“you Just got Covered”
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recordings of music videos in a manner similar to the video recordings of
live radio performances or artists’ acoustic covers of their own songs, or
through the use of spaces such as abandoned indoor spaces, warehouses, or
residential garages familiar from professional productions. Many creators
of cover song videos invite comments that will help them improve their
skills and videos, thus there is also an apprenticeship process, which renders
the cover song, and cover song video, as non-professional but still part of a
creative growth process that welcomes criticism. The basis of this criticism
is often the result of a comparison to the base song. Amateur performers of
cover songs also learn from other performers, who upload covers on YouTube.
More experienced performers and video makers tend to upload “making
of” videos to explain the process of covering or to comment on the dos and
don’ts of the same process. For example, YouTube user JonDittertMusic
uploaded a video in 2013 titled “How to Make Cover Songs on YouTube” in
which he explained the basic process of uploading a cover video to YouTube
in the form of a stand-up comedy. His humorous description of some of
the steps of the process refers to key visual and sometimes confessional
characteristics of amateur-made cover videos: “Step 4 is to set up your
camera, anywhere is fine […] it doesn’t matter [about] the lighting,” “It’s time
for crucial Step 5, Apologize. Hey guys I just actually started to learn this
song today so forgive me if I make any mistakes” and “Step 7: Upload your
video, some cameras will even let you upload straight from your camera to
YouTube, which will keep you from feeling bad about skipping that tedious
editing part.”
YouTube viewers may follow the channel of an amateur performer, who
serially covers mainstream songs, and tend to make requests; some of these
followers might even request an original song by their favorite YouTube
performer. These practices form a hybrid aesthetic, which combines home
video and radio visualization settings; even though covering is associated
(unofficially or otherwise) with a source product, the visual and the familiar
musical settings usually function as ways to bring to the fore an unknown
artist’s personality and musical talent. The covering process in this case
is not usually an homage or an attempt to establish a profound dialogic
process, but a hook, that is, a way to grab someone’s attention. Furthermore,
the title of a popular song as part of the video’s title will possibly help the
discoverability of the performer on YouTube. Such forms of talent display are
now well established; therefore, it is worth bearing in mind that this hybrid
aesthetic may simply be a choice that results from a conscious assessment
of the rewards of covering songs on YouTube. Even so, it remains part of a
practice that, unlike industry paradigms, can be self-/user-managed.
123
recordings of music videos in a manner similar to the video recordings of
live radio performances or artists’ acoustic covers of their own songs, or
through the use of spaces such as abandoned indoor spaces, warehouses, or
residential garages familiar from professional productions. Many creators
of cover song videos invite comments that will help them improve their
skills and videos, thus there is also an apprenticeship process, which renders
the cover song, and cover song video, as non-professional but still part of a
creative growth process that welcomes criticism. The basis of this criticism
is often the result of a comparison to the base song. Amateur performers of
cover songs also learn from other performers, who upload covers on YouTube.
More experienced performers and video makers tend to upload “making
of” videos to explain the process of covering or to comment on the dos and
don’ts of the same process. For example, YouTube user JonDittertMusic
uploaded a video in 2013 titled “How to Make Cover Songs on YouTube” in
which he explained the basic process of uploading a cover video to YouTube
in the form of a stand-up comedy. His humorous description of some of
the steps of the process refers to key visual and sometimes confessional
characteristics of amateur-made cover videos: “Step 4 is to set up your
camera, anywhere is fine […] it doesn’t matter [about] the lighting,” “It’s time
for crucial Step 5, Apologize. Hey guys I just actually started to learn this
song today so forgive me if I make any mistakes” and “Step 7: Upload your
video, some cameras will even let you upload straight from your camera to
YouTube, which will keep you from feeling bad about skipping that tedious
editing part.”
YouTube viewers may follow the channel of an amateur performer, who
serially covers mainstream songs, and tend to make requests; some of these
followers might even request an original song by their favorite YouTube
performer. These practices form a hybrid aesthetic, which combines home
video and radio visualization settings; even though covering is associated
(unofficially or otherwise) with a source product, the visual and the familiar
musical settings usually function as ways to bring to the fore an unknown
artist’s personality and musical talent. The covering process in this case
is not usually an homage or an attempt to establish a profound dialogic
process, but a hook, that is, a way to grab someone’s attention. Furthermore,
the title of a popular song as part of the video’s title will possibly help the
discoverability of the performer on YouTube. Such forms of talent display are
now well established; therefore, it is worth bearing in mind that this hybrid
aesthetic may simply be a choice that results from a conscious assessment
of the rewards of covering songs on YouTube. Even so, it remains part of a
practice that, unlike industry paradigms, can be self-/user-managed.