Recording the iTunes visualizer in Camtasia makes a trippy music video. See YouTube''s help (bit.ly/9JdjWW) for the recommended specs.

YouTube is today''s music showcase, but what if you don''t have video skills—or even a camcorder? Here''s a cheap and easy way to make striking videos from your music. Just load your song into your favorite media player (iTunes, Winamp, etc.), turn on a visualizer, and record a screencast of the swirling, synchronized lights (see Web Clip 1).

Screencasts are like videos shot from inside a computer. They show what''s happening in an area of the screen while capturing the audio—usually a mumbling lecturer—in sync. TechSmith Camtasia Studio ($299) is the standard on Windows, whereas Ambrosia SnapZ Pro X ($69) and Telestream ScreenFlow ($99) are big on the Mac side. There are also numerous shareware options, and I''ve found shinywhitebox iShowU for Mac ($20-$30) works well. However, Camtasia''s built-in editor lets you trim dead space and add text. Songwriter Gina Fant-Saez (blueworldmusic.com) even adds synchronized text lyrics to her demos.