Background music.

[iamtheblues]

The Xara Xone video tutorials are very good, highly professional and as Gare admits, just a tad fast. One can cope with the speed by replaying pertinent parts as required, but there is one thing that I find distracting and that is the background music. Whilst it is meant to add to the semblance of professionalism on TV and in film, it annoys me greatly when it conflicts with speech. Given that you are aiming to impart valuable information, if you dropped the music soundtrack, we would probably all benefit from the fact that your dulcet tones wouldn't be lost in the mix. You could possibly get away with the delivery speed, too. If you must insist on music, then at the very least ditch the awful drum machine!
Best regards,
Bob Taylor.

[Gare]

Noted, Bob, although this could have been a PM or just join the critiqué in general in the Tutorial General questions and comments thread.

Can't please everyone, but I am trying!

Bob, you like vintage American music, but you hate '80s drum machines? I went out of my way to arrange and record a knock-off of "Sunglasses" by Corey Hart.

Oh, I'm going to get really depressed and won't be able to work for weeks. If there's no February tutorial, it's all your fault, man.

In all seriousness, I understand your complaint: the background track isn't nearly in the background enough to not mask the narration, and my choice of music features a persistent tempo that you find annoying, as it probably does others, too.

I'll make every attempt to change the music (because yes, I do insist on music—you set a tempo, a pace, and it helps keep people awake ) and dial it back next month. This is not an apology, but rather a point of information: I produce 100% of the videos: animation, video screen captures, audio and video mixdowns, stuff many people won't see but might notice if it's not there. One person. Monthly. And that includes writing content, naturally.

My Best,

Gary

[Karateed]

And you do a mighty fine job of all that being that you're might short of "hands on deck" for all that production.....

[Gare]

Thank for that, Ed.

I'm really not complaining, and there's a little voice inside that occasionally says, "Get others to help."

But it all starts with the concept, and it has to come to finished production in mere days. And in the somewhat remote environs we call our home town, there are precious few audio engineers or film editors who'd volunteer for free, for this product no one pronounces correctly.

Which makes collaboration impossible, except:

Anyone who puts anything up on display needs an audience. The equation is incomplete if there's no one to teach to, to dangle a preposition among friends.

So I'm tired, but very happy if I can become a good teacher to a good audience.

Deal?

;)

My Best,

Gary

[pauland]

Gary, carry on the good work. Just think how much more you'd be able to pack in if you used "The flight of the Bumble Bee". Now there's a challenge.. ;-)