Aaron's weekly dispatch
Hi everyone,
This week has been all about one thing: LiftShot.
I'm genuinely on the verge of releasing it, and that's a really exciting place to be.
The whole idea came from one of the biggest frustrations I face as a musician: recording gigs. It's not just getting a camera in the right place – it's capturing great audio and then spending hours editing everything afterwards.
If you've ever recorded an outdoor performance, especially here in the UK, you'll know exactly what I mean. Wind can ruin a recording without proper protection, and even with a dead cat on the microphone, balancing vocals, guitar and crowd ambience isn't easy. By the time you've mixed the audio, colour graded the video, cut the songs into individual clips and prepared everything for social media, you've lost hours.
I think I've finally solved that problem.
I've invested in the Rode Wireless Pro system, which allows me to capture my guitar and vocals cleanly while performing. I'll be recording that feed directly into my Zoom H8 recorder, giving me a high-quality stereo recording without any post-production mixing.
Then LiftShot takes over.
I'll simply upload the video from my phone, complete with its natural ambience, along with the separate audio recording. LiftShot automatically synchronises everything, blends the ambience with the clean audio, applies compression, subtle EQ and limiting, and produces a polished soundtrack.
On the video side, it can automatically enhance contrast and colour, or, if you prefer, you can choose warmer, cooler or cinematic looks, even adding a touch of vintage styling with an adjustable control. Best of all, it automatically detects every song in the performance and cuts the entire set into individual clips, ready to upload.
I've never found another app that does all of this in one place, and I'm incredibly excited to finally be so close to releasing it. My hope is that it saves musicians countless hours and makes sharing live performances effortless.
Now, onto this week's gigs…
Tuesday
I returned to Burhill Golf Club to perform for the Lady Captain's special event. The sunshine was glorious, the setting was beautiful, and it couldn't have been a better afternoon.
Wednesday
It was off to Holyport College near Maidenhead for the teachers' end-of-term celebration. Another gorgeous summer's day, and I even managed to get home afterwards in time to watch the football… perhaps we'll leave the result there!
Thursday
I was back at Anstee Bridge for their graduation ceremony. Seeing so many students confidently perform in front of a packed audience was incredibly special. For many, that's a huge personal achievement, so congratulations to every single student who took part.
Friday
Friday was special for another reason too. During the day, my middle daughter finally had her ears pierced after wanting them done for such a long time. She looked absolutely beautiful and was understandably very pleased with herself.
That evening I headed to The Poyntz Arms in Molesey, a venue that never disappoints and always provides a fantastic atmosphere.
Saturday
Saturday night was spent performing at a private function at The Liqs Club in Ashtead, another brilliant evening with a lovely crowd.
Sunday
As I'm writing this, I'm on my way to The Minnow in Weybridge. The weather couldn't be much better - warm sunshine without the unbearable heat - so it feels like the perfect day to try out my new Rode Wireless Pro system for the very first time in a live setting.
After that, it'll be a quick dash over to WeBrew in Kingston to host the weekly Open Mic Night. It's always one of the highlights of my week, and I'm hoping for another fantastic turnout.
Looking Ahead
Next week is another busy one, with plenty more performances ahead. If you're looking for somewhere to enjoy some live music, here's where you can find me:
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Wednesday – Open Mic at Windsor & Eton Brewery, Windsor
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Thursday – The Queens Head, Dorking
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Friday – The Old House, Dorking
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Saturday – The Albion, Hampton Court
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Sunday – The Sovereigns, Woking
As always, if you're nearby, it'd be great to see you at a gig.
You can always find my latest performance dates on my website, and if you know someone looking for live music for a wedding, private party or corporate event, I'd really appreciate you passing my name on.
Thanks, as always, for reading and for all your continued support. It genuinely means a great deal, and I hope to see you at a gig very soon.
Aaron
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See you out there, Aaron