iOS tools for LAMPG Video

[Fran Guidry]

I call the videos I shoot "Look At Me Play Guitar" video, and my process and tools have evolved quite a bit over the years. In spite of the improvements in technology I've done very little video with my smart phones for two reasons - poor audio and a lack of remote control.

Physics gets in the way of getting good audio, because when I put the camera where I can see the whole guitar and my head in the shot the camera is too far away for the built-in mic to get good sound. The solution is to put a mic close to the guitar by either recording on a whole separate chain and syncing in post production or by attaching an external mic to the camera.

I finally found an audio interface for my iPhone that is fairly inexpensive, works with all my mics, and delivers good quality audio. It's the iRig Pro, and about the only negative I would offer is that it's mono or single channel rather than stereo. It has enough gain for a low output dynamic mic and can provide 48v phantom for condensers. It's light but well built and connects through the digital input (Lighting, 30 pin, or USB for iMacs).

With the audio addressed I started looking for a remote monitor and control solution for my iPhone. Being able to see what the camera sees while in playing position saves a lot of time and stress setting up a shot, so I've been buying cameras with either articulated viewfinder or remote control app. Now I've found an app that brings the same capability to the iPhone, letting one iOS device monitor and control the camera of another iOS device. It's called Camera Plus with AirSnap.

I shot a couple of videos going over these tools:



and



I also did a blog post at Homebrewed Music: http://www.homebrewedmusic.com/2015/...-lampg-videos/ where you can find links to audio files to hear how the iRig Pro compares to an RME UFX when amplifying a low output ribbon mic.

Fran

[Steve Berger]

Hi Fran, your post and video is perfect timing for me as I just made my first ever video with my iPhone 6+. Although I was pleasantly surprised by the audio I was able to get from the 6+ (I amped my Goodall with an AER Compact 60), I believe I would be able to get far superior audio results with the iRig.

Here are a couple of questions: I only have two mics in my locker. A Rode NT4 stereo mic and a Rode NT2A mic. Since the IRig is mono, I will be using the Rode NT2A. Base on your experience, would the NT2A work well in this iRig application?

And, I have Baggs Active iBeams in a couple of guitars. Would the 'active' nature of these work well with the iRig too?

Thanks for your thoughts Fran and and for the music and for sharing your informative videos.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by Steve Berger

Hi Fran, your post and video is perfect timing for me as I just made my first ever video with my iPhone 6+. Although I was pleasantly surprised by the audio I was able to get from the 6+ (I amped my Goodall with an AER Compact 60), I believe I would be able to get far superior audio results with the iRig.

Here are a couple of questions: I only have two mics in my locker. A Rode NT4 stereo mic and a Rode NT2A mic. Since the IRig is mono, I will be using the Rode NT2A. Base on your experience, would the NT2A work well in this iRig application?

And, I have Baggs Active iBeams in a couple of guitars. Would the 'active' nature of these work well with the iRig too?

Thanks for your thoughts Fran and and for the music and for sharing your informative videos.

The iRig worked very well with my AT3035, I would expect it to work just as well with the NT2a. And I would expect no issue with an active pickup, they're designed to work into the same inputs as passive pickups so they don't generate huge levels or anything.

Fran

[Steve Berger]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

The iRig worked very well with my AT3035, I would expect it to work just as well with the NT2a. And I would expect no issue with an active pickup, they're designed to work into the same inputs as passive pickups so they don't generate huge levels or anything.

Fran

Thanks Fran

[mesa]

Always exciting stuff when *Fran is in the Lab.* Thanks again for your hard work and sharing it with us, Fran!

[Steve Berger]

Fran, is it still necessary to ‘sync’ the audio with the video in a program like iMovie when recording with this 6+ / iRig Pro / mic setup or is the syncing accomplished in the 6+ as the recording is made?

[ukejon]

Thanks, Fran. Great stuff.

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by Steve Berger

Fran, is it still necessary to ‘sync’ the audio with the video in a program like iMovie when recording with this 6+ / iRig Pro / mic setup or is the syncing accomplished in the 6+ as the recording is made?

Nope, the iPhone is generating a .MOV container with audio and video streams along with syncing information. No post production syncing required.

Fran

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by mesa

Always exciting stuff when *Fran is in the Lab.* Thanks again for your hard work and sharing it with us, Fran!

Thanks, but I wouldn't want to call playing with recording and video toys hard work (grin).

I sure was surprised at the quality of that iRig Pro mic preamp. I'm thinking that the integrated circuit guys have come up with some pretty amazing "preamp on a chip" technology that's behind the recent step up in low cost high performance audio, like the Tascam DR-70D, Zoom H5/H6, and this little iRig gadget.

Fran

[Steve Berger]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

Nope, the iPhone is generating a .MOV container with audio and video streams along with syncing information. No post production syncing required.

Fran

Exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks Fran

[Steve Berger]

OK one more question. Do I need to purchase and install Camera Plus on both my 6+ and I Pad or only on one device? And if only on one, which one?

[muscmp]

very interesting!! i'll have to try this with my ipad and imac.

play music!

[tadol]

Based in this thread, I bought it on my iPad, and it let me download it to my iphone as well -

[Steve Berger]

Originally Posted by tadol

Based in this thread, I bought it on my iPad, and it let me download it to my iphone as well -

Thank You tadol

[Mischief]

Is there an easy way to post edit the audio within the iPhone 6+ using something like garage band? I've looked but not sure what will work simply to export audio. My vocals are too dry where I need to record.
Cheers


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