In this piece, we dive into how music videos complement, empower, and support your songs to facilitate a better connection to your music.
With a music video, you can turn your catchy tune into a holistic musical experience.
Written by Jennifer Monte for Behind the Curtains Media
Take the punk band The Tracys and their new song, “(Bully Bully) Blockhead”. The ditty was infectious enough to stand on its own—but by connecting it with re-discovered art film footage, video designer Matt Ernst crafted a humorous music video that highlighted the song’s profound message of bullies hiding behind power.
This is what music videos do: complement your song to facilitate a better connection with your audience. Here’s more about why they complement songs, what makes them great—and some quick tips on how to shoot a quality music video for your own music.
They let you add a visual element to your melodies.
Your song may have a winsome chord progression and poetic lyrics, but nothing beats adding a visual component to the mix. Most people are visual learners, and giving your listeners something they can see can help them respond faster to your music.
Ultimately, a music video can make your songs more memorable.
They communicate your overarching artistic direction.
It’s up to your listeners to interpret your song. But with a music video, you can underline thematic aspects you want them to notice. For instance, Hozier’s song “Take Me to Church” already criticizes religious intolerance. Its music video takes that to another level by having a protagonist who faces violent discrimination and homophobia, adding another layer to the already-striking music.
They let you become more discoverable.
Audio alone can only take you so far. While you can cross-post your songs to different social media, you can’t expect it to do as well on visual-centered platforms like YouTube and Instagram. To gain more success with various audiences, use a music video.
They start a conversation around your music.
Art is not unilateral, and today’s social media landscape—complete with TikTok stitches and creators posting their reactions to songs—demonstrates that. Give your music a video to grant your audience another opportunity to delve into and engage with your song.
A fascinating concept.
The possibilities for a music video are limitless. You’ll want it to expand on the themes of your song if not outright illustrate it. Take inspiration from Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams” music video captured the essence of her song about an inevitably temporary love by creating a short musical film of a tragic 1950s love affair or how Psy’s upbeat Gangnam Style transformed into a video as vivid, bouncy, and bright as the original tune. Find ways to add and accentuate meaning to what you’ve already created.
High-quality footage.
In today’s digital world, there is no excuse for poor videos. When you shoot your music video, use a camera that can shoot in HD. However, you don’t need to break the bank with a brand-new HD camera, as a used mirrorless camera purchased from a reputable dealer will give you the sensory integrity, lens-mount functionality, and overall shutter count you need. Try the Olympus OM-D EM-10 Mark III, which can handily shoot in 4k with its 5-axis image stabilization, sharp 16-megapixel sensor, and 15 art filters for extra visual appeal.
Crisp sound.
You already have your music track, of course. But for any dialogue or extraneous sounds you want to add to your music video, consider utilizing a lapel microphone. Its main draw is its portability—instead of connecting it to a laptop, you can attach a bodypack to your actor and hide the lapel mic close to their mouth. You can simplify this further by using a Rode SmartLav+ model, which is compatible with mobile devices.
The beauty of music videos is their simplicity: all you have to do is assemble the pieces, plan the concept and execution, script or storyboard the idea, and choose shooting days to get your footage. All you need after that is a talented video editor to configure the music video. Then, you upload it for the world to see. The next time you write a tune, consider making a music video to enhance it further.
