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Posted by: Wallimann Oct 5 2007, 06:33 AM

Hi fellow instructors.
I thought we could share the way we create our lessons here. Maybe we can find the most time efficiant way to do it...
I'll start.
Here's how I do it:

1. Create a track over whick to do my lesson. I usually use premade loops, add a bass loop and additional keys if needed.

2. I save 3 or 4 versions of the track at different tempos that I'll upload for students.

3. I write a lead over the track according to the subject I'm covering.

4. I record the Main video along with the wav file on my computer.

5. I record all the parts, same as above.. Wave files recorded on my computer.

6. Match all videos and Waves in video editing software, and save them in appropriate video format.

7. Create GP file and scales in .jpg

8 Export GP file as .txt

9. Open .txt tab and write explanation paragraphs for each segment. Save .txt as new file.

10 upload all vids and files.

11. Go back to each video in GMC lesson maker and copy and paste all my explanations.



That's how I do it.
How do you do it?
I'm trying to be more efficiant...

Once I know the parts, all the process takes me about 2 hours and a half...

How long does it take you?

Posted by: Jerry Arcidiacono Oct 5 2007, 07:37 AM

Hi David,
for me is something like that.
Sometimes I record the guitar track before, only with metronome. After that, I compose the backing track so I can experiment different solutions.

Posted by: muris Oct 5 2007, 10:36 AM

I usually program the whole backing track,after I figure out the lesson.
Recording process is similar to your David except I write explanations straight from my head
into fields at GMC lesson maker.
Actually,uploading takes the most of the time,couple of hours.
Recording,editing videos,work in GP,writing scales...maybe 2 hours.
But "making" of the lesson varies,from 10 min to whole day,if I'm out of ideas or som.

Posted by: Kosei Kubota Oct 5 2007, 12:25 PM

Here is my acoustic version.

1. Choose a piece.
I enjoy this part. I try to choose different character, difficulty and topic to teach within classical repertoire.

2. Create a tab on GP.
This is a hard part for me, because sometimes classical music gets too complicated for a tab.

3. Write lesson text.
After I wrote, I practice as I wrote to see if it works.

4. Shoot video clips.
Sometimes, it takes several shots until I play without a mistake. (As my Bourree2 vid did!)

5. Edit and ready for GMC

Posted by: Pavel Oct 5 2007, 05:49 PM

I first make the lesson on guitar, than tab it. Than later put backing track together. Recording and editing takes me around 6 hours because of all those nasty extra angles. So basically i spend 2 days on 1 lesson (not 48 hours, of course ) - 1 day i think of a lesson, tab it and make backing, and next day i record it, edit and upload.

Posted by: Juan M. Valero Oct 5 2007, 06:51 PM

First of all I write the lesson in GP and I do the BTs, I practise the lesson some minutes and then I prepare the room with the lights, etc.
I spend 20-60 minutes in the recording and a lot of hours in the editing and uploading (that's very boring )...

Posted by: muris Oct 5 2007, 06:52 PM

Of course,extra angles take much time believe.
Still haven't tried it tho...

Posted by: Pavel Oct 5 2007, 07:10 PM

I spend really a lot to prepare a lesson and also usually i make lessons which make it interesting for me to practice before recording.

The worst part is the camera angles.

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 5 2007, 07:30 PM

[quote name='Pavel' date='Oct 5 2007, 03:10 PM' post='69705']
I spend really a lot to prepare a lesson and also usually i make lessons which make it interesting for me to practice before recording.

The worst part is the camera angles.
[/quote]


That's true. It also takes me many time the edition with so many angles. It isn't always the same but commonly it takes me the same time like you Pavel. I take one day to create the lesson with its backing track and the other day I record it. However the last weeks I've began to record two lessons in a day. In this way it takes me between three or four days to finish two lessons. The first day I create them, the second day I record, this same day I edit one of them and on the third day I edit the other lesson. The edition takes time and as I record many angles the files are big and the upload takes many time. I create the GP, explanations and scales the same day that I edit the lesson.


[quote name='Muris'
"But "making" of the lesson varies,from 10 min to whole day,if I'm out of ideas or som. "[/quote]


That's true Muris!! I love the inpired day!

Posted by: Pavel Oct 5 2007, 07:42 PM

Uploads always kill me! TOOO LONG!!!!!

Posted by: muris Oct 5 2007, 07:49 PM

Yeah,used to have really big files,ages to get it all uploaded...
Now I'm using another codec to have bit smaller files,still it takes lot of time
but that's part of the job tho.

Posted by: Juan M. Valero Oct 5 2007, 09:14 PM

That's for sure !!! XD And as I like to upload lot of videos I need lot of hours

Posted by: lavendell Oct 5 2007, 09:29 PM

About the upload time.

I upload all the vids/parts at the same time... just open new windows in the browser, and it works just fine!
Ever since Pavel helped me how to compress the vids (each file is now 5-10Mb) it only takes a few minutes to upload a whole lesson. Thanks Pavel!


-Marcus

Posted by: muris Oct 5 2007, 09:36 PM

But uploading files all together takes almost the same time as if you are uploading it one by one,right?
I mean,you have current top uploading speed and it calculates how big file/files you're uploading...

Posted by: Pavel Oct 5 2007, 09:41 PM

Ah right Muris. but they live in Sweden. Kris's internet download speed is 100Mbit if i remember good. So i bet Marcus also has a killer internet speed.

My upload is 384Kbit. So it's 35Kb/s TOP! Takes ages.

Posted by: muris Oct 5 2007, 10:03 PM

Of course net up there is soo much faster than here at Balkan.
I was just doing math,nothing else.
Good thing is that you can set all videos to upload and take a coffee break instead
of waiting for each video to be uploaded and then signing next one for upload.
I'm doing it that way too but it lasts like when I was uploading one by one,maybe a bit shorter.

Posted by: Wallimann Oct 5 2007, 10:04 PM

Thanks a lot for sharing this fellows.
Here's another question.
Any tips on light?
My home is pretty dark and I don't have a ceiling light. Only stand up lights..
Any tips?

Posted by: muris Oct 5 2007, 10:08 PM

Day light rules indeed.
When I'm recording at sunset or later I use 2 lights,
one from the ceiling and another from table lamp in front of me.
Still it can't replace day light for sure...

Posted by: Pavel Oct 5 2007, 10:10 PM

I always record during the day and if it is dark i use the EXPOSURE function on my camera where you can increase or decrease the amount of light. See if you have that function in your camera.

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Oct 5 2007, 10:46 PM

Has anyone tried a proper video light? I am thinking of starting some videos when I move to my new house, and I would probably get one of those.

Posted by: Pavel Oct 5 2007, 10:54 PM

No, because my room is 6qm big - WOW, ha? and i have no place to put any extra piece of equipment!

Posted by: muris Oct 5 2007, 11:10 PM

Proper video light,like pro top/cannon or som?
It's great for video clips but it makes too heavy shadow,might be an issue

Posted by: Gabriel Leopardi Oct 5 2007, 11:28 PM

I have contacted dexel lighting in Argentina because I want to improve my lesson's light condition they suggested me to have two lights. First a 650 / 1000 watts fresnel and other one cheaper that they call here mini light to fill the shadows.

gabriel.-

Posted by: Kosei Kubota Oct 6 2007, 01:34 PM

I bought a stand light (150W)at Home Depo and it costed me about $15.
It works just fine.
Sitting close to the light makes a big difference, too.

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Oct 6 2007, 08:54 PM

Sounds like a good idea - could you post a link?

Posted by: Kosei Kubota Oct 7 2007, 08:16 AM

Here is "before & after" visiting Home Depot.

Before
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfOoyI8RblU
After
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMq7gNzHNJ8

I tried to find a similar one that I got, but all I found are more expensive. I guess the one i got was on sale or somthing.
http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Navigation?marketID=401&onlineStore=true&locStoreNum=8125&Ntk=AllProps&N=10000003+500728+10401001&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&langId=-1

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Oct 7 2007, 10:05 AM

Wow, huge difference! Looks like you don't have to spend a fortune on lighting to get a great effect - thanks

Posted by: Pavel Oct 7 2007, 05:01 PM

Yeah the difference is huge! But you really needed it Kosei as your first video is just too dark. Now it is great!

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Oct 8 2007, 09:01 PM

This is an awesome and very helpful topic - thanks!

Regarding the uploads - the upcoming lesson maker will be a completely new interface. Henrik's plan is to offer an extra ftp application which will allow you to upload a whole folder containing all the files for a lesson (zipped or unzipped).

This won't speed up the actual bytes/s but it will allow you to do something else while uploading.

If you can't wait - then I suggest you go for Lavendell's suggestion which does the same thing...

Posted by: muris Oct 8 2007, 10:48 PM

That's great Kris,looking forward to new interface!!

Any short info about new features during upload?

Posted by: Kristofer Dahl Oct 12 2007, 05:22 PM

Hehe thanks for asking Muris!

We have got a lot of things planned - we can of course say for sure all of this will be in it, but:

students view:

*new layout
*custom chat inside each lesson
*notpad for students
*more lessons from instructor
*metronome
*recorder
+ lots of small extra video features

The instructor view will more look like a module based interface where you move things around in the same view as the student!

I look forward to show something as we get going - it will of course take a long time before we can show you anything...

Posted by: muris Oct 13 2007, 01:12 AM

Sounds great Kris,can't wait to see a piece of it!!

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Nov 23 2007, 07:48 PM

I use a cheap 500W reflector halogen lamp, and i don`t need anythig else. It is not very expencive, you can buy it easely in any ligth store.

Lot of great ideas for making lessons I record the main thing in audio, programm the backings, do the GP, do the text tab (the most anoying part for me). then a record video and audio together and mix it up with the backings.

Posted by: Pavel Nov 23 2007, 08:35 PM

You can easily export text tab from GP. After you are done tabbing with GP, simply go to File->Export>ASCII and make sure you name the file like "tab.txt". *.txt extension is very important to put in the file name to get a proper txt file.

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Nov 23 2007, 09:21 PM

Hey thansk for that. i did exported it, but if i can use that kind of tab that`s great THanks again

Posted by: Pavel Nov 23 2007, 10:52 PM

You're welcome! You can than do minor changes if you need! I always do it like that!

Posted by: Gerardo Siere Jan 1 2008, 12:24 AM

Gear, cheap 500 w halogen lamp, handycam, and mic to mixer to daw.
First film the lesson, sync the audio. then write lesson on finale, export to midi, export to gp5.
Then decide into how many pieces I´ll slice the explanations.
Write down explanations
Print with big leter explanation
Make a long video shot with all teh explanation toguether to dont get lost I print the explanations with big font, and put it on a music stand out of the view of the camera. I take my time here, play every chunk 3 times.
Sync the long shot audio with film.
Slice long film to get the finals video. I open a work pad an write for example chunk x start time, finish time
and so on.
I upload all in order, and after that let pass a day or two and check the lesson as if I were a regular user to check for mistakes. Even then a lot of mistakes pass trough.

Posted by: Muris Jan 24 2008, 04:30 PM

Just found out what really works nice for me.
We all know that GP is probably most unloved part of making lesson
And so I make GP file right after I "figure out" the lesson,
then I work on backing,record videos etc.

You know,it's quite sad,you do all the work enjoyed it,record videos,do editing
and than you have to make GP file.

So do it first

Posted by: Bogdan Jan 24 2008, 04:58 PM

Hmm I do it that way to..Think of what I'm gonna do in lesson , write GP,do backing..Record the main video..Adjust the GP according to main video and than print it out and do the slow ones.. So when I get the GP and main down I'm on the easier track..

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Jan 24 2008, 05:13 PM

I write GP at the end, while uploading. I don't have anything to do then anyway. I'm uploading and editing and making the GP file on the go.

Posted by: Muris Jan 24 2008, 05:19 PM

I used to do the same
and then I realized that is NOT cream on the cake

Posted by: Pavel Jan 24 2008, 07:17 PM

I always write GP first - together with creating a lesson. If i do it later i often forget the ideas i had for the lesson

Posted by: Muris Jan 24 2008, 08:03 PM

Fair enough

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Jan 25 2008, 02:55 PM

I often record impro on main and then have to watch the main in order to do the parts. Don't kill me!

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Jan 25 2008, 04:11 PM

Posted by: Wallimann Jan 25 2008, 05:18 PM

That's how I do it most of the times too. :-)
I'm thinking about hiring a freelancer to do my GP files...

Posted by: Muris Jan 25 2008, 05:31 PM

I hardly wanted to buy Roland midi pickup and some converting device,
then I figured out there's no space between bridge pickup to install midi pickup.

That'd be awesome,just import midi into GP and voila.

I tried some free wave to midi converters,too many mistakes,
easier to write it by myself instead of fixing everything

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Jan 26 2008, 01:39 PM

During recordings, the most annoying things are certainly - the cables. I cross over them with my chair during recordings about an average of 15-20 times. If anyone has a solution for this problem I will be glad to hear it.

Posted by: Pavel Jan 26 2008, 02:04 PM

Hahahah yeah cables suck! I have a lot of cables from my flood-lights and also camera-firewire and power-supply adapter....too many wires/cables during recording that's for sure

Posted by: Muris Jan 26 2008, 05:07 PM

No solution for that,I cross them over as well

Posted by: Dejan Jan 26 2008, 06:51 PM

If you have longer cables, you can organize them around, not to be on your way

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Jan 26 2008, 11:05 PM

I try Dejo, but I think cables have a mind of their own. It is funny how they get messed up fast, like they are doing it on purpose

Posted by: Muris Jan 26 2008, 11:24 PM

Cables...small animals..always get messed up on purpose

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Jan 26 2008, 11:55 PM

As soon as I touch my cables they tie in knots. I might as well go to sailors if nothing else

Posted by: Dejan Jan 27 2008, 12:31 AM

You've got the power

Posted by: Muris Jan 27 2008, 12:38 AM

But that IS interesting to say the least!!!
I carefully place all my cables before gig,watching not to mix them up.
And when I'm done and getting to pack up my stuff....man...all mixed,tied,unbelievable!!!!

Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Jan 27 2008, 04:45 PM

Its the malevolant nature of the universe out to get you! I wish someone would invent really good wireless that you could use for everything including power and patch leads!!

Posted by: Milenkovic Ivan Jan 27 2008, 10:35 PM

I would be happy if I had only one cable like Angus Young for example. Instead I have 5 of them, and they are long They all get messed up fast!