Thanks very much everyone! These comments really made my day.

I had been holding off on posting new videos for a while since the overall quality of self-made productions (such as Greg Howard's great videos) have really raised the bar, so I wanted to invest some time in getting better lighting and backdrop material and learn how to use Final Cut Pro X for things like multicamera editing. Once I had the camera footage synced up (and learned how to set up "proxy" media so the computer could handle playing all camera angles at the same time) it was really easy to edit between the angles. I now have a wall in my office dedicated to video shooting (I have a backdrop always hanging on it) and some inexpensive photo "umbrella" lighting I picked up on Amazon. I've already learned a couple things from this first attempt that I will improve in the next one, but I'm happy that basically reorganizing my space and learning a few new processes will make it much easier to create more videos - perhaps not "pro quality" but much better than my previous webcam setup. This seems to be a hot topic of debate amongst video recording people but I also did the "24 frames a second" trick for the instant "film" look.

On the audio side of things, this is the first thing I've recorded using the StepABout as my preamp (I picked up Randy's used one that he posted here a few months ago). I was surprised how much easier it seemed to make the mixing process, once I dialed in a tone I liked for each side it provided a solid signal to the HD 500, and I really didn't have to fuss and experiment with the EQ during mixing like I normally do.

Hi Rob,

I totally thought that you had the video done professionally! Or at least had a friend, or two, shoot the close ups.
How many cameras did you use? Are they all the same camera?
I've been thinking of doing the same thing with my office set up so I can start posting videos of my own. I think in the context of this instrument the closeups add significantly. Not just from a player perspective but from an artistic point of view. With the little bit of experimenting I find that the black and white is the way to go. Not just because it looks great but it's also easier to work with...

Regarding your sound...
I have the older POD X3 and wondered if there is a benefit to having a preamp (StepABout) before going into it.
Can you expand on your signal chain? Also the signal chain inside your HD500.
Also your thoughts on why you chose each of the steps in your signal would be great.

Sorry to ask all these questions...

Hi Dean,

Thanks! It's just one camera (a Sony HDR-SR11 I'm borrowing from a family member). I'm in the process of finding my own camera, perhaps a Canon M500 which has a fairly high quality sensor for a more midrange camcorder (in a pinch the iPhone 5 works ok too, I got quite useable and similar footage from that in some experiments I did, it's just somewhat more awkward to work with).

I recorded to a click track so multiple takes can be easily spliced and/or synced together if necessary. I recorded a few different angles, 2 or 3 takes each, created a "master" audio file in Logic, and synced all the video up in Final Cut Pro and just selected the best angles for each part of the tune (and some post-processing to make sure the background is deep black, adjust the exposure/saturation levels, etc).

The main advantage of the StepABout in this setup is the EQ/tone shaping (I don't like the EQ effects on the HD500 and it takes up effects blocks), and boosting the signal before the POD (I think the StepABout has a better impedance match for the PASV-4 as well). Being able to route a signal to one or both effects chains is also helpful in some situations. I also usually do the reverb post-POD (a Strymon blueSky pedal for live, Wave Arts MasterVerb plug-in for recording), but for this particular song there is an extra reverb block I use on the POD.

For this piece the effects chain is like this:

bass->stepABout->(HD500 aux in: slow filter->analog echo->cave reverb)->DAW

melody->stepABout->(HD500 guitar in: Gibtone 185 amp/cabinet->synth-o-matic->rotary speaker->delay->cave reverb)->DAW

The Synth-o-matic effect is a monophonic guitar synth on the POD, I have it mixed fairly low, it provides a subtle bit of color to the melody tone.

Thanks Rob.

One thing that is puzzling to me is how the HD500 is limiting on the effects. Previous PODs had the effects all lined up and you can use all of them if you want. I guess the quality is much higher and so the designers had to make a compromise.

I play the NS/Stick and with the active circuitry I think the impedances are just fine.

Thanks for all the info. I have been looking in my mac and see that I have iMovie and that should do just about everything I need it to do without upgrading to Final Cut. But it's inly $299 to upgrade which I think is an amazing deal to take it to the next level.
In the near future I am upgrading from Garage Band to Logic Pro which is only $199. What a bargain!

very beautiful. what suprises me is after hearing/watching it, u describe the processing, i had to go back and listen for it. nope, all i hear is beautiful music - the essence of the sound of the Chapman Stick. wonderful.

Thoroughly enjoyed that! Lovely.

Beautiful! Very tasteful use of effects.