Tutorial: How to Make a One Man Band Video in Five Simple Steps
Two and a half years ago I made my first OneManBand video.
I was so proud of having done it that maybe I didn't explain too well HOW to make it.
I showed how I made it, but I didn't explain it explicitly and in great detail.
So this is my purpose for this video.
Uh, and sorry for my English pronounciation.
I'm not a native speaker.
I hope you will understand me.
There are subtitles (closed captions) for this video available anyhow.
Please consider that I show in this video how to produce a OneManBand video
with the gear and programs I have at hand.
If your video editing program provides an audio monitoring, much better.
Mine doesn't.
Another question is whether your video camera allows
direct recording on a hard disk via a certain interface,
or if your computer provides that interface.
I found out that I can only record onto my PC with my HDV camera
via firewire/IEEE 1394 connection, but I can't record directly from an AVCHD camera.
Let's begin with the first step:
Normally, you need a rhythm track as first track.
Connect the drum machine to your camera.
Connect the camera to your computer.
Record it.
Now you have two options.
Going on recording every new track on your computer,
or using an external multitrack recorder.
I will show you both options in this video.
For both of them, you have to convert a wave file of your rhythm track at first.
If you go on recording on your computer,
open an audio recording program such as Samplitude,
GarageBand, Cubase, Audition, or whatever you may use.
This will serve you as a monitoring source and also as the recording device.
Import your rhythm track.
Connect the devices you need for recording.
In my case, it is a US-122L USB audio interface and a V-Amp 2 virtual amplification device.
And no product placement is intended here, don't get me wrong! It's what I have here!
Start recording the image with your video program
and the sound with your audio program,
then start to play the song.
This has been the second step.
The third step is to repeat the process of recording of the image
and the sound for the rest of the tracks you need.
[cursing in German]
The fourth step: Mix the recorded audio tracks and export them as a wave file.
The fifth step is to import the wave file of your song into your video editing program,
to synchronize it with the recorded video tracks,
and to edit them.
The most crucial point is when you synchronize the different tracks on the screen.
I use the intro of the song with its clear beat for doing this.
Proceed carefully, otherwise the movements on the images
might create a fake impression on the spectators.
Dealing with several HD video tracks might slow down your computer significantly.
Don't worry and don't loose your patience!
Keep smiling!!
It's worth all of your efforts! ;-)
Once you've edited the images how you wanted them,
you've made your OneManBand video!
And now to option B.
Instead of using an audio recording program,
you connect your multitracker to your computer via USB,
you transfer the rhythm track,
you disconnect it from the computer again,
connect the line output of the multitracker to the video camera
and record the different tracks of your music while you are filming it. [Step 2 and 3]
Having finished this, you mix these tracks and make a master track of it [Step 4].
This stereo master track is what you transfer to your computer,
together with the video takes from your camera.
Synchronizing and editing them is step 5.
That's all, and easy to do! :-)
Now let's have a look on the result.
