"Great ideas are like expensive wines. They are best enjoyed when shared . . . especially with those who have value for them" ― Apoki Charles

 

CLICKCOACH videos are created by professional musicians. Each video on CLICKCOACH covers only one section/part of a work or a single instructional topic and each video explores this subject matter for 10-15 minutes. Examples of a section/part include: a single aria, a duet, a movement of a concerto, a movement of a choral work, an etude, a movement of a symphony, or even an instructional topic like warmups. These videos are not performances, remember. Try to pack each video with helpful, concrete information that others can use themselves. Be specific, demonstrate concepts where you can, and be yourself. 

Remember: Focus your video on a single section and don't discuss multiple movements/sections of a work in a single video. Also remember to keep your video in the 10-15 minute range, as our system will reject videos shorter or longer than this time frame.

 

Here are some tips and suggestions for making your CLICKCOACH brainstorming a success. 

1. Choose a topic you know well

The best videos have the best insight. So in brainstorming what you want to cover, ask yourself what musical works or topics you can speak about easily.

CLICKCOACH videos should be either about a specific section from a work or about an instructional topic. For more info on topics, see our Uploader FAQs page.

 

To help walk you through it, you'll choose from one of the following categories when beginning your upload:

Vocal Work	Instrumental Work
Opera aria Opera duet Opera other Opera chorus Oratorio, Requiem, Choral-Orchestra Choral work (without orchestra) Song/Lied, Duet, Trio+, or Solo Voice Voice with Chamber Ensemble Musical Theater Piece Vocal Jazz Other	Solo instrumental movement/piece Concerto movement Duet, Trio, or Chamber Ensemble Symphonic/Orchestral Wind Ensemble/Band Instrumental Jazz Other
Instructional Topic
Instructional videos focus on subjects such as warm-ups, relaxation techniques, instrument care, hand exercises, stagecraft, score study techniques, etc. The world is really your oyster here so long as it's instructional based. It's completely fine to reference musical works, even utilizing one particular work so long as the focus of your video is on the instructional element and not on the musical work itself. For example, using Carl Flesch exercises to strengthen the fourth finger is fine if the video topic is "Strengthening the fourth finger for violinists."

Bundles: When planning your video(s), know that it's possible to create a video bundle. A bundle is a grouping of related video content about a single work or topic broken up by section using multiple videos. The most common bundles are: 

1. Aria Study Bundle (all the arias in a staged work by one character)

2. Role Study Bundle (all the arias + duets, ensembles, and scenes in a staged work by one character)

3. Instructional Topic Bundle (videos focusing on topics under the umbrella of your bundle title. For example, bundle title: "Instrument Care" - Video 1: Cleaning, Video 2: Storage, Video 3: Handling)

4. Song Cycle Bundle (all the songs/Lieder in a song cycle)

5. Solo Work Bundle (all the movements/sections in a solo work)

6. Concerto Bundle (all movements from a single concerto)

Other bundle options are also possible. Feel free to contact us before recording if you have questions about creating your bundle or visit our Uploader FAQs page. You will have the option to indicate in your upload that your video is intended for a bundle. Bundles are always offered on our website with a 10% discount.

 

2. Assess what you know about the topic

As you would do in giving a masterclass or preparing to teach a lesson, you might create a list--mental or otherwise--of things you know: maybe it's a list of tricky areas many people stumble on, perhaps you have some insight into what Beethoven really meant about that tempo marking in the second movement, or maybe you simply have some good advice based on your own performing or teaching of a work. All of this is wonderful to jot down as topics you can cover in your video.

Videos often include a structure similar to this:

Video beginning: •Introduce yourself  •Tell us your topic  •Tell us why you chose the topic/work

Video middle: •Share your story: personal/professional experience  •Discuss specifics: markings, what’s difficult & why, how you approach it, give us technical advice & demonstrate, tell us measure numbers & edition info, point out common mistakes, discuss style, make musical recommendations  •Share your personal interpretation  •Draw comparisons with other works  •Tell us what you think is important & why it’s important •Talk about research you’ve done on the work  •Share your tips & tricks  •Point out mistakes in the score or edition differences/specificities •Tell us where you learned about the work  •Be yourself & keep casual

Video end: •Recap your main points  •Mention other videos you’ve made on CLICKCOACH  •Thank your audience •Wrap up in your own style

 

3. Pick a specific audience for your video and speak directly to them

When planning your video, have a clear idea of who your audience is. In fact, we'll ask you who your intended audience is as part of the upload! You should make this decision before you record. Choosing a specific audience makes the information more useful to people watching, so focus your discussion just as if that audience is there with you (like you would in a lesson, a coaching, or even a masterclass setting).

Tip: Don't try to be everything to everybody. You might think it's better to stay general and cover a bit of everything, but the most helpful videos are specific to their audience. Choose who that is, keep that in mind, and speak to this person/these people through your video...do that and your video will be worth its weight in gold.

 

4. Use your experience

Few things are as valuable as personal knowledge. The personal knowledge you hold about a work or a topic comes from your personal experience. In planning your video, think about what experience you have with the topic and plan to share it with your audience. It might come in the form of "this is what I do when I get here" or "every time I perform this, I notice that..." or even in the form of a short story about a time your performed. Your audience will appreciate knowing what you've gone through or how you learned something and it will only add to the value of your video.

 

5. Envision where you'll be making your video

It might sound strange, but knowing where you're going to record your video will affect how you structure your video. If you're planning to demonstrate some passages on the piano, consider filming your whole video with you sitting at the piano. If you'll be demonstrating an instructional topic about yoga for singers, then set your camera up in a location where you can easily demonstrate the stretches. 

It's a great idea to use your score as a reference in a video about a work, so plan on how you'll incorporate that. Will it be in your hands? Will you reference it while sitting at the piano? Is it on a music stand?

Tip: bookmark the pages you'll plan on talking about so you're not thumbing through your score while your audience waits!

Good to know: you're allowed to use copyrighted audio/visual material in your video if you've obtained the rights to use them from the video or content creator. 

 

 

Getting your ducks in order, so to speak, with a good pre-setup will save you a lot of time when recording. There are just a few small things to check before you hit 'record' on your smart phone or camera. Here we'll walk you through those topics to get you prepared.

 

1. Choose your recording device

Many smart phones are a great option for recording your videos, but you'll need to check that whatever device you use is recording at 720p or 1080p. You should always record in landscape mode (wider than high). Videos in any other mode will be rejected by our system...and no one wants that!

     

If your device can record at a minimum of 720p and 24 or 30fps, you've met the standard. "What does that mean?" you may ask. In general, the resolution of your recording device determines how crisp your video is and how well your video fits on most screens. A device that records at 720p (or 720 horizontal lines on your screen to show your video) will be similar to watching your favorite streaming shows on a TV. Many phones and devices are automatically set to 1080p (here you'd have 1080 horizontal lines on the screen to show your picture). 2K and 4K are even crisper options, but likely will be much longer upload times. We suggest 1080p.

FPS or "frames-per-second" is usually set at 30fps in the United States or a little lower in other parts of the world. You may be able to record at a higher rate of 60fps or 120fps (used for slow motion), but this creates a very very big file--so avoid those higher settings for your CLICKCOACH videos, as it's not necessarily better for your needs.

A note about Zoom: For certain video styles it's possible to use a program such as Zoom. Zoom is helpful when you'd like to show a digital score* or other visual elements, as it gives you either a picture-in-picture option or ability to switch from yourself to a window in real time. Be sure to read the Uploader FAQs section under Technical & Recording FAQs > How do I optimize Zoom for recording?

*You are allowed to use digital scores if you have obtained the copyright or if you are using a public domain edition. Be sure to check copyright information carefully before including any audio/visual elements in your video.

 

Accessing iPhone Video Settings (iOS 14 update)

Step 1: From Home Screen, choose Settings

 

Step 2: From Settings Menu, choose Camera

 

Step 3: From Camera Menu, choose Record Video

 

Step 4: From Record Video Menu, check 1080p HD at 30 fps

 

Step 5: From the Camera Menu, choose Formats 

 

Step 6: From the Formats Menu, check High Efficiency

 

Accessing Android Video Settings

As each Android device is different, use these steps as a general guide to help you find the correct settings for your own Android device

 

Step 1: From your home screen Camera app, first select the Video option below then open your options by tapping above 

 

 

 

 

Step 2: Locate the Resolution option and activate FHD (Full HD 1080p) and set Frame/Sec to 30

 

2. Check your device storage

Since you'll typically need up to 2 GB (Gigabytes) of storage for your video, make sure your phone or recording device has enough storage space. Be aware: many software editing programs increase the filesize of your video substantially, so account for this if you plan on editing your video.

 

3. Clean off your lense

It sounds basic, but our phones or video cameras get very smudgey very quickly. If using a phone, clean either the front facing camera or rear facing camera, depending on what you choose to use.

 

4. Turn ON Airplane Mode/Flight Mode

To avoid getting buzzes, dings, emails, and phone calls, be sure to activate this mode just before recording so there are no interruptions. If using another device, disable anything that could interrupt your recording.

 

5. External microphone (optional)

You don't need to have one, but if you do be sure to test your sound with any external microphone you have attached to your device before beginning.

This section will give you some tips to optimally set up your area for recording. Afterall, you want your video to look and sound great!

 

1. Choose your location

From an aesthetics standpoint, choose a place to record with either a neutral or neat-and-clean background. Avoid messy spaces so people can concentrate on what you're saying and not that pile of dirty laundry in the background.

 

2. Think sound

Being in the music world, you understand how good sound quality affects our views. Avoid locations with ambient noise (cats, dogs, trains, crying babies, bird chirping, etc.) and choose a location with no reverb or echo.

Tip: Avoid spaces with a lot of hard surfaces, such as an empty room with bare walls, a kitchen, or a large vaulted space where sound becomes distorted. If you find there's a bit too much reverb, bring in some soft surfaces such as blankets and hang them just out of sight of your camera to absorb some of that extra reverb.

 

3. Lighting

You want to avoid a video with your face either washed out or in a shadow. Ideal for a healthy look is indirect, natural light (it's also cost-effective). If that isn't possible, try some lamps and place them on either side of you camera out of view of the shot. Don't light yourself with direct sunlight or blaringly bright work lights, as you'll look like you're making your video from beyond the grave.

 

4. Camera placement and use

In general, place your camera at about eye level and within arms length to you or just a bit longer from your body. Also, record only in landscape mode.

     

Placing the camera too close is not ideal for video, and placing the camera too far away is not good for sound. Remember to think about what you'll be doing or using in your video when setting up: Will you be demonstrating at the piano? Do you need to stand up to sing a passage? Will you need a table in front of you to lay your score on?

If using a smart phone, you have the choice of a front facing or rear facing camera. In general, the rear facing camera is of better quality.

When recording, it's important to look at the camera lense and not at yourself (if using a front facing camera or if you can see yourself on a screen). This is hard, but your audience will usually notice if you're looking at the screen and not at "them".

 

5. Test your video

The biggest way to know if all of these elements work together is to simply make a short test video.

1. Does the background look good?

2. Is the sound clear and understandable?

3. Is the lighting natural and lights you well?

4. Is the angle and distance of your camera natural?

So you've made it this far: you brainstormed and planned your video and what you're going to say, you checked your recording settings on your device, and you found the perfect set to record your video. Now all you have to do is hit record. Awesome. Here are some tips for this part of the process to make you a pro and put you at ease.

 

1. Start by introducing yourself. End by thanking your audience

As a personal touch, a short introduction is nice. We don't need your whole career summary, but something as simple as telling us your name and what you'll be talking about gets things nicely rolling. At the end, a simple "thanks for watching my video..." and something "you" is also nice.

 

2. If you make a mistake, keep going

If you're making a video chances are you've performed on the stage before...and we all know to 'keep going if you make a mistake.' So, be natural and don't worry if you stumble over your words or something doesn't go exactly as planned.

 

3. Avoid these few items

We want your video to get the thumbs up, so avoid any inappropriate language, don't copy or plagiarize content, don't use copyrighted recordings unless you have obtained permission from the creator of this content, demonstrate but please avoid playing or performing for a large portion of your video (as our focus needs to be on information and specifics), stick to your topic and avoid long stories that take up 1/4 of your video, and dress in a way that most of our mothers would approve.

 

4. Record in landscape mode

We'll say it again...landscape mode.

 

 

5. Keep your video between 10-15 minutes

This is important, so we've even created a countdown clock for you to help, which you can play on another device. The whole point of the countdown clock is to tell you when you've reached 10 minutes (the clock turns green) and when you're almost to your limit of 15 minutes (the clock turns red when you have 1 minute left). You can also use your own clock at home.

Tip: Keep the countdown clock or your own clock just behind the camera so your audience doesn't see you checking the time.

 

6. We edit the beginning and end for you

We know you need to hit the record button to start and stop your video, so we've got you covered. CLICKCOACH's editing team will cut off the part where you reach for the camera, add a fade-in and fade-out, and throw on a cool intro for you.

 

7. Be you

Last but not least, you don't have to make your video like anyone else's video if that doesn't work for you. So be yourself. You are your own brand, so be that brand throughout your whole video...and have some fun.

You've just finished recording your video and you're ready for the big screen. Before you send your work of art to us, you'll just need to do a couple things.

 

1. Watch your video for Key Search Words

The reason you can find your favorite TV show or movie on your favorite streaming service is because of Key Search Words or metadata. So to make your video searchable, we'll ask you to send us a list of Key Search Words related to your video.

Doing this is quite simple and it just requires you watching your video through once. As you're watching your video, make a list of all the topics you discuss in your video--big and small. For example:

In your video about the Bach Prelude No. 1 you cover your ideas about how to play the work on a modern piano vs. on a harpsichord, you make a few fingering suggestions for tricky places, and you discuss the amount of pedal you use while performing. Then you demonstrate.

Some Key Search Words you might include would be: style, performance practice, modern piano, modern instrument, harpsichord, style, articulation, dynamics, pedaling, fingering, fingering suggestions, performing, demonstration.

 

 

2. What you'll need to upload (for first-time video uploaders)

The first time you upload a video, you'll also create your Uploader Profile. We walk you through the whole process. On the upload form you'll see this page:

3. Upload your video

Go to clickcoach.org and look for the Uploaders menu at the bottom of the page. Choose Upload my Video from the drop-down menu and follow the steps. To see what this upload process looks like before uploading, visit the Become an Uploader page for a preview.

 

4. Email Confirmations & Follow-up

After Uploading: You’ll receive a confirmation email confirming your submission. Then:

	If you’re forwarding your proceeds to the CLICKCOACH Assistance Fund, you’ll wait for an email telling you that your video is live.
	If you’re a return uploader , you’ll wait for an email telling you that your video is live. We already know your Uploader Profile settings, so there’s nothing more to do. Your profile is already setup and we have everything we need to move forward.
	If you’re a first-time uploader with proceeds going to you , you’ll receive an email when we begin processing your video. Before your video can go live, we’ll need from you : Form W-9  (US residents or resident aliens) or Form W-8BEN (uploaders outside of the US) Your preferred payment method from our list of options You will only need to go through the process of sending us a tax form and payment information once unless you have a change you need to alert us of.

Feel free to read about our Privacy Policy and Uploader Terms and Conditions for more information.