If you’ve gotten to a certain level of proficiency behind the drum kit, you may want to start making drum cover videos to show the world your skills.
YouTube is the best place to post these, but you can also upload them to all the other social media platforms.
While it may seem daunting to learn how to make them, the process is actually quite simple. You just need the right gear and a bit of time to learn how to use all of it.
Video and audio are the two big aspects behind making a drum cover video. For the purpose of drumming videos, it’s more important to have good audio than it is to have good video quality.
So, we suggest investing in a decent set of microphones and a recording interface. You can then use a free DAW like GarageBand to record your drums.
For the video aspect, you can simply use your phone. For higher-quality videos, you should use a dedicated camera. Some drummers like using GoPros, but you can’t beat a good DSLR or mirrorless camera.
You’re going to need a drumless version of whatever song you’re filming a cover of. If the song has the drums in it, the audio will clash with whatever drum parts you’re playing, and the end product will sound very muddy.
The best way to get a drumless track is to use drum remover software. The two best ones are Moises and LALAL.ai.
You simply upload a song to those programs, and they’ll remove the drum parts. You should then add a click track so that you can keep in time when you’re recording yourself playing to the song.
Once you have your gear and your song, you can start recording. If you want multiple camera angles, you’ll need to place a few cameras in different positions around the kit.
If you only have one camera, you can record yourself playing the track multiple times and then edit the video so that it looks like you’re changing angles in the song.
You’ll need to record the drum parts through a DAW, and then save that audio once the song is finished.
Remember to look like you’re having fun while playing, as an audience will always want to see you enjoying yourself.
You now need to combine your video and audio files. Bring the video into a video editing software like iMovie or Canva Pro, and add the audio that came from your microphones.
When looking at the wave files, you’ll see where the sound from your camera audio matches with the microphone audio. Match those up, and then delete the camera audio.
You’ll now have a great-sounding video. The next step is to edit the video how you want to in order to make it interesting.
Once you’re done, export it, and there’s your drum cover!
Whatever camera you have is the best option to start with. Don’t underestimate the importance of lighting. It’s better to invest in that first before a camera.
If you want to make a big investment, it’s a good idea to get a decent DSLR or mirrorless camera from brands like Canon, Sony, or Nikon.
The better your lighting is, the higher your video quality will be with those cameras.
No, you can’t make direct money from uploading drum covers to the Internet. The songs you play covers to are licensed by music distribution companies, and they get whatever revenue is earned by the video.
However, you can use the audience you get on your drum covers to make money in other ways, such as teaching lessons and doing affiliate marketing.
Your first drum cover probably won’t look amazing. The more you do it, the better you’ll get at making them. Learn as much as you can along the way, and then do your best to learn how cameras and microphones work.
Once you know those things, you’ll be able to create some amazing content.
Drum Teacher
Brett Clur has a Drum Performance Diploma from Trinity College London has been playing drums for over 20 years. He is passionate about advanced concepts and uses his years of experience to teach his students about them. While he is a full-time drum teacher, he is also working on growing a YouTube channel where shares his insights. You can see him playing there, or on Instagram where he posts daily videos.
Find useful lessons, tips and reviews for any drummer. From beginners to professionals there’s always something new to learn and improve. Join our Newsletter for exclusive advice!
11407 SW Amu St Suite #ABM436 Tualatin, OR 97062
There may be affiliate links on this website, which means we may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to our readers.
© All rights reserved Copyright 2024
Subscribe to our ninja mailing list and get a Free E-book!
Subscribe to our ninja mailing list and get a Free E-book!
