What these clips are for
A promo clip is a short piece built around one moment: the hook of a new single, the drop in a DJ set, the loudest chorus of the night. Bands use them to tease a release or announce a tour date. DJs post them to show what a night sounds like. Venues use them to sell the next show. They're short, and the music has to feel right from the first frame to the last.
Why we count in bars
A clip that cuts off halfway through a phrase sounds wrong, even to people who couldn't say why. So we pick the length in bars of the song, then work out the seconds from the tempo. Most pop, rock and dance music is in 4/4, so one bar is four beats. This table shows what that works out to:
| Tempo | 4 bars | 8 bars | 16 bars | 32 bars |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 BPM | 12.0 s | 24.0 s | 48.0 s | 96.0 s |
| 95 BPM | 10.1 s | 20.2 s | 40.4 s | 80.8 s |
| 110 BPM | 8.7 s | 17.5 s | 34.9 s | 69.8 s |
| 120 BPM | 8.0 s | 16.0 s | 32.0 s | 64.0 s |
| 128 BPM | 7.5 s | 15.0 s | 30.0 s | 60.0 s |
| 140 BPM | 6.9 s | 13.7 s | 27.4 s | 54.9 s |
| 170 BPM | 5.6 s | 11.3 s | 22.6 s | 45.2 s |
Platforms set their own length limits and change them from time to time, so we pick the bar count to fit the current limit with a second or two to spare for a title or an end card. If a track is in 3/4 or 6/8, tell us and we'll count it that way.
Shapes and text
Most promo clips run vertical at 9:16, with square or 4:5 copies for feeds. Text sits inside the safe area, clear of the buttons and captions the apps put over the picture. Type out dates, ticket links and release details exactly as they should read, and we'll set them in your fonts.
Where the footage comes from
- Your live set, using the same board audio as the full cuts
- Your music video, cut down to the hook
- Studio or rehearsal footage filmed on a phone
- Still photos from a shoot, moved to the beat if there's no video yet
Questions
Can you make a batch of clips from one show?
Yes. That's the usual order. We mark the moments on the setlist, you approve the list, and we cut them in one matched style.
Do you post them for us?
No. You get ready-to-post files and suggested cover frames, and your accounts stay with you.
Got a show on a hard drive? Send the setlist, say what was filmed and what you want back, and we'll reply with a written quote.
Request a quote