The Ohio State University School of Music

How to prepare your placement video

How to prepare your placement video

Placement Video Recording and Submission


Students who have been accepted to participate in the Honor Jazz Band weekend must prepare a brief (1–2 minute) video for placement into one of the bands. 

Read the instructions below thoughtfully.

Jazz Band Placement Video — Due by MONDAY, SEPT. 28 
 

Video Requirements (all instruments)

Your video should be no longer than 2 minutes.

  • All instruments:
    • Bb concert major scale showcasing the range of your instrument
    • Perform the melody and an improvised solo to Charlie Parker’s "Billie’s Bounce" [pdf] with or without backing track or live accompaniment
  • Guitar and Piano should also record a chorus of comping.
  • Bass should also record a chorus walking a bass line
  • Drums should record the following for their placement video:
    • Play 16 bars of a funk groove, quarter note = 100
    • Play 16 bars of a jazz shuffle, quarter note = 135
    • Play 8 bars of a bossa nova groove, quarter note = 140
    • Trading 4's — play straight-ahead jazz, quarter note = 160, and trade off – four measures time, then four measures solo, four measures time, four measures solo, etc. Do this for 32 measures.

Video Recording and Submission

Video Process

  • Each attendee must submit a video for review, according to the procedures outlined below.
  • Auditions will be evaluated by Jazz Studies faculty members.
  • Recordings are due no later than MONDAY, SEPT. 28.


Recording and Technical Information

BEFORE you begin — EQUIPMENT CHECK

  1. Use whatever video recording device you have at your disposal (video camera, phone, tablet, computer, etc.), but select a device that captures the highest quality audio.
  2. When positioning the camera, be sure that you can be seen clearly in the video.
  3. Before recording, test the audio level and picture quality of both the device and microphone.


The Actual Recording

  1. The audition video recording is to be one continuous take, with no pauses or edits in any way.
  2. Begin the video with a short personal introduction. State:
  • Your first and last name
  • Your grade level (e.g. 10th grade)
  • Full name of your high school
  • Your home town (e.g. “Columbus, OH,” “Moorhead, MN,” etc.)
  1. Following your personal introduction, proceed with your performance. Your video should be only about 1-2 minutes long, based on the instructions for content above.


Finalizing and Uploading Your Video

  1. View your completed video in its entirety to ensure that it includes all of the required components and your finest quality performance.
  2. Post your video as an UNLISTED video on YouTube. The following instructional video can help with this process:


Sending Your Video Link

  1. Send an email to HSHonorJazzBand@osu.edu. Please type “High School Honor Jazz Band” in the subject line of the email and include the following information in the body of the email:
  • First and last name
  • Instrument
  • The working YouTube link to the finalized audition video

  1. The "unlisted" YouTube link to your audition video must be received by MONDAY, SEPT. 28.

  2. [pdf] — Some links on this page are to PDF files requiring Adobe Acrobat. If you need them in a more accessible format, contact us.