If you’re releasing new music, you might be asking yourself how to create a music video to help with your music promotion.
After all, videos are one of the most engaging ways to get listeners excited about your music. But is it worth it to make a music video? What does it take and how to create a music video as a DIY artist? It may seem intimidating, but the great news is that making a music video is easier than ever with all the tools available to today’s musicians.
In this article, we’ll show you the basics of how to make a music video for creators of all kinds. Let’s get started.
What is a music video?
A music video is a video clip that provides a visual component to a track that can be used as creative expression or promotional material.
The unique music videos were promotional clips, musical shorts, and lip-synced performances that appeared in film and TV.
However, the term as we all know it became extensively used in the 1980s to describe visual material that accompanied songs played on dedicated music broadcast channels such as MTV.
These music videos were more stylized and sometimes featured actors and narrative scenarios in addition to staged performances and footage of the artists.
Today, music videos live mainly on one of the most famous video-sharing platforms – YouTube. Most music industry professionals think about them as a necessary part of an artist’s music promotion efforts.
Why make a music video?
Music videos are one of the most direct methods to access listeners’ attention and give them an impression of your style as an artist.
Developing a recognizable sound is essential. But visual aesthetics can be especially useful to give listeners a better sense of your overall vibe.
Not only that, visual content is usually considered more engaging than audio alone.
Listeners are more likely to stay captivated by the multimedia experience that engages more of their senses at once.
Along with that, videos are more shareable than audio. For that reason, online media outlets often prefer them for press coverage since they provide extra visual flair for the platform.
Finally, integrating audio and video together gives a unique opportunity to think about as an artist. It’s an exciting opportunity to flesh out your artistic vision and discover your creativity.
How to make a music video
There are as many ways to make a music video as there are artists creating music.
From easy DIY footage to million-dollar productions, there are countless approaches to the art form. Describing a single method wouldn’t be very useful, so we will concentrate on normal suggestions for this part as a substitute.
The good news is that you don’t have to be a major label artist to create a music video that’s enjoyable, watchable, and helpful for music promotion.
With that in mind, here are the 5 tips to make a music video for DIY artists.
1. Be creative
The first rule of DIY music videos is to concentrate on creativity.
You don’t need high production values when you have a unique concept that hooks viewers and draws them in.
Viral music videos have been a trend because of the early era of YouTube. A classic example is the “OK Go on Treadmills” video that turned into one of the most shared videos on the platform.
It proved that you just don’t need an enormous budget to create a video that highlights your unique aesthetic sense as an artist.
Even if you don’t create a viral sensation, concentrate on the uniqueness of your video’s hook. Ensure to use the resources you have creatively!
2. Decide on a method
Speaking of using what’s available, don’t be afraid to create an easy music video if you’re just getting started.
Your phone camera and a few basic editing software can take you a long way if you concentrate on creativity as we mentioned before.
But no matter how you prefer to work, the easiest way to stay focused is to decide on a basic method to produce your music video.
You could shoot a standard video with camera equipment, generate abstract visuals with software, edit found footage from the public domain, or even something more exotic.
Sometimes a unique concept is directly related to the strategy of creating these videos itself. Whether it’s an animation unique animation style or unconventional technique there are many great examples out there.
3. Collaborate with others
Making a music video is an ideal opportunity to bring new collaborators into your workflow.
Many musicians have a strong aesthetic sense along with their musical talent. If that describes you then explore it now!
However, don’t worry too much if you don’t feel comfortable in this particular area.
Many visual artists and video makers get inspiration from music. Connecting with this kind of creator can lead to an unimaginable collaboration that benefits both parties.
If you’re unsure where to find video producers in your community, take a look at an online artist platform like LANDR Network.
There you’ll find a community of professionals that will help you with every aspect of musical life—including video production.
You’ll be able to reach out to make connections and find the perfect collaborators to bring your unique vision to life.
4. Have fun
Lastly, DIY music production is fun, and your process for making videos should reflect that.
Even when the tone of your track and video is sad or emotional, viewers should get a sense that you enjoyed the process of making it.
Don’t take yourself too seriously! Just keep in mind that your goal is to produce a sharable video and not a cinematic masterpiece.
If you’re nervous about creating music videos, you may find this attitude takes some of the pressure off.
After all, a great music video should be a tool for promoting your music. It doesn’t need to be the last word on artistic expression.
Video age
Most musicians understand how essential music videos are to modern promotion techniques.
The more kinds of content you can share with your audience, the more you get to engage with them.
Video is especially potent for how it can bring fans a new dimension to the experience of your music.
If you’ve made it through this guide you’ll have an amazing start for creating your first music video.