Some of your courses may require recording video along with a backing track, which can be a little more involved than just recording basic video. The easiest method to accomplish this involves playing the backing track audio out loud through speakers or an amplifier while recording video of your performance. The video recording can be accomplished using the built-in video recorder in BOCCE, video recording software on your computer (Photo Booth, Camera, etc.), or another device capable of recording video (smartphone, tablet, digital camera, etc.).
Recording Video and Multitrack Audio of Your Performance
An alternative approach to the method described in this article is to record your audio in a DAW or multitrack recorder while recording video from another source, then sync your recorded audio to the video. While it requires additional software and is a more involved process, it will generally produce higher quality audio than the method described in this article. For more information on that approach, see this article for instructions on the advanced method for recording video of your performance along with a backing track.
Select from the options below to view instructions for the different ways to record video of your performance along with a backing track.
Using the Video Recorder Included in BOCCE
How to Record Video Along with a Backing Track Using the BOCCE built-in Video Recorder
The video tool built into BOCCE enables video recording without any additional video recording software. Follow the steps below to record video along with a backing track using the BOCCE built-in video recorder.
What You'll Need:
- Speakers: These can be your built-in computer speakers or connected externally.
- Microphone: This can be your built-in computer mic, or an external mic connected to an audio interface.
- Webcam: This can be your built-in computer webcam or connected externally.
- Media player software, such as Apple Music, Windows Groove Music, Quicktime Player, VLC Player, etc.
- Your instrument or voice—you may also need amplification if using an electric instrument.
Steps:
- Download the backing track from your course, and open it in your media player program.
- Access your assignment via the course syllabus, then click the red Submit button to open the submission window. Alternatively, you can open the submission window by clicking on the assignment within the Work tab.
- With the submission window open, click the Attach button, then click the Record Video option.
- With the video recorder now open, click View Additional Options to see dropdown menus for the video and audio input. Make sure the video input is set to your camera, and the audio input is set to your built-in microphone (or your audio interface if you are connecting an external microphone to your interface).
- In the dropdown menu at the top of the video recorder, select either Record in SD or Record in HD. SD quality is recommended for users with slower upload speeds.
- Resize your windows so you can see both the media player and the course environment at the same time. You may also want to click the Minimize Recorder button, which will allow you to see the assignment window at the same time. You can maximize the recorder again by clicking the Expand button.
- Click the Start Recording button on the video recorder to begin recording, then click the play button on your media player to start the backing track.
- Perform along with the backing track, then click the Stop Recording button on the video recorder when you are done.
- If you weren't happy with your performance, you can hit the Re-record button, which will take you back to where you were at the beginning of step 6.
- Once you are happy with a performance, you may want to save a backup of your performance. See the callout box at the bottom of this article for instructions.
- Click the Attach to post button to attach the video to your submission.
- Repeat steps 3-11 for any additional videos you want to record and submit.
- Enter some text in the text area (you won't be able to submit otherwise, even if an attachment is present).
- Hit the Post button, to submit your assignment with the video attached.
Saving a Backup
Saving a Video Tool Backup
When using the video tool built into your Berklee Online course, you can easily save a backup to use in case of submission errors. To save a backup of a video before attaching it to your post, you can click the Download button under the video preview.
If you have already attached your video to your post, you can click the Download icon next to the trash can icon to save a video backup.
In both cases, the video backup will immediately download to your machine. The file itself will have a .webm extension, and will only be playable in a web browser unless converted to a desktop-friendly format, such as a .mp4 or .mov file.
Using Video Recording Software on Your Computer
What You'll Need
- Video recording software, such as Photo Booth (included with macOS) or Camera (included with Windows).
- Speakers: These can be built into your computer or connected externally.
- Microphone: This can be your built-in computer mic, or an external mic connected to an audio interface.
- Webcam: This can be built into your computer or connected externally.
- Media player software, such as Apple Music, Windows Groove Music, Quicktime Player, VLC Player, etc.
- Your instrument or voice—you may also need amplification if using an electric instrument.
Steps:
- Download the backing track from your course, and open it in your media player program.
- Open your video recording software.
- Resize your windows so you can see both the media player and the video recorder at the same time.
- Start your video recording, then start playback of the backing track.
- Perform along with the backing track, then stop your video recording when you are done.
- If you aren't happy with your performance, you can delete your video, then repeat steps 2-3. If you are happy with your performance, move on to the next step.
- Attach the video file to your assignment submission. See this article about submitting assignments with attachments for instructions.
Using Another Device to Record Video (Smartphone/Tablet/Digital Camera, Etc.)
What you'll need
- Video recording device (smartphone, tablet, digital camera, etc.).
- Speakers: These can be built into your computer or connected externally.
- Media player software, such as Apple Music, Windows Groove Music, Quicktime Player, VLC Player, etc.
- Your instrument or voice—you may also need amplification if using an electric instrument.
Steps:
- Download the backing track from your course, then open it in your media player program on your computer.
- Start your video recording, then start playback of the backing track.
- Perform along with the backing track, then stop your video recording when you are done.
- If you aren't happy with your performance, you can delete your video, then repeat steps 2-3. If you are happy with your performance, move on to the next step.
- Transfer the video file from your recording device to your computer.
- Attach the video file to your assignment submission. See this article about submitting assignments with attachments for instructions.
Submitting videos from a mobile device
Note that if you used a smartphone or a tablet connected to the internet, you can skip step 5 above and submit the file directly from you mobile device. To do this, simply access the course from an internet browser on your mobile device, then submit the file in the same manner you would on a computer.
