Purpose & Philosophy

Tapspace values artistic intention as much as technical excellence. These guidelines are designed to empower artists to make informed, intentional choices, not to impose a single aesthetic.

Artists working with Tapspace range from seasoned professionals with strong visual concepts to emerging musicians producing their first high‑quality video. This document serves as:

• A baseline for technical quality that ensures your work can be presented professionally, and
• A toolkit for decision‑making, explaining why certain choices matter so you can confidently follow—or thoughtfully diverge from—them.

Intentional, well‑executed artistic decisions are always preferred over accidental limitations.

Title & On‑Screen Text

• Title Preferences: None.
• Do not add titles, captions, credits, watermarks, or logos.
• Tapspace will apply all branding and titling in post‑production.

If text or graphics are integral to the artistic concept, please discuss this with Tapspace before filming.

Frame Rate (Motion & Musical Clarity)

Percussion performance often involves rapid stick and mallet motion. Frame rate has a significant impact on clarity.

Recommended Default:

• 59.94 or 60 fps – clearest motion, maximum flexibility

Acceptable Alternatives:

• 50 fps
• 29.97 fps (30 fps)

Intentional Use:

• Lower frame rates (23.976/24 fps) may introduce blur or strobing, which can be undesirable or expressive.
• Use anything below 60 fps only as a deliberate aesthetic choice.

Resolution & Aspect Ratio

Recommended Default:

• 3840 x 2160 (4K UHD)

Minimum Acceptable:

• 1920 x 1080 (Full HD)

Aspect Ratio:

• 16:9 only
• Other aspect ratios may be used as a creative choice, if intentional.

Why this matters: 4K capture allows reframing, stabilization, and cropping without quality loss.

File Format & Codec

Preferred File Types:

• .MOV or .MP4

Preferred Codecs:

• Apple ProRes (any variant)
• H.264 or H.265 (high bitrate)

General Guidance:

• Record at the highest reasonable quality available
• Avoid variable frame rate recording
• Do not submit files processed by social media platforms

Audio Capture (Critical)

Sound quality is as important as image quality.

Best Practice:

• Use dedicated microphones and a separate audio recorder
• Camera audio may serve as sync only

Preferred Specs:

• WAV or AIFF
• 24‑bit / 48 kHz

General Principle:

• Leave headroom
  • The goal is not to sound loud or finished, but to deliver clean, undistorted audio that gives the mix/master engineer room to work

Target Levels (recommended):

• Peak Level: -12 dB to -6 dB
• Absolute Maximum: -3 dB
• This ensures:
  • No digital clipping
  • Enough headroom for EQ, compression, and limiting

Sync Tip:

• Include a clear clap or stick click at the beginning of each take

Camera Stability & Movement

Baseline Expectation:

• Use a tripod or fixed support
• Lock focus and exposure when possible

Camera Movement:

• Static shots are always acceptable
• Slow, rehearsed movement may be used intentionally
• Avoid fast, continuous, or distracting motion

Framing & Composition

Technical Priorities:

• Sticks, mallets, hands, and striking surfaces must remain visible
• Avoid cutting off hands, elbows, or mallet tips

Creative Options:

• Wide shots for context
• Medium shots for balance
• Close‑ups for emphasis (use sparingly)

Background:

• Clean, uncluttered environments are recommended

Lighting (Clarity First, Style Second)

Recommended Starting Point:

• Soft, even front or slightly overhead lighting
• Two‑ or three‑point setups

Avoid:

• Strong backlighting
• Overhead fluorescent lights
• Mixed color temperatures

White Balance:

• Set manually whenever possible
• Recommended white balance settings use Kelvin (K) to match your light source.
  • Color temperatures based on application:
    • 5600K for standard daylight
    • 3200K for indoor tungsten
    • 6000K+ for cloudy/shade
    • 2500K-4000k for indoor fluorescents or artistic warmth
  • Use a gray card for accuracy (ensure the whites are true white) is always recommended

Dramatic or unconventional lighting is welcome when intentional and tested.

Clothing & Visual Contrast

• Solid colors generally read best
• Avoid tight patterns, stripes, or logos
• Ensure contrast between performer, instrument, and background
• When recording pieces with multiple parts performed by one player, it is always good to wear different clothing/colors to differentiate the performers/parts.

Performance & Takes

• Deliver a fully edited video when possible
• Record multiple full takes when possible
• Do not stop recording between movements unless instructed
• Leave a few seconds of silence before and after the performance

Performer Credit Information

• Deliver a single, fully edited performance video (Tapspace does not assemble performances from multiple takes)
• Recording multiple complete takes is encouraged so you can select your strongest performance
• The submitted video should represent one continuous, intentional edit of the piece
• Leave a few seconds of silence before and after the performance for clean transitions

Appendix A: Guidance for Emerging or First‑Time Video Artists

If you are new to filming your own work:

• Choose 60 fps, static framing, and even lighting
• Use a tripod and avoid zooming
• Film farther back than you think—it can always be cropped later
• Watch a short test clip before recording the full take

Simple, clean choices almost always outperform complex setups executed inconsistently.

Appendix B: Guidance for Artists with an Established Visual Concept

If you have a strong visual identity or conceptual approach:

• Feel free to depart from defaults when intentional
• Test frame rate, lighting, and motion before the final take

Tapspace welcomes visually distinctive work that serves the music.

Final Thought

There is no single correct way to film percussion. Our goal is to support your creative vision while ensuring the final product meets a professional technical standard.

When in doubt, ask early—we are happy to help you make the strongest version of your work.