It’s never been easier or more affordable to create professional-quality music. Thanks to the stunning advancement of technology, recordings that were only possible with multi-million dollar studios a few decades ago can now be replicated at home for a tiny fraction of the cost. But while countless musicians have taken advantage of the recording and production aspects of today’s technology, there’s one area that is often overlooked: high definition video. With the help of HD video, you can smooth out your performances before you hit the stage, catch mistakes you might have overlooked and even help grow your fanbase.

Conquer Your Stage fright

Stage fright is one of the biggest hurdles inexperienced bands will face on their new journey but getting used to seeing yourselves on video will go a long way in preparing yourself for the big stage. Just like looking at yourself in the mirror, viewing video footage of yourself can be very awkward and uncomfortable. But just like the first time you heard yourself on a recording, you'll eventually get used to it the more you do it until it becomes no big deal. And once you've gotten used to seeing your performance on video, playing on stage will feel like just another step instead of a huge plunge.

An Effective Practice Tool

[caption id="attachment_4737" align="alignright" width="150"]hero4silver_frame_cluster_04_music-150x150 GoPro Hero4 Silver Music Bundle Review[/caption] While you're probably already recording your practice sessions with audio equipment (if not, you definitely should), adding video is even better as it adds a valuable layer that just audio can't pick up. Analyzing your video is a great way to tighten up your playing technique — everything from rough chord transitions, sloppy fretting or awkward transitions will be easily visible. Shooting your practice sessions will also prominently show you things that you might be doing wrong that would have otherwise been missed while on stage. As a bonus, you can always view older sessions and compare them to where you are now to see just how far you and your band have gone. 

Tighten Up Your Performance

By shooting a video of your live performances, everything from excessive band bantering between songs to the awkward moments where things aren't going exactly as planned will be captured, allowing you to better refine your overall performance. It will also help you create a better set list as you can easily pinpoint certain songs or moments that feel out of place or slow down the show. Another good idea is placing a video camera with good sound capabilities in a spot where it can capture the point of view of the audience. This will allow you to better see and hear the crowd's experience. Even established bands take advantage of Video. Below is a clip of the Allan Holdsworth Band rehearsing before a big West Coast tour:

Media Matters

While doing non-stop gigs and touring was the formula for getting your music out there, we live in an age where the internet plays a role in nearly everything. Nowadays, it's pretty much a requirement for a band to have a web page where they can interact with fans, post important info on upcoming gigs and, of course, showcase their music. But it shouldn't end there. By adding video clips of your performance to your site, you can keep fans engaged. There are also plenty of sites like YouTube and Facebook that you can upload your videos to, giving you another avenue to pursue new fans. And with today's suite of video editing software, it's never been easier to create amazing clips that can showcase the best bits of your band. And finally, a well-edited performance video will be a huge help when trying to land gigs. These days, they are absolutely essential. As you can see, adding video to your set of tools can go a long way in making you a better musician and performer. And while the video recording capabilities of today's smartphones are pretty good, they really can't compare with dedicated devices that offer higher quality resolution settings and far more options. For that, something like a GoPro is an excellent choice. Not do they offer up to 4k HD video recording, the new Hero4's come equipped with mics made to capture high-quality audio. And better still, GoPro also offers music bundles that come with everything you need for a perfect performance setup. You can find out more about the GoPro Hero4 Silver or Black music bundles by checking out the links below!

Your Turn to Sound Off!

What are some other ways video can help musicians?

Sound off in the comment section below!

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