Coach’s Eye: A Look at the How To Video Creator for iOS
At first glance, Coaches Eye might not seem like an app that has any use in a musical setting. While it’s actually designed for sports trainers and coaches, I’ve found its usefulness goes well beyond those groups.
The app allows you to import a video (or shoot your own from within the app), record your commentary, annotate the video with marks and lines, as well as manipulate the video frame by frame or just a slow-motion.
In other words, a powerful how-to video creator.
You really have to try it to appreciate how thorough the app is and how well it’s executed but, in my experience, the app ran flawlessly. Very impressive.
Here’s an example from a baseball coach, just so you can get the idea of how this works:
I could see this being useful for musicians in any number of ways:
- Frame by frame slowing of video for transcription and fingering analysis
- Demonstrating proper technique and positioning of the hands
- Evaluating proper physiology of the body (body mapping) with regard to pain, fatigue, etc.
- Explanation of harmonic approaches to lines and solos in a section by section analysis of a video performance
And lots more, I’m sure. Lots to explore here.
Coach’s Eye is a universal app, designed for both iPhone and iPad, and compatible with iPod touch as well. The app requires iOS 6.0 or later and is optimized for iPhone 5. It is available from the App Store for $4.99.
