YOUTUBE ADS IN VIDEOS=BAD4BIZ

Just as commercial radio and television stations run advertising to support the airing, and production of content, I decided to take advantage of the youtube partnership, and start using the various forms of advertising to support the production of my content. Truth be told, it's not worth it to use those adverts in videos.

Granted, theremin related videos will loose viewers for various reasons, either the instrument, or genre just isn't a viewer's cuppa, or whatever their reasons are, they'll go off in search of other content. 

Over the years, I've gradually learned by watching the view counts dwindle on my videos ever since the implementation of in-video, and over-lay advertising. As it turns out, the use of this form of advertising as a youtube partner has turned out to be the worse way to try to support ones work as a professional thereminist.

After watching youtube more, and more as a result of having to shut off cable and satellite television, I've started experiencing just how annoying, and experience cheapening this form of advertising is.

So, into the "never again" folder this one goes. With the exception of the side advert which appears next to the video viewer, I've turned off all in-video, in-stream, and over-lay advertising on all past, present, and future youtube videos.

Time to ENJOY the content again.

I think what you have done is probably a good idea Thomas.

People who are genuinely interested in the theremin and want to follow up by purchasing a CD, or by learning to play the instrument themselves, are not going to be encouraged by pop-ups and banners. On the contrary, these things are annoying and tend to break the "spell" of any musical performance. 

I regard these things as an intrusion and a nuisance, and this is not a good frame of mind in which to start watching a video!

The down-side of YouTube and other public access audio/video sites is that people can capture your music without having to buy it. As far as theremin lessons are concerned, there are now several people who are offering lessons free on YouTube (thereminist Kip Rosser, who already has more than 2 dozen theremin lessons on YT, has posted a new lesson within the last 24 hours). 

There are theremin "tutorials" on YouTube posted by people who have just removed their instrument from the box it came in, and who know nothing at all about how to play it!

The problem here is that people who want to learn to play the instrument have no way of knowing how to judge the competency or efficacy of a teacher. There is a common misperception among newcomers to the theremin that "anyone can teach me the basics". 

This is not true. As a non-traditional instrument, there are no universally accepted "basics" the way there are for the piano or the violin. The most someone can do is to teach their own version of the basics, which may or may not be helpful in getting the student where he or she wants to go.

The best you can do as far as YouTube is concerned, is to deliver a "magical" performance, unencumbered by distracting pop-ups, banners and other advertisements, and hope that you have touched your viewer deeply enough to inspire him or her to visit your website. 

Don't forget, no such thing as a full-time professional thereminist has ever existed. It's hard enough to make a living in traditional and mainstream music, but in "fringe" stuff it's impossible. Even Dr. Hoffman, the only thereminist ever to have a million selling gold record, had a day job. 

Hello Coalport. I agree with most everything you just said.

However, with regard to the following:

"Don't forget, no such thing as a full-time professional thereminist has ever existed. It's hard enough to make a living in traditional and mainstream music, but in "fringe" stuff it's impossible. Even Dr. Hoffman, the only thereminist ever to have a million selling gold record, had a day job.",

I am the exception to that rule. As a pro musician, I have to spend at least 3 to 4 hours each day in rehearsal, another hour or so composing theremin melodies, and or yet another hour exploring accompaniment production, as well as looking for, and trying to secure gigs, as well as take care of my personal needs, I do have a full time job "working" with this instrument. Does not mean I make a ton of money doing this, but yeh, it's a full time job. :)

Coalport ~

I read somewhere that someone is taking lessons from Lydia Kavina AND Carolina Eyck at the same time. These 2 thereminists couldn't be more apart in technique. Do you see this as a help or could end up confusing the student? I think I would be so confused...

Since it happened to me too, to have had Lessons with Lydia and Carolina during the same event in early 2008, I allow to throw in my two cents:

It was indeed not a good idea for a relative freshman to think that one could pick the cherries from different cakes. I ended up confused and demotivated, and it took me a very long time to sort things out again.

It was only several years later that I found out that and how I could learn from both, but different things and only after I discovered that Lydia did not forcibly insist on imposing her own playing technique to her students, but only gave hints when she saw that one was limited by the technique one actually used. Out of that I observed that the playing technique of both, Lydia and Carolina, has evolved over the time, so a direct comparison would give different results every year.

I know that Lydia and Carolina are talking a lot together about technique and teaching and I could more than once be the man in the middle and resolve potential contradictions by explaining both from my rather technical point of view how the completely different pitch field geometry of their respective instruments and their posture have contributed to some of their respective "individual styles".

One of the rare advantages of the fact that there is no unique method for the theremin as it exists for other more traditional instruments, is that every single lesson does not only contribute to the student's but also to the teacher's progress.

Thierry ~

Thank you for explaining your point of view. I can see how being taught by 2 different people at the beginning of one's theremin journey could be confusing. I think that over time, one could take bits of info from each theacher and apply that to an established method to help you get "better" execution.

Wise words!

There has always been a belief among newcomers to the theremin that they can study with several teachers - either in person or through video and DVD - absorb everything the various teachers have to teach, retain what works and reject the rest.

This is a common problem with adult learners because they often come to the teacher with a cup that is already full. The above attitude puts the student in the position of constantly judging the usefulness of what is being taught.

Thomas wrote: As a pro musician, I have to spend at least 3 to 4 hours each day in rehearsal, another hour or so composing theremin melodies, and or yet another hour exploring accompaniment production, as well as looking for, and trying to secure gigs, as well as take care of my personal needs, I do have a full time job "working" with this instrument. Does not mean I make a ton of money doing this, but yeh, it's a full time job.

Thomas, by "full-time professional thereminist" I was referring to someone whose only job and sole source of income and support, is playing the theremin. 

You may spend all day composing and practicing, and you may also make some money by playing, but if it were not for other monies coming in from sources entirely unrelated to the theremin, you would starve!

Don't feel bad. 'Twas ever thus.

@Thomas: After watching youtube more, and more as a result of having to shut off cable and satellite television, I've started experiencing just how annoying, and experience cheapening this form of advertising is.

You said it!

I have the Ad-Block plugin installed in my Firefox browser so I don't see those ads that are inserted in front of clips.

"Time to ENJOY the content again."  - TG

YouTube has become so full of ads that I flinch a bit every time I'm redirected there. 

Google = increasingly annoying and invasive advertising practices.  If their search engine wasn't so good I would have dropped them like a hot potato long ago.