Music Animation Machine

Music Animation Machine — Requests

I receive many requests that I make a Music Animation Machine video for a particular piece of music.

My to-do list is growing, and I'm making new videos slowly, which probably means that most pieces people request will not get made into videos.

Besides a lack of time, several factors affect whether I will make a video of a given piece:

Permission. If a piece of music was composed after 1923, it is probably under copyright protection. Likewise for a recording of a performance recorded after 1923, an arrangement of the music that was done after 1923, etc.

Interest. It takes a lot of time to make a video, and during it, I have to listen to the music over and over; therefore, I'm not willing to do videos of music I don't enjoy listening to.

Ability. If I'm doing the performance myself, it needs to be something I can play (or sing, or create synthetically). I mostly play the piano, and the music I play best extends from early Baroque (1600) to Romantic (e.g. Brahms).

Resources. I can make recordings of solo keyboard music and, in some cases, music for small ensembels; I do not have a good way of making recordings of orchestral music.

If you'd like me to consider doing a video of a piece of music, please first do the following:

Study my current to-do list. If you don't see things similar to what you're planning to request, it's likely that there's a reason.

Study my to-don't list. These are pieces people have requested which I am unlikely to do for one reason or another; those pieces (and the reasons) are listed here. This may let you know that the piece (or the kind of piece) you're wanting to request is not likely to make it onto my to-do list.

See whether the piece is on my DVD. If it is, I probably won't re-do it (or post it to YouTube) until I sell the rest of the DVDs (since I have a closet full of them).

Determine the copyright status of the requested piece. If you want to request that I do a video of a piece protected by copyright (or using a recording protected by copyright), please obtain the required permission before making your request.

To make a video, I need a MIDI file of the piece. If a score of the music is available, I can make a MIDI file myself. If you have a MIDI file of the piece, I can use that. If possible, figure out how I will get the MIDI file.

To make a video, I need an audio recording with timings identical to those in the MIDI file. For some pieces, the audio playback of the MIDI file is adequate for this; for others (vocal music, music with expressive solo parts, etc.), I would need a recording that is worth listening to. For some music, I can create a recording myself. If possible, figure out what audio recording I would be using.

If you've done the above steps and it seems likely that I would consider the piece, send me your request by email. Include information about where I would get the MIDI file and audio recording and, if the piece is protected by copyright, contact information for the person or organization you've received permission from. If the requested piece is not on my to-do list, not covered by my to-don't list, and is one I could do (MIDI data, audio recording and copyright issues are all addressed), I will add the piece to either the to-do or to-don't list and send you a response. Otherwise, I will not respond.

If there is a reason I won't do the video, you might consider making one yourself. This page gives an introduction to how to do this.