Tutorials - written or video?

[snakedogman]

Definitely video tutorial for me.

[Goseba]

Videos are so much better if done properly.

[stansharpe]

+1 for video for me

[JuanSOLO]

The best tutorial videos on the web are Andrew Kramer form Video CoPilot for After Effects.
They are fast, easy to understand, and you learn a lot.

There are SO many boring tuts on the net with 5 minute monologues of babbling.
Dont do that.

[oblique strategies]

Funny, I was just discussing this with a friend. I'm about to explore the wonderful world of video tutorials.

For some reason I haven't checked into them very much (maybe because I've encountered some of the of the previously mentioned "boring tuts on the net with 5 minute monologues of babbling")

I do read a lot: manuals, magazines, books, web. But video presentation just makes so much sense.

Any good links to share?

[darkenedsoul]

Video if a) to the point, b) good quality for viewing (I find youtube videos to be lacking in clarity, even in highest setting for some).

Written if a) to the point, b) gives enough detail/verbage to make someone go "oh!", c) examples to do/try.

I have most of Nick's tutorials but I have been sadly lacking getting back to them (among working on music too...) but I digress.

[doghouse]

Videos are so much better if done properly.

Agree...if done properly.

[JuanSOLO]

I prefer doing written ones because I endlessly tweak them, even weeks after finishing them.

Think of videos the same. Do a LOT of 'takes' until the point is made direct and clear. When shooting video for anything, it's not un-common to do 20plus takes for one sentence, if thats what it takes to get it right.

Then editing/tweaking

[simmerdown]

v i d i o

[regretfullySaid]

As long as you have SOME kind of personality. That's why Andrew Kramer's tuts are so good (and to a lesser extent, Nick Campbell) but I'd rather watch or listen to someone's own personality than hear them trying to be an enthusiastic comedian. Otoh, if you're Dr Boring, it doesn't matter how thorough and helpful your tuts are if it makes people fall asleep. Let us decide if you have a shit voice:)

[Tarekith]

I'm the oddball I guess, in that I actually prefer written tutorials. I just absorb things easier when I can read them at my pace, or go back and reread certain sections easier. Also, I don't normally like to be in front of the computer when I learn new things, I tend to take them with me on vacation or somewhere without an internet connection.

[timday]

Written, please!

Video tutorials are so slow. It takes 10 minutes to say something that can be put in a paragraph of text and maybe a couple of images and read in 30 seconds. I would be happy never to sit through a video tutorial again.

[regretfullySaid]

Do it hanging upside down with a tin-foil hat on, but you don't have to show yourself.

Btw tutorials that do't ahve talking but just text instead, are the WORST.

And some kind of wacky accent is good. South Carolina'an, Cockney, North Korean...

[oddstep]

Written tutorials with screen grabs are where its at for me. Watching and listening to someone mouse through a procedure... Waiting for them to think what to say next... Waiting for them to finish doing the ground work for the next bit they want to talk about... Waiting for them to finish the introductory section designed for people with little experience in music making. Its just a lot of hanging around-like the internet before broadband. At least with text I can skim through it, find the relevant bit and then track back if I don't get it. Video seems to be harder to get right.

[JuanSOLO]

Yeah my comment about Andrew is not so much to try and be funny, his wit is just a plus for me.
What makes him great is his tutorials are really quick, and to the point. When you are first learning that stuff you have to pause the video a lot to keep up, rather than waiting and nodding off for someone to say something relevant.