Your mental music video will help you to play your song better.

I see a lone player, gently strumming a ukulele by the shore as the song begins. He sings the first verse by himself, but when the chorus of the song comes in, he is joined from the right side by two other people – a couple, holding hands. They sing harmony with the lead singer as they walk by, walking out of the camera shot as they chorus ends, leaving the singer alone again as he sings the second verse by himself.

With the next chorus, several people walk up from the left and the right, joining in the chorus. Among those arriving are other musicians: a bass player, guitarist, and another ukulele player. They all remain for the duration of the song and end with a celebration of sound and joy.

I often imagine a scene of this sort when working on a song, either for recording or for a performance. It helps “set the scene” in my mind, and guides me in making decisions about how to arrange the song. Is it a lonely song with the message being about one person? If so, then I might choose to use a single instrument to support that idea. (If it were a song about one person singing about their personal experience, it might seem odd to have another voice join them.)

On the other hand, if it were a song about a fun time with friends, then it would make musical sense to have many voices and instruments.

How can you use this method to help you with your performance or band rehearsal?