How do you guys record videos for youtube?

**bob32069** · 03-10-2012, 03:28 PM

Hi all-

I am interested in trying to do one of those "just sittin' in my music room jamming on my guitar to Jamey Aebersold" type videos. I recorded a couple of takes of Stella using the built in webcam of my macbook pro. The video was very grainy so I didn't end up saving any of it in the end. The sound was decent; I used an Apogee One with the internal mic picking up the sound of my amp and the backing tracks. How do you guys do it? I'd be interested in knowing what equipment you use (mics, cameras, computers, software, amps, video editing software, etc) as well as the techniques. Perhaps this might facilitate others on the forum putting up videos of their playing.

Thanks and cheers!

Bob

**Kojo27** · 03-10-2012, 10:05 PM

Originally Posted by bob32069

Hi all-

I am interested in trying to do one of those "just sittin' in my music room jamming on my guitar to Jamey Aebersold" type videos. I recorded a couple of takes of Stella using the built in webcam of my macbook pro. The video was very grainy so I didn't end up saving any of it in the end. The sound was decent; I used an Apogee One with the internal mic picking up the sound of my amp and the backing tracks. How do you guys do it? I'd be interested in knowing what equipment you use (mics, cameras, computers, software, amps, video editing software, etc) as well as the techniques. Perhaps this might facilitate others on the forum putting up videos of their playing.

Thanks and cheers!

Bob

Jeez Bob - we could be the same person in this respect. I have the same problems and the same goals, and I've tried the same things and had the same results.

I play mostly acoustic archtop, a pure old no-pickup F-hole jazz box, and don't know exactly how to get a good sound from it, while making sure my voice is heard, should I decide to speak... : )

As I play, I plan to have my driver's license hanging from my nose, and my birth certificate plastered to the lower bout of my guitar, and maybe have my gmail account showing on a laptop in the background, with my Inbox of mail to "Kojo27" - from the Jazz Guitar forum. I hope this will suffice as "proof" that I'm me, as audio files alone don't prove much of anything. Posers will go to insane lengths to procure demo tracks, etc., and then try to pass them off as examples of their own playing.

Anyway, as you said, all help greatly appreciated regarding software, microphones, mic placement, achieving a decent sound quality... I just bought a Roland 40XL Cube amp, which allegedly should help with much of the recording of the guitar. It also plays .mp3 files; so maybe I could play an .mp3 that I recorded earlier, using that as my rhythm track (I don't much like BIAB tracks, but they're okay in a pinch; would rather bang out 4 to the bar myself, but how the heck would I prove THAT'S me? Split screen?)

Joking aside, I really don't know beans about how to do this properly. I'd have done it already had I known how. It seems so easy until I begin to do it. My built-in mic doesn't work right, and this makes everything harder, of course. I do own an XLR condenser mic, but I have no phantom power source (unless my amp has that.)

Klueless in Kentucky,

Kojo

**fep** · 03-11-2012, 09:30 AM

Hi Bob,

Grainy video? Could it be that you didn't have enough light. My video quality goes way down when the light is bad, I try to record during the daylight hours using the light from my window (the window is right behind my monitor so the light is coming from the right direction).

Other than that, are there video quality settings for the webcam on your Mac?

I record a few different ways.

1) Through a PC laptop using the built in camera and mic. The video quality is pretty good, the sound quality is not great but good enough to get my point across. This is the easiest way to record, I do it when I'm lazy and don't care too much about sound quality.

This is one step and I'm done, I then upload the video to youtube.

____________________________

2) Using my PC webcam for video and Reaper DAW for audio and the following plugged into my mixer which is plugged into my soundcard:
a - An electric guitar through an amp modeler and/or
b - An acoustic guitar through a condenser mic and/or
c - Voice through a dynamic mic and/or
d - Voice bleeding into my condenser mic being used for the acoustic guitar

I use a logitech webcam but don't usually use the audio from the webcam's mic for the final product. The mic isn't that good and I often get some weird noises accompanying the audio recorded to the webcam software.

Using Reaper, I'm able to multi-track the audio if need be, or attach a backing track to the audio. While recording one of the audio tracks I record the video simultaneously.

I then have another step of combining the logitech video file with the Reaper audio file. I use Windows Movie Maker (free software) for that. Once I have the Reaper audio file and the Logitech file lined up, I mute the Logitech file's audio so that on the end product you only hear the audio that was recorded to Reaper.

Here's the quality level, not pro level, but good enough for my purposes. I picked this video because, the first half of the video was recorded in poor light (at night using the rooms light bulbs), the second half was good light, daylight coming through the window. You can see the difference in quality.:

**bob32069** · 03-11-2012, 09:40 PM

Fep,

thanks for the practical advice (great video by the way!). I think there must not have been enough light in my room when I was recording.

I think what I'll plan to do is export a BIAB song as individual tracks and import them into Logic. I will then record myself playing along in Logic and in iMovie, mix the tracks in Logic, and then export the sound to iMovie. Hopefully that will work. If anyone thinks of a better way to do this, I'd love to hear about it.

**ohlcv** · 03-12-2012, 05:00 AM

Originally Posted by bob32069

Fep,

... (great video by the way!). ...

+1

**fep** · 03-12-2012, 11:26 AM

Originally Posted by bob32069

Fep,

thanks for the practical advice (great video by the way!). I think there must not have been enough light in my room when I was recording.

I think what I'll plan to do is export a BIAB song as individual tracks and import them into Logic. I will then record myself playing along in Logic and in iMovie, mix the tracks in Logic, and then export the sound to iMovie. Hopefully that will work. If anyone thinks of a better way to do this, I'd love to hear about it.

Yes, that's how I do it most of the time and I use BIAB too. Same approach, different software, should work.

**JakeAcci** · 03-12-2012, 12:48 PM

I use my iPhone, couldn't be easier. I turn it on, then when I'm finished recording I hit the "upload to youtube" button. It's so simple I could cry...

**JakeAcci** · 03-12-2012, 12:50 PM

my YouTube channel

The three most recent were all done with the iPhone. Autumn in NY and Infant Eyes were done with the quick compression and then straight to YouTube, while the Ravel I uploaded to my computer and then uploaded the full video file to YouTube which simply was a longer upload but didn't take much extra effort.

**bob32069** · 03-12-2012, 10:12 PM

Jake,

Thanks for the reply. The simplicity is fantastic. I have just tried out your technique with my iPad, since my iPhone 3G doesn't have the front camera. The amazing thing is that I get better quality video using the iPad than I do with the camera on the Macbook. The sound quality is quite decent as well. Now I just have to start playing well enough to foist some of this stuff on to the general public!

By the way, that Ravel piece was excellent. I think you said it was improvised, and yet it had a composed feel to it. Which I guess is my way of saying that your improv had direction and focus (something mine does not). Thanks for the link to your vids. I enjoyed listening.

Cheers

Bob

**bob32069** · 03-20-2012, 12:08 AM

Found a decent tutorial on how to do the simultaneous video on webcam + audio in DAW technique. Although he is recording a metal video, the tutorial gets the point across.

**silentcityrob** · 03-23-2012, 07:47 AM

The technique has already been covered above, but I also simultaneously record visuals with a HD camera and audio with a DAW. I run a recording studio so just bring home whatever gear I need for recordings.

Probably a little overkill for a youtube video but for the audio I used an AKG 414 XLSII condenser mic (in cardioid position) on my amp, going into an Allen & Heath preamp, then through to my PC via the AD converters. Briefly mixed the audio in Cubase SX3 and then imported the audio into Adobe Premiere to edit the footage. Pretty quick really, the longest bit's getting a good take!

**bob32069** · 03-23-2012, 10:57 PM

Nice video Rob! I really dug the counterpoint. Also enjoyed 4 on 6, great tone out of that LP Studio!

**silentcityrob** · 03-24-2012, 04:15 AM

Thank you very much, glad you enjoyed them! I did that Four on Six video a while back now when I hadn't played any jazz for a few years, so not very representative of my current playing. I'll get around to doing another one soon!

Alfonsoiner · 03-30-2012, 12:30 AM

Thanks for the reply. Great simplicity. I just tried the technique with my iPad, given that the iPhone 3G does not have a front camera to have. The surprising thing is that I have a better quality image using a camera in my iPhone Macbook. The sound quality is pretty good too. Now I just have to start playing well enough to some of these things to explain to the general public!

By the way, a very nice piece of Ravel. I think you said it was improvised, but it has an atmosphere made up for it. Which I think is my way of saying that you improvised direction and focus (I do not) have. Thanks for the link to your vids. I like to listen to.

**bob32069** · 03-30-2012, 09:33 PM

Wtf?

**krueger** · 04-05-2012, 05:26 PM

Hi!

For Mac users I can really recommend a (free) piece of software called Soundflower. With Soundflower you can mix say a backing-track playing in your web browser with your guitar playing monitored in your DAW and capture everything live along with video from perhaps your webcam or another video capture device. Soundflower basically acts as an audio interface which you can output to and record from. Compatible with any program doing audio input or output.

Quick and effective when you want to get something recorded with high audio quality but don't want to spend to much time on post-processing and audio/video sync issues.

**blille** · 05-16-2017, 03:53 PM

Reviving this old thread to see what the current recommendations are. I'm particularly interested in Windows desktop, not mobile or iOS.

Thanks!

**grahambop** · 05-16-2017, 06:00 PM

As it happens I have just been comparing my various options for this, to see which works best. My problem is that my windows PC is getting old now, and is getting too slow. So the HD webcam I got for it cannot be used in HD, the PC can't buffer it fast enough. So that's no good. (I will have to buy a new PC soon, it's driving me nuts!)

My wife has a laptop with an integral HD webcam. This works ok, but it produces an MP4 file which my PC doesn't like much so I have to convert it to another format (again maybe because the PC is getting old). End result of this is that the video is ok but doesn't look as high-res as I would like. I suppose I could try editing it on the laptop, but my wife would probably get annoyed!

The other option is to video it on the iPad. This works best of all. It produces a QuickTime file which my PC handles ok and after editing on the PC I just export as QuickTime 1280 x 720 res. which looks very good.

So I know you weren't interested in iOS, but for me the iPad has turned out to be my best option.

(In all these cases, I record the audio to a digital recorder at the same time, and sync it to the video afterwards.)

By way of comparison, if you look at my YouTube channel link below, 'Stardust' was done with the laptop, and 'How Deep Is The Ocean' was done with the iPad.

**GodinFan** · 05-16-2017, 07:29 PM

I've been doing a lot of YouTube videos lately (though based around my primary gig as a woodwind doubler). I've used just about everything from GoPro cameras to my iPhone 5s, to a Canon T5i DSLR, as well as actual video cameras (I have a Canon HF G20 and an HF M41).

Audio has been recorded on a Zoom H1, H2, H6 or onto my laptop using Reaper.

Editing is done with Corel VideoStudio X10 Ultimate.

**matt.guitarteacher** · 05-16-2017, 11:53 PM

I wouldn't rule out mobile or tablet completely in your searches. Imagine that you have a device with a button on it that says "upload to YouTube". Well, most phones or tablets do that. Many have varying capabilities for external mics etc. as well. Everything's integrated hardware/software. Nothing's more seamless than these new devices. At a certain level, it's worth the compromise on quality at certain levels , for many people, when weighed against the benefits of convenience.

Consider that I-real pro has REPLACED band in a box for many many musicians, and it's not because it's higher quality. Probably the opposite . It's because the convenience factor just tips it.

**wzpgsr** · 05-17-2017, 10:31 AM

Maybe a slightly more technical take on this question:

Any idea on how to record two-channel audio while recording a video on a Mac? I would like to use a mic for speaking on channel 1 and the USB output from my amp on channel 2. I have iMovie, Quicktime 7 and X, and Photo Booth. I'm not opposed to using a free or very cheap third-party app for this. I know how to create an aggregate audio device to enable using both inputs, but I haven't found a way to record both audio channels concurrently.

**lawson-stone** · 05-17-2017, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by wzpgsr

Maybe a slightly more technical take on this question:

Any idea on how to record two-channel audio while recording a video on a Mac? I would like to use a mic for speaking on channel 1 and the USB output from my amp on channel 2. I have iMovie, Quicktime 7 and X, and Photo Booth. I'm not opposed to using a free or very cheap third-party app for this. I know how to create an aggregate audio device to enable using both inputs, but I haven't found a way to record both audio channels concurrently.

I use the Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface. Plug the MP3 player into one channel, plug the guitar into the other channel, USB port straight to the Mac (the Focusrite draws power from the USB, no power brick). Monitor with headphones.

I use Screenflow to record the video and audio, add titles, do some simple post-processing like panning the R channel guitar to the center, leaving the backing track full left. You could also run from the pre-amp direct line from your amplifier into the Focusrite, or from your favorite pedal.

you wouldn't need Screenflow, any good video capture program likely would work, even Quicktime or whatever. I have Screenflow because it is great for creating lectures with PowerPoint slides included for my classes.

**wzpgsr** · 05-17-2017, 11:29 AM

Thanks for that, Lawson. So Screenflow will record two audio channels at once? I used to use that application and forgot all about it.

**blille** · 05-17-2017, 12:08 PM

Thanks for the replies. I guess I should have explained more of why I didn't want mobile and what I needed exactly.

I have a very decent PC with a setup that I like for recording audio and a camera.

I don't have an iPad (won't buy one for this) so really what I need is PC video capture and editing software.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**matt.guitarteacher** · 05-17-2017, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by blille

Thanks for the replies. I guess I should have explained more of why I didn't want mobile and what I needed exactly.

I have a very decent PC with a setup that I like for recording audio and a camera.

I don't have an iPad (won't buy one for this) so really what I need is PC video capture and editing software.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Okay. So you basically have the hardware and are looking more at software/ editing options?