to instructional route and made a tutorial on how to use Filters in Traktor Pro 2. I hope that you enjoy it and look forward to any feedback that you might have. Finally, I would like to thank DJ TechTools for this opportunity and their consistently helpful posts.
http://youtu.be/TJMyDhgxGLw
Hello it’s me again Decided to try out, wish me luck. I had some Dubstep laying around so I hope you get a kick out of it. here is the link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QSW-uQxLX8
Hello everyone I enjoyed the videos from all of the competitions so far. Very inspiring:)
Here my entry. The Set Live must be improved but hope you like it 😉
Greetings everyone!
Here is my entry for this contest. I used this article as a guideline, as well as the “Your First Controllerism Routine” article that Ean posted mid last month. I had a great time putting this routine together. I’ve literally only been DJing since February of this year. I’ve done a quick 4 min mix before but this would be my first routine. So if you dig the video, I honestly can say DJTT has been a huge contributor to my progression. So big ups to DJ TechTools and thanks for opportunity to showcase this passion of ours. Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy the video! Cheers!
-DJ TWOZERO
Current set-up: 15″ MacBook Pro (Retina), Traktor Kontrol S2 for mixer/transport controls and FX slots 1 & 2 control (S2 has also been mapped with the DJTT S2 Custom Mapping), Traktor Kontrol X1 for hot cue control and FX slots 3 & 4 control, and the Traktor Kontrol F1 for triggering samples and the midi mode is mapped with DJ TechTool’s Midi Fighter Instant Gratification mapping used for transition FX that I can switch from Deck A (indicated by blue lit pads) and Deck B (indicated by red lit pads) as seen in the video.
OUR ENTRY: Watch it in HD and enjoy. Please leave constructive feedback so we can constantly improve our performances.
Regards
Felix & Christian
http://youtu.be/cWm5Z9Xag2s
Hey guys, here’s an entry from France for you:
It’s a mashup of Coco SHaker and Technologic, well.. it’s Techno Shaker!
By Mr NooN
I actually made this mix before reading this contest so i thought i’d submit it! Just a basic electro mix, focusing on cutting between tracks clearly. Enjoy! And I’d love your feedback!
here’s my entry
hope you guys like it
Here is my entry to the contest.. I took the visuals a bit farther, hope i didn’t break any rules…
http://youtu.be/4etttSn4LJs?hd=1
you already uploaded this video 24 may that means you were supposed to make a video based on the article but how can you do that when the article didn’t excist
Wow I think this guy can see the future ! :O
lol
Here’s my entry, Took it a step further with the visuals, hope i didn’t break any rules…
http://youtu.be/4etttSn4LJs?hd=1
Another entry
Most of the vids in this contest have as much dislikes as likes lol
WTF!
Most of the vids in this contest have as much dislikes as likes lol
WTF!
Haters gonna hate. Just got to develop a thick skin.
well, because they suck, basically. really, i don’t want to watch to some teenager press play 3 times with his brand new controller laying on bed
I didnt see anyone laying in bed pushing three buttons. And if they suck so bad, maybe you can show us the way
Here is my entry it is a mashup of Somebody That I Used To Know, sorry because in some parts the video and the song are not in order, but tray to listen to it all please it is good music. Algo try to listen it with headphones it sounds way better. Supports to DjTechTools from Mexico!
Here is my entry it is a mashup of Somebody That I Used To Know, sorry because in some parts the video and the song are not in order, but tray to listen to it all please it is good music. Algo try to listen it with headphones it sounds way better. Supports to DjTechTools from Mexico!
Hey guys! This is my entry for the contest! It is kinda gimmicky with the making sushi but that is kinda my usual style for my videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6DNBgmdPdw
Unfortunately the video has be muted. Alternative link: http://vimeo.com/djfroto/sushi
Hey guys! This is my entry for the contest! It is kinda gimmicky with the making sushi but that is kinda my usual style for my videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6DNBgmdPdw
Hey guys, here is an entry for you all…..
36 Tracks in 3 Mins mashup, using APC40, Midifighter 3D, Ableton and Max MSP.
http://youtu.be/8H6jbI-XpAk
Let me know what everyone thinks…
Hey guys, here is my entry to contest http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQrMbhIg_HQ.
Youtube made my first video out of audio-video sync so I uploaded new link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AThcWJPkmXg
great article,as always man…but one thing ive noticed is video editing ‘hype’ over true sonic ‘skills’…dj’s with a room full of video editors or a few buddies that ‘know’ the programs have a billion hits,…while a way way better dj will still have an ok video,an even better routine/song,blowing peoples minds,yet he has 46 views…strange world…lo-tech can be cool too,the less is more sentence…jus remember,a million hits dont mean youre an ‘awesome DJ’…even super wack pop stars ‘i wont name names’ have a trillion hits,yet dj shadow or dj q-bert wouldnt work onna project with them inna million years…just outta ‘personal respect’.,…you guys know what im saying…jus keep your skills up,and the video good quality.but you dont need 3-D or ILM or PIXAR doing your eye-candy…unless you got it like that and you really need it to win…jus try and understand the balance…funny-lo-tech robot chicken stuff can destroy ‘Tron-like graphics’ if witty enough…just a thought fella’s.i do video and sound,and even in my world,this crap still applies….its up to us to hold up the ‘skills’ torch…before it goes out…forever.
DJ Video Contest Entry:
Enjoy.
whens the deadline???
oh didnt see that bit
Did no one get the, ideal “2 minutes” part?
unless you are doing a midi routine or something from ableton, 2 minutes is just not possible
unless you are doing a midi routine or something from ableton, 2 minutes is just not possible
My Entry as a Tutorial about using Tempo and the key. (in Traktor)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILEQ8nrvHdE
contact me:
sepluk1@gmail.com
Entry for ze contextjust let the music fill your souls and dancehope you enjoy
Hey Ean, can you sometime film a tutorial on how did you create “Your First Controllerism Routine: Basic Cue Point Juggling” video? I would like to create that based video to explain my Traktor mapping, but, kinda rookie when it come to video editing. I managed to capture screen, camera and sound but don’t know how to arrange it to final stage with audio-video sync.
Hope you guys have fun with this one..
Ean, this write up got my juices flowin’. Super timely.It compelled me to write you a hefty response.It wouldn’t fit in the description but I posted it here.. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=246759612102584&id=206713736076090 Hope you guys think it’s as fun(ny) as we did making it 🙂
Ok. Who or what are you making fun of?
Not so much making fun as it was a kind of inside joke for us. The full description link might help break it down a little bit. It was primarily a video exercise.
The video itself is (was, private?) pretty good too. But are you all also controllerists? Or are you making fun of controllerism (which it seems you are)? I can take a joke, but some can’t.:) Hope your video isn’t now private due to someone complaining. That wasn’t my intention either.
scamo
Your video is private, we can’t watch it !
Can you post 2 routines / tutorials?
Hi, Dario Maffia here
I’m going to record the season finale of my “Live from The Bunker” internet dj show this Sunday at 5.00/5.30 PM (Italy time). The show is visible live on Ustream. I found this article so helpfull and i will try to follow all of this tips in the next shows.
In the meantime you can watch all previous episodes (here is one of my favourite http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKyg4itCIws). The show is a little more complex than a typical dj routine cuz it is live with multiple hd cams and realtime directing.
I hope you will enjoy it. If you have technical questions just ask 🙂
PS: this is my entry for the contest
don’t want to sound hateful but…1 hour 44 minutes? filmed all in the dark? did you even read the article?
I thought it was clear that my “entry” is pretty far from a dj routine. Don’t want to be rude answering with a question but…did you even read my comment?
Babylon, Im coming home
Have you read the article?
You obviously want to demonstrate your skills…go the extra mile: record it well, show yourself, show what you are doing.
You CAN do it if you put your mind to it and spend a bit of extra time. Otherwise I’m afraid that your entry will not live up to some others here….
yep, im just trying to share my vids, not trying to win
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3I4ImE-8OFM&feature=plcp
here is my first DJ video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pa4PqHloUU&feature=plcp
Its a remix I did of Delta Spirit’s California for a chance to play at set at lollapalooza!
vote for me here if u dig it too, thx! http://do312.com/remix/rythmc-2
Here’s my entry, its an old video but I think its cool enough
Here’s my entry for the video contest.
Hope you enjoy!
Honestly, this article, while decent, could use some work. That’s not an insult – this is a DJ website. I went to school for film and though that doesn’t mean I’m the end all be all of video knowledge I can definitely help anyone make a solid video. Feel free to email at
misterfaust1@gmail.com
BUT – to just help without self advertising – make sure to record QUALITY sound if you’re doing any talking. By that I mean talk – anything personal you can inject will only help you. Set dressing with items that help highlight you as a person and musician are also great tools. So if you’re making a video of some crazy EDM Ableton routine but you want people to know you’re not just strictly all about EDM – make sure you throw that baller Tupac vinyl album in the background.
Make sure to also do RESEARCH into whatever camera you’re using and make sure to know the conditions under which the footage you ate witnessing was filmed. Dont buy a crappy camera when it only looks good with $5000 worth of lights and/or makeup helping it out, in addition to a pro camera operator.
My opinion on home video is stick to a Canon 5d or 7d or a T2i. They go from highest to lowest quality in that order but all get relatively good image quality. Only real issue is sound capture is entirely independent so make sure to keep on top of that.
Hey! Here is my entry! Its a live mashup or Levels(Skrillex Remix) and Ni**as in Paris! Check it Out!
Hey Ean great article, one question though. I own one of the first 1000 MF 3D, when i enter the contest with a vid of the MF 3D and it gets watched over 50000 times, am i still gonna get a white MF 3D?
my opinion that the cleanest, simplest, cheapest way to capture the audio is to split the main out (Y-cables) use a 2nd computer to capture that. the computer can be old, ugly, and slow as hell yet still capture fine, running audacity recording a line-in to WAV. how many DJs reading this don’t have a 2nd laptop or desktop running? the only extra work would be syncing it up to your camera video using Virtualdubmod or whatever, but that’s a one-time 3-minute trial-and-error hassle.
Hey you are guys i hope you like it 🙂
That’s a great routine, and I really enjoyed it, but it was supposed to be a tutorial, and it wasn’t very informative. If you payed very close attention you could figure it out, but next time more teaching how to do it.
It says routine or tutorial
Good article. My two cents:
Video editing software: I use kdenlive, which is free, gnu, and you get pretty solid results
Video recording: If it wasn’t so expensive to import from my country, I would buy a Gopro camera (http://gopro.com/cameras/hd-hero-naked-camera/).
Gopro’s are sick little cameras man, highly recommend them!
GoPros are awesome cameras. I have one, but the fish-eye lens isn’t exactly “practical” for DJing videos. I’ve tried it.
Great article Ean, but maybe you could have had mentioned, that Cameras with the Micro Four Thirds Standard are a good mid-price option too.
Even though i use my Olympus Pen for DJ-videoblogging (in german, sorry ;-)) purposes, i can say, it is a very decent device and it would be definitely a good cam for DJ-performance videos, too.
GREAT PRICES!!! Now I really need to get myself a camera 😀
Great article
One of the best and most useful articles here! Thanks a bunch 🙂
Great article! Definitely stands out compared to many other ones. Great timing as well as I just started taking a look into how to stream performances 🙂
Nice Guide, thanks
But how i become the video and the Sound in sync ?
You could maybe clap in your hand, like this you can sync the sound and the motion just in time.
In order to sync your Screencapture with the recordeded sound, you could play a hit hat sound or something similiar…
also do a clap when you’re finished
In tool like Adobe premiere, the audio track is visible as a waveform that you can drag around in the timeline to the correct frame in your video.
Simply watching the video, pausing it, moving the waveform closer to its spot, and repeating this process will get your audio synched up nicely.
Another tip is to not have music playing when you start the camera and your sound recording device. When both are recording, start the music and that’s your cue point.
Holy crap what an article Ean! I’d almost say this is your best article to date! +1000
Great.. thanks for the tips Ean .. always great quality in your videos ..
I’ve been recording the mixes for my radio show ‘Deeper Shades Of House’ live on Ustream and have recently added screen captures of my Traktor screen, added w/ a cam view of my DJing ..
it’s not much action since I’m def. a blender as opposed to being a controller but the feedback has been positive overall since people can view what they usually just hear on my show ..
You can check my Ustream channel here > http://www.ustream.tv/channel/deeper-shades-of-house