Posting videos to YouTube 2022

[gps]

Hi
I'm looking for advice on how to record tunes to YouTube. I've seen some older posts about this but wondered what equipment forum members currently use to do this. I'm used to recording audio with daws but haven't recorded videos. Although I have plenty of ways of recording audio - daw, mics etc, I only have a smartphone that has a camera. I'd like to be able to use what I currently have at first.
What equipment are forum members using to record their videos? So what camera, mics software etc. are you using? I've searched on YouTube for info but it's not all relevant. Any info would be welcome.

[fep]

For me...

Guitar and bass guitar plugged into two channels of a Behringer audio interface, U-Phoria UMC404HD. And I have a vocal/acoustic guitar mic plugged into another channel of the Behringer audio interface.
Interface plugged into a PC
Midi Keyboard is plugged into PC with USB using software plugins for the sounds
Drums are EZDrummer
Drum pad is Korg PadControl plugged into PC with USB
DAW is Reaper
Amp sim is Amplitube
I monitor 100% from the DAW (i.e. no direct monitoring) thru the audio interface using headphones

Camera is a Samsung Galaxy S8 smart phone

Editing software is VSDC and is where I combine audio with video

I like that I can do this and the rest of the household can't hear a thing.

[Bobby Timmons]

^ Yes, it seems to be as simple as using your current daw set up for the audio, using whatever cam you have on hand such as a phone, and then using video editing software to combine the 2. I'd like to try this but don't really have a reason to.

For quick and dirty with reasonable quality, I use a usb mic plugged straight into my laptop and then just use the laptop cam. Then I upload that file to youtube. Very simple and easy and pretty good quality.

[grahambop]

I record my guitar into Reaper via a Focusrite scarlett interface, usually from the line out of my DV Mark Little Jazz amp, or via an ART Tube preamp. I don’t use mics for electric guitar, too much hassle.

At the same time, I record video with a Panasonic Lumix compact camera. This can do HD video in MP4 format.

I then match up the video footage with the audio recording, I usually do this all inside Reaper (it can handle simple video editing).

You could probably do this with smartphone video, I think it’s usually adequate for youtube.

If I want to do more fancy video stuff (e.g. split-screen videos) then I still record the audio and video the same way, but I use Cyberlink Powerdirector to do all the video editing. However it’s more complicated, so I don’t do that very often.

[fep]

I then match up the video footage with the audio recording, I usually do this all inside Reaper (it can handle simple video editing).

I've done this for a few videos using Reaper as a video editor. But, I'm already familiar with VSDC so it's easier for me to use VSDC than to learn Reaper video editing.

[grahambop]

Yes, by ‘editing’ I just mean dropping the video into Reaper, lining it up so the audio matches the Reaper audio I recorded, discarding the ‘video’ audio track, chopping the beginning and the end off the video, and adding a simple visual fade in/out. That’s all I ever do with it.

[gps]

Thanks. That's really helpful. Nice video too. I haven't any video editing software. I will check out the ones mentioned.
I like the idea of just being able to drop a video into Reaper. Although I currently use Cubase. Might be worth exploring.

[grahambop]

Looks like you might be able to do very basic video stuff in Cubase? It implies video fades are not possible, but really they are not essential.

Editing Video

[grahambop]

Found this video about it, it looks fairly similar to what you can do in Reaper.

[AllanAllen]

I lean my iphone up against a coffee mug and hit record. Video comes from the camera, audio comes from the microphone, there is a youtube app for trimming and adding a thumbnail.

[gps]

Thanks the video re Cubase was very handy. I've tried a few times before to open a mp4 in Cubase using the import menu but it didn't work but dragging a quick video I took this evening worked. It seems to only like it in landscape though.

I must use my cup next time for a stand. It will have to be a cup of tea though. I didn't know about the YouTube trimming tool.

All good info.

[fep]

If you want to take it to the next level, forum member Mark Kleinhaut does some beautiful videos. Better cameras (three camera angles I believe, green screen, lighting, and video editing (I believe he uses DaVinci as the video editor). If you search through his posts on this site he has discussed how he does what he does. He also has a facebook page dedicated to making music videos, Log into Facebook

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

I use OBS Studio to record video with sound and Lightworks to edit and finish it if necessary. OBS is a very capable open source program that's easy to use and makes great videos. Lightworks offers a free basic version with amazingly full functionality, and the default export format is made for YouTube. I sometimes record simultaneously into Audacity and OBS so I can have a wav file to edit easily. Then I export it as a wav and drop it into Lightworks. Alignment is easy.

Although I usually use my handheld digital recorder as a DAI, the mics in my Logitech webcam are fine. I get much better audio from the webcam than I do from my iPhone.

[Alter]

I have been through three different ways of video making. First one is a phone video, which can be pretty good if you have a phone with nice cameras. Second option is a small video camera like a Zoom Q2N which has good mics and a line input, so its handy for recording gigs as well. Third is a good mirrorless or dslr camera, i use the Canon M50 II.

For audio i either go direct to my camera, or usually i use a sound card (Focusrite 6i6) to go to a PC. I use a multieffect for electrics, and record direct or with a mic with acoustics.

Software, i use Reaper for audio, and Davince Resolve for video. Both are free (Reaper is 60 euros, but you can use the free version for as long as you want). If you can use the average Daw, Davince Resolve will be easy to learn by just watching some youtube tutorials. As long as you have sound on your camera videos too, Davince Resolve can automatically sync your video with your imported audio from your Daw, which is great.

It is also very useful to get 2-3 lights for the room. Mine cost about 150 euros with the power supplies(i got three lights, i had stands already), pretty cheap but they let you film at night, and help a lot with the visual aspect. I think it 's better to get a couple of cheap lights and use say an Iphone, rather than getting a good camera and no lights. They cost about the same, but for a main light a softbox looks much better than a led light (however i use led lights cause of cramped space in the room - but i'll get a softbox soon).

Phone video:

Zoom camera:

Canon M50:

[fep]

I use OBS Studio to record video with sound and Lightworks to edit and finish it if necessary. OBS is a very capable open source program that's easy to use and makes great videos. Lightworks offers a free basic version with amazingly full functionality, and the default export format is made for YouTube. I sometimes record simultaneously into Audacity and OBS so I can have a wav file to edit easily. Then I export it as a wav and drop it into Lightworks. Alignment is easy.

Although I usually use my handheld digital recorder as a DAI, the mics in my Logitech webcam are fine. I get much better audio from the webcam than I do from my iPhone.

I've used OBS and still do if I want to include a screen capture as part of the video. My computer though can't seem to handle, Reaper plus OBS plus a webcam. I get pops, crackles, and camera freezing. I've managed to do just Reaper and OBS to get a screen capture of Reaper but have had to do the video of me offline with my phone camera. OBS is a bit of a resource hog. Some day I'll get frustrated and buy a new computer.

Here's something I did with OBS, Reaper, and my camera offline... including a screen capture freeze and a crackle OBS glitch. The camera and OBS video was then put together with my video editor. Sorry about the low volume, I was too lazy to fix it:

[oldHaus]

I often use just a cellphone for both audio and video. Sometimes I use a Zoom H4N for live audio. As long as you can capture the audio and the video and somehow put them together, you're good. I use a MacBook with iMovie to edit the video (including combining separate audio and video), and then Garageband to edit the audio of the video. It's very easy to use, and good enough for my simple videos so far. Here is an example where I used the H4N and cellphone (iPhone 12). By the way, the selfie camera is easy to use, but doesn't look great. So recently I switched to using the main camera even though it's trickier to aim it at myself.

[grahambop]

I've used OBS and still do if I want to include a screen capture as part of the video. My computer though can't seem to handle, Reaper plus OBS plus a webcam.

Don’t know if this helps, but I recently discovered that Windows has a neat screen capture feature which works well on my PC. It’s called the ‘gaming bar’, you press the Windows logo key + G and it opens up. Lets you take screenshots or video of whatever is on the screen. I used it to capture a big-band chart in Musescore as it scrolled across the screen, so I could sync it with the music in a video, also I captured some of Reaper in action.

[grahambop]

One neat thing about my Panasonic Lumix camera is that it has an app you can install, which lets you control it remotely via wifi and see what the camera is seeing. Makes it easy to line up the camera to get the right view, and start it filming when you are ready. I have put the app on my ipad and my phone, so I can operate it from either.

[Alter]

I've yet to do a live stream, so have no experience with recording everything direct. For normal video it seems simpler to just record the video on the camera and then transfer it. I've also noticed that most dedicated cameras work on lower resolution/quality when used as web cameras.

Same reason I prefer using a multieffect to plugins. Zero problems with crackling, latencies, etc, and I have all my sounds ready. But more cables and stuff..

Plus it's nice to have a mobile setup, so you can sometimes record away from the PC.