Welcome to our Summer Festival 2020 Submission Page!

We are proud to introduce our inaugural (and hopefully final!) Virtual Summer Festival! Taking place on 18th July, the Summer Festival will feature a collection of video and audio performances from our Music Centre ensembles from across the Buckinghamshire.

Be sure to tune into our YouTube channel, LearnPlayRepeat at 10:30am on 18th July to see and hear all of the incredible performances!

On this page you'll find everything you need to participate, including useful videos and tips for creating the best videos and audio possible, as well as a section where you can upload and send us your videos and recordings.

Please refer to submission deadlines from your ensemble leaders, as we can't guarantee recordings received after these dates will be included in the final edits.

If you have any difficulty, please email Gary Mullins on gmu@bucksmusic.org for assistance.

Tips to help make your recording!

How to Record Yourself

Counting In

Take time to familiarise yourself with the beginning of your backing track so you know where to come in.

There are four bars of four 'clicks' at the beginning of the backing track. The first two bars of clicks are to help you clap on the first beat of the third bar. This third bar of clicks will continue, followed by a fourth (to give you time to ready your instrument), after which your piece will start and you can start playing when you're meant to.

Recording

To complete the recording, you will need to use TWO devices; one to play the backing track through headphones and one to record your video/audio.

Step 1. Loading the backing track

a) Download the backing track from the url provided by BMT - ask your ensemble leader for help with this if you're unsure.
b) Plug your head phones into your backing track PLAYBACK device and find a comfortable volume for which you can hear both your instrument and the backing track.
NB: It is advisable to practice playing to the backing track before recording, so you are prepared with the tempo.

Step 2. Preparing your audio recorder

Test the best place for recording your sound source (instrument or voice). Softer instruments may need to be closer to the microphone, whilst other loud instruments will require some distance or even padding. If you’re finding that your recordings are producing an unpleasant (distorted) sound, then try placing your phone in a bag with some padding around it to reduce the input volume to the microphone.

Step 3. Recording

a) Press record on your device.
b) Press play on the device you have loaded the backing track into and listen to the

introduction.
c) There will be 2 bars of count-in before the piece begins. To help our production team to

line up your part, simply clap on the first beat of the third bar of clicks as detailed above.
d) Record your performance.

Please ask your music teachers if you're unsure how this works.

Then……….get practising! The best way to practice is to play the backing track through earphones, whilst you play your instrument.

After Recording...

Please title your audio/video file with the following naming convention. [Name of Piece]_[Part].

For example: If you play alto sax and are playing Alto sax 2 on Africa, your title should be "Africa_Alto Sax 2”.

Our tech team will then pull all your brilliant music making together into our ‘Virtual’ Music Centre performance.

After “magic” has happened, we’ll share the FINSHED PERFORMANCE with you all on our YouTube channel, LearnPlayRepeat on July 18th at 10:30am!

Upload your part here!

Performer's name (required)

Select piece you're playing (required)

IMPORTANT: Please make sure you have labelled your file/s correctly (see above). We cannot include files that are not labelled correctly.

Media Upload

Use the box below to upload audio or video of your performance, (as well as jpg files if requested by your tutor). Permissible file types are .jpg .jpeg .mp4 .mp3 .wav .m4v .avi .mov .m4a, and no bigger than 2gb in total.

By their very nature Buckinghamshire Music Trusts’ activities are in the public domain as they always lead to public performance. This may include the use of music technologies (sound and video recording) and photography as an integral part of the performance; to promote our work to new audiences; and encourage continued support for our activities. We will typically use photography as well as video and audio recordings for the following:

Resources and publications produced by BMT.
External publications (such as newspapers and magazines).
BMT’s social media channels including but not limited to Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.
BMT’s website and intranet.
External websites/broadcast media (such as news organisations or partner websites).

If you wish for your child not to be included in this please email directly to director@bucksmusic.org

PLEASE NOTE: There will be some processing time required once your video has uploaded. The duration is dependant on the size of your file, and can take a number of minutes to complete. The SEND button will be active once this processing has been completed. There may be some disruption at peak upload times, so please have do keep trying.

If you have trouble sending the file, please use WeTransfer and send the file/s to nki@bucksmusic.org

Studying grades?

Check out our YouTube channel, Learn Play Repeat where you'll find videos of all pieces for all instruments and grades, plus much more!