When you think of it, music videos spice everything up. Whether it’s a compilation of private memories, marketing a brand or business, or even having fun creating videos for pure joy. 

The hours you need to put in, the frustration that builds up in the middle, and finally, the satisfaction of seeing your work come to life sums up all the fun of making music videos.

Science backs this up too. Most people are visual creatures, and the combined audio-visual input brings out all the creative ingredients. If marketing is the primary purpose, music videos are the perfect tool to impress your target audience and reel them into your beautiful services or products.  

However, until only recently, making music videos was the preserve of a few due to two main reasons. You had to dig a bit deeper in your pockets to have the right equipment, and you needed mad skills to figure out all that was required to piece it together.

Thanks to technological advancements, making a music video with only a smartphone or a laptop is now possible. Before advanced users check out, this isn’t all about amateur music video production; plenty of nuggets suit everyone.

Find out how you can make music videos that’ll blow your mind away easily and quickly with Wave.video.

What Equipment Will You Need To Record A Music Video?

A smartphone with a camera is good enough to start at the most basic level. However, this could severely limit the output quality, especially if you’re after that “wow factor” in the final product.

Still, a standard smartphone should suffice. However, if you want to go all in, the following items are must-haves:

1. Lighting kit

The two primary lighting sources are continuous and strobe lighting. Continuous lighting provides more even coverage but also emits heat from its bulbs. 

Strobe lights are brighter and more intense than continuous lights, but they require an external power source such as an outlet or batteries (depending on what kind of strobe light kit you choose). Some kits also come with built-in dimmers, allowing for better control over how bright or dark viewers perceive the shot.

When shopping around for a kit that works best for your needs, look out for these qualities: 

• Portable
• Adjustable
• Easy to set up and use
• Durable 

If powered lighting is not an option, reflectors are an equally capable substitute.

2. A capable video editing program

To guarantee optimum output quality, you’ll have to edit the footage. Skills aside, sound editing software can make all the difference. Many paid programs can help you do that, such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, DaVinci Resolve, Edius Pro, and Avid Media Composer. 

If you prefer something easier to use, just as capable, and pocket-friendly, Wave.video is right up your alley.

3. A good microphone

When choosing a microphone, you want to ensure its frequency response is wide enough to capture all the sounds in your music video.

You can use a boom mic, but it is better to use multiple microphones to record different perspectives of each instrument or vocalist individually. It’s like having many eyes: one person cannot see everything that happens around them at once, but multiple people together can capture more angles than they could alone.

In addition, you should choose microphones that are sensitive to low frequencies because these types of sounds are often lost when using a camera or inbuilt smartphone microphones.

4. Tripod for the microphone and camera

Shaky footage is a sure sign of an improperly recorded music video. It’s a pain for the audience to watch and could ruin the entire thing.

This is where a tripod comes in handy. It supports the camera, protecting it from shaking and vibration while recording. It also allows you to move around easily while shooting and capture different angles of your subject.

A tripod can be helpful in low-light situations and when filming moving objects such as cars or people walking.

5. External camera monitor

An external monitor is a device that attaches to your camera and allows you to see what the camera sees. It’s also called an “off-camera monitor” or an “external viewfinder.” 

They’re available in many different sizes, shapes, and styles. Some are designed to be attached directly to the back of your shooting scene, while others come with stands so you can set them on a table or desk near where your shot will take place.

One of the main benefits of an external monitor is that it allows you to see exactly how things look before and while capturing footage. This minimizes any chance of mistakes during the shoot when it’s too late to fix anything like lighting issues or exposure problems.

6. Headphones

The audio feed in any music video is just as important as the visuals. The right pair of headphones can help you monitor the audio on set, which means you can make sure everything sounds just right. 

They also make it easier to hear other sounds from the camera and microphones, so if there’s a problem with any of those sources and they need to be fixed during filming, you’ll be able to hear them easily. 

The same goes for post-production editing and review. Headphones guarantee an easier time and more efficiency when trying to get the best results.

7. Appropriate storage media

Depending on the length of the music video you’re shooting, the file size can quickly overwhelm the camera’s inbuilt memory. Considering an average music video shoot may require numerous takes. 

If this is the case, you should consider stocking up on other storage media solutions. Removable storage devices are just as capable, but you can take it up a notch with Wave.video free video hosting solution.

8. Camera

You will need a camera that encompasses these features to shoot high-quality music videos.

• Excellent low light performance: A lot of times, the best video shots are taken in low light conditions. You don’t want your footage to look grainy or pixelated because of poor lighting.
• Good audio recording capabilities: While recording audio separately from your primary video feed is possible, it’s generally easier and time-saving to use your camera as an audio recorder while shooting the video. 
• Camera with good battery life: While many modern smartphones and digital cameras can last for days without recharging their batteries, having some extra juice on hand never hurts. The unpredictability of any video shoot should be reason enough.

5 Steps to Make a Music Video

Step 1: Decide on the Concept and Budget

A music video is an art; like any other, it has to convey a message, emotion, or meaning. 

Before you think about making your music video, you must deliberate on the following:

• What is the concept of your video? What do you want it to look like? Do you have any visuals in mind that would help convey this message?
• What is the budget for your music video, and how much time can you afford to spend on it? If money isn’t a primary concern or dealbreaker, please spare nothing to create a masterpiece. If not, ensure you don’t have unrealistic expectations about what can be achieved within a short timeframe or limited budget.

A music video without a concept is like a construction project without a plan. You can work on significant aspects of it, say the best foundation and walls with impressive load-bearing capabilities. However, at the end of it, it’s all a mass of concrete. Nothing particular comes out without a well-thought-out plan, especially concerning art.

The more consideration you put into your music video concept and set priorities with your budget, the easier it’ll be for you to end up with precisely what you’d envisioned or even better.

Step 2: Make a Storyboard

In addition to the basic elements of a music video, you’ll also want to include notes on what props you’ll need and any special effects that will be required. If you’re filming in one location with a limited number of extras, it’s best to plan ahead so your shoot goes smoothly.

A storyboard is an essential tool for filmmakers and directors. It allows them to visualize the finished product before they start shooting, helping them ensure that each scene fits together into a cohesive whole. 

A good storyboard lays out the various scenes of your video and details how they relate to one another; it’s also helpful when planning out how you’ll shoot each stage so that everything flows smoothly during filming.

A storyboard can be as simple as sketches detailing the different scenes and action cues. You can also draft a script that describes your concept if sketching or drawing isn’t your mainstay.

Step 3: Choose the Location

The location is the first thing you’ll need to consider when planning your music video. You want a visually appealing site that captures your music video’s mood. 

If you’re filming in a public place, it should be easy for people to find — otherwise, you’ll have a hard time convincing them to stop and be in your video!

Many factors will determine what kind of setting works best for your video:

• Natural light is essential because it adds depth, dimension, and contrast — important elements in creating visual interest on screen.
• Distracting elements (i.e., people walking by or cars driving) can ruin an otherwise great shot by messing with the continuity between shots. To avoid this problem, choose a quiet area where traffic isn’t likely to interrupt the shooting.

Step 4: Staff Your Shoot

Alright, you have a great idea and the means to make it happen. You’ve taken care of all the technical details and are ready to roll, but before you start filming, one more thing needs to be done: assembling the right team.

This may sound like a no-brainer, but when you’re in charge of everything from scouting locations and booking talent and equipment rentals — not to mention directing the whole production — it’s easy to get overwhelmed.

While it’s possible to push on despite the pressure, it’s better to work with a team of specialists, so you can focus on ensuring the concept remains and flows with the music video.

If you don’t mind having someone knowledgeable around who knows how things work on set, then consider hiring professionals for some roles rather than trying to fill them yourself. Again, this should be only if your budget allows it.

Director’s Department 

The director is the person that’s responsible for coordinating everything with the music video shoot. They should be able to work under pressure and have the ability to smooth out any disagreements within the team.

The director should also be able to understand and communicate the vision for the music video with the team.

Actors

Given that they’ll be the face of the music video, it’s crucial that they embody the concept and, similarly, be able to convey it to the target audience.

It would be best if you considered lining up several auditions and testing the suitability of each actor’s potential in bringing out your concept before hiring them. 

Cinematography Team

This group forms the bulk of your entire music production team, and its composition can make or break the whole project.

A standard cinematography team is typically composed of dancers, a prop master, videographers, choreographers, a sound manager, and the grip, i.e., the person in charge of moving around the equipment.

Step 5: Film It

Filming a music video is very involving, but it’s also fun. It’s crucial to ensure you have good sound quality and lighting, so your viewers can enjoy the song without straining their ears or squinting at the screen.

Here are a few things to look out for:

Composition and Camera Angles

The camera angle determines how viewers are going to see the video. There are several camera angle variations, such as low angle, eye level, and high angle. When shooting a music video, you must ensure that your camera angles don’t distract the audience from what’s happening in the frame.

A good composition will help support your concept and ensure that it comes across clearly without being too busy or distracting from critical elements on the screen, such as an actor or singer.

Shot Sizes

Shot sizes are the size of the frame and can range from extremely wide to extreme close-up. The shot size will depend on what message you want to communicate to your audience.

The most common types of shots include:

• Extreme wide: This is used when no specific subject is in focus. It’s often used at the beginning or end of a video because it can help set up or conclude an idea within a scene (e.g., showing two different locations where something happened).
• Medium: This type of shot suits for establishing characters’ relationships before changing over to another angle/positioning/etc., but it also works well as an “in-between” shot if you’re transitioning between different angles/positions too rapidly.

Others include: extremely long shot, big close up, medium close shot, close up, extremely long shot, 

Setting

This is the environment where your story takes place, and it can help you create meaning and mood or tell a story.

When deciding the right setting for your music video, you must consider what environments best convey the central concept visually and using audio. An ideal setting should stir your audience’s emotions and prompt their engagement with the characters on set.

Lighting

The quality of any music video or video, in general, is highly dependent on the scene lighting. These are some of the things you should consider:

• Is there enough light? If there aren’t enough sources of light, then your subject will be too dark, and the audience will have trouble seeing them. Good quality lighting equipment is necessary to achieve optimum results. For starters, tungsten lamps produce warmer tones while fluorescent tubes create cooler tones, so decide which type better fits your desired mood before buying anything.
• How do I want my audience members to feel after watching this video? Think about how viewers might react emotionally when watching something with different lighting. Gruesome or menacing scenes require different lighting from enchanting or romantic scenes.

Camera Movement

You might have the best idea for a music video, but unless you have a good handle on how your camera will move during filming, the video may not turn out as well as you’d hoped. 

Two main ways to shoot a music video are handheld or with a tripod.

• Handheld: This is where you shoot the video while holding the camera without any support. With handheld you can get some interesting shots; however, a trained and experienced professional would fare better here. The downside is that handheld movements can feel unprofessional and sometimes look like an amateur filmed them with shaky hands (which may not be ideal if you want your audience to think highly of your work). It also requires more effort than a tripod method because multiple takes are often necessary for each shot due to mistakes made on set.
• Tripod: A tripod offers stability and consistency when shooting video from one angle over another throughout an entire scene. This is vital when it’s necessary to maintain control over every aspect from start to finish, even though it doesn’t necessarily allow for creative freedom outside specific parameters either. These restrictions help ensure consistent continuity throughout each shot, so nothing looks out of place later on down the line. This provides quality output instead of relying solely on luck.

Depending on your preference and the music video concept, you can opt for either of the camera movements: traveling, panoramic, pan, tracking shot, dive into a topic, dolly shot, tilt, pan, or pedestal. You can utilize other additional movements, and it’s all up to your preference and skill with a camera.

Crisp Audio

Since the audio is a vital component of the whole project, it must be crisp so everyone can hear it.

One way of ensuring this is using the best microphones you can find and securing the track sounds balanced in volume levels between instruments or vocals without any part overpowering the other.

Post-Production

This is where the final output takes shape. Post-production typically entails ensuring the music video captures the concept as you intended and makes it stand out.

It may involve a review of the music video, recommendations from your team or yourself, and editing or additional design to improve it.

Editing

No matter how skilled or experienced your cinematography team is, there are bound to be a few things that could be improved with the recorded footage. Whether it’s stray elements in the video footage or distracting noises in the audio, you must edit the music video before publishing it.

Also, unless you shot the entire music video in one go, you must have one or several editing sessions to piece it together and ensure the concept comes out as envisioned. 

Color Correction

The process of color correction can also be called color grading. It is the process of adjusting the colors in your video to make them more aesthetically pleasing and fit your desired mood. Color correction is an essential part of post-production, allowing you to eliminate unwanted hues and make sure your video looks as good as possible.

Some things you should keep in mind when considering how much color correction to do:

• The mood you want to convey (lighthearted, serious)
• Level of dark or light (depending on how neutral you want it to be)

Stock Music and Video

Stock music and video can save you a great deal of money and time. Instead of the whole process of conceptualizing an idea, shooting, and post-production editing, you can utilize premade stock footage. 

They’re available in numerous styles and genres, and you can always find the perfect clip to suit your concept. Stock music and video are also available at a cost or free, as in the case of Wave.video free stock footage.

How to Make a Music Video with Wave.Video

1. Go to Online Video Maker

First, go to the Wave.video official website (www.wave.video). Alternatively, you can search for Wave.video and click on the first instance that comes up.

Next, hover the cursor over the Tools section. This should prompt a drop-down menu, as shown below.

Click on Online video maker.

Alternatively, click on this link to go directly to the online video maker.

2. Choose a Video Format

Hover the cursor over the yellow Create Video button on the online video maker page. You see the many ways you can create a music video.

For starters, go with the Blank video option.

 

When you click the Blank video button, the tool will prompt you to choose a preferred video format. The choice of video format should align with the music video concept or the purpose of the video you’re creating. Ideally, the 16:9 works best for music videos.

3. Use Premade Templates or Upload Your Own Video

As you saw in the initial prompt when you hovered over the Create video button, you can also choose free premade templates or upload your video(s).

4. Add Stock Images, Videos, or Music

Once you start working on your music video on Wave.video editor, you can add free stock images, videos, or audio to supplement your efforts.

5. Let Your Creativity Flow

Limited budget? Are you overwhelmed by complicated editing software? Wave.video has your back. Go all in and spare no effort in making your music video a one-of-a-kind. 

Navigate through the numerous editing options on the Wave.video editor

Add stickers, change layouts or even resize the video if you need to repurpose the content for another platform. With Wave.video, there are no limitations on what you can do or how you can edit your music video.

Final Thoughts

When most people think about how to make a music video, the consensus is that it’s a complicated and expensive affair. 

However, this is far from reality. With free tools like Wave.video, anyone can create from amateur to professional music videos with little or no budget. It’s also fun and rewarding if you go through the entire process.

Fair disclosure, though, making a music video isn’t a walk in the park. It might take several takes, and you might need to read a few tutorials here and there, but eventually, you’ll get it. Besides, what’s there to lose? Wave.video is a free platform, and you can enjoy premium features comparable to or even better than some costlier alternatives.

Get started today by signing up for a free account.