What does it take to make a great amp demo video?

[mathias]

What it says in the topic. What's overdone in amp demos? What makes it hard to judge? What makes it easier?

I've been thinking a lot about the praise that Aen got for the Bassbreaker amp demo video recently, and wondering if we could decide on / distill down some do's and don't's for amp demo videos.

Also, please embed any of your favorite amp demo videos to reference. It'd be neat to have them in one place.

[UglyCasanova]

This is pretty good

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E51zYgMSRb0[/youtube]

[Chankgeez]

If you can tolerate the banter, they just uploaded this (haven't listened yet, but Dan generally seems to know what he's talkin' about):

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4kU-7t7gpc[/youtube]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4kU-7t7gpc

I think doin' a good great amp demo is much more difficult than guitars or pedals. Feature the features?

[mathias]

Here's aen's Bassbreaker demo, btw:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlLw5q66AqE[/youtube]

[tremolo3]

Any of Johan Segeborn!

https://www.youtube.com/user/JohanSegeborn/videos

Not a big fan of his playing style and can't stand his fascination for Marshall+Les Paul combo but man, he knows how to demo.

Just a random I picked from his channel:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe1IopPPHXE[/youtube]

[mathias]

Any specific thoughts on what does / doesn't help an amp demo?

[UglyCasanova]

Uploading it to Vimeo instead of Youtube.

Youtube compresses audio a lot. The only problem with Vimeo is that no one goes there for gear demos. When I first started demoing, I solely used Vimeo, but after uploading a demo to Youtube and seeing the views being ten times as many in half the time, I figured I was the only one who cared, so fuck it. Rant over.

[DRodriguez]

Honest minimal eq and compression. A decent not overly colored mic. An accurate description of how it is being recorded, either in the video or in the description. A variety of tones and maybe sources. HD upload to minimize audio data compression. Maybe something standard to compare it to. Less buzzwords more playing.

[tremolo3]

Let us see you playing instead of just having the camera pointing at the amp.
Play some riffs, then some random noodling.
Pedals are fine, just not too many.
Different settings on the amp.
Nerd details about micing technique, I love this!
If you are doing this with guitar, I personally love to see how amps react to guitar's volume and tone controls.

And I thought you could upload HD stuff to YouTube.

[UglyCasanova]

And I thought you could upload HD stuff to YouTube.

You can, but it still scales the data rate down. If you upload a 2160p MP4 video with 320 kbps AAC audio to Youtube you get ~126 kbps audio in return. If you use an AAC-LC codec on Vimeo and export at 320 kbps, it will keep the audio at 320 kbps.

[mathias]

A decent not overly colored mic. An accurate description of how it is being recorded, either in the video or in the description.

Does an SM57 count as overly-colored? Or is that everyone's "baseline"?

[DRodriguez]

A 57 is the standard amp mic, and thus gets a pass; as do other similarly flavored mics. While it is colored, it is more colored outside of the amp sound range.

Good at reducing a room's influence on the amp sound, and accentuates the mid-range. the guitar tone that usually cuts through a mix.

[Jwar]

And I thought you could upload HD stuff to YouTube.

You can, but it still scales the data rate down. If you upload a 2160p MP4 video with 320 kbps AAC audio to Youtube you get ~126 kbps audio in return. If you use an AAC-LC codec on Vimeo and export at 320 kbps, it will keep the audio at 320 kbps.

Is this the case even if you record audio and video separately?


The problem I have with Vimeo is they won't let you do longer videos.

Amp demos are fucking HARD to tell shit from IMO. I generally cannot make a decision unless I actually play the fucking thing. Which is annoying.

[UglyCasanova]

And I thought you could upload HD stuff to YouTube.

You can, but it still scales the data rate down. If you upload a 2160p MP4 video with 320 kbps AAC audio to Youtube you get ~126 kbps audio in return. If you use an AAC-LC codec on Vimeo and export at 320 kbps, it will keep the audio at 320 kbps.

Is this the case even if you record audio and video separately?

Yes. This is compression done by youtube after you've uploaded the file.

Vimeo Plus lets you upload how big a file you want. You can have hours upon hours of 4K video with 320 kbps audio if you like. The problem is, it costs money. Servers aren't free, which is why youtube uses a codec that compresses even if you upload in the highest quality possible. Their paid services (pay to view stuff) might offer full uncompressed uploads, but I haven't looked into it.

[Jwar]

Makes sense.

Well you'd think dudes trying to sell amps would do that shit at least.

For someone like me though? Nah. I'll never pay as long as it's free. haha