Tips for recording and syncing video and audio?

[Timothius]

Hi guys, I have a decent set up for recording audio, Focusrite Sapphire Pro 24 and a nice array of mics and a Carvin tube condenser mic. I use Reason 7 for my software. What i've not figured out is how to record myself playing with video, and use my audio from my rec set up as opposed to the camera audio. Is there an easy way to do this? Something free is preferable. Thanks!

[Rudy4]

It's normally done post-recording in your video editing software. It can be as simple as combining your recorded audio and camera video in Windows Moviemaker, time aligning the two, and using the balance control in Moviemaker to select only your audio track. There are a couple of suggestions and examples on my recording page:

http://www.bluestemstrings.com/pageRecording1.html

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by Timothius

Hi guys, I have a decent set up for recording audio, Focusrite Sapphire Pro 24 and a nice array of mics and a Carvin tube condenser mic. I use Reason 7 for my software. What i've not figured out is how to record myself playing with video, and use my audio from my rec set up as opposed to the camera audio. Is there an easy way to do this? Something free is preferable. Thanks!

In order to provide specific information it would be helpful if you could tell us about your computer and camera.

Fran

[Riakstonic]

Nice page Rudy4 looks like you put a lot of work into it thanks

I'm looking to find a smooth way in "how to for dummies " I managed a few vids but editing was eating me down on windows movie maker . I keep thinking the older Xp version was easier you could see audio tracks and the likes but it's been a long time so ...

Anyways I've looked at editing software and most are (like a lot programs) written for PH.D. grads I just need cartoon caveman with club icons to mouse over the section and beat it off the screen lol

Anyway I use Reason 8 but I also have Reaper though I have not upgraded it , I know it video but I could never get to work , some kind of weird plug in that never worked .

Ok so you can get free vid software not sure on there audio capabilities chances are your gunna pay up and it still might be more brain power then some ( like me ) muster

To point ! As it turns out Reaper 5 has upgraded its video performance .

So for 60 bucks not only do get a great 2 daw ( for us Reason users ) or a great first daw for the first timers and unlike Reasons Apple like mentality Reaper can use vst's and vst'i

Anyway thus just might a great way to great what we want which is video and audio with editing .

Now there's a learning curve and play time in the daw will help . There's a 30 day free trial and it's fully functional so play around with it a lot and see if it will work for you .
I'm getting it because it has done better audio features then Reason and of coarse the updated video section .

Anyone with more hands on chime in at will .

Here's a template set up vid looks like a lot just take slow if you get the daw

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IkYAAX4MS8A

And here's the you wanna get it page lol

http://www.reaper.fm/

[Riakstonic]

I was turned on to this said to be very good the price is right do record in your daw import to Trakax ... Linkage http://trakax.com/

Maybe it might help us both ?

[Timothius]

Originally Posted by Fran Guidry

In order to provide specific information it would be helpful if you could tell us about your computer and camera.

Fran

The computer is irrelevant other than its a PC and about as good as it gets, I build cpus. I have no camera, thats part of the question I guess, most people say that the camera doesnt matter as long as it records in 1080. Is that true? I could care less about image quality assuming it is at lease 1080, but the audio is what I'm more concerned with

[Fran Guidry]

Originally Posted by Timothius

The computer is irrelevant other than its a PC and about as good as it gets, I build cpus. I have no camera, thats part of the question I guess, most people say that the camera doesnt matter as long as it records in 1080. Is that true? I could care less about image quality assuming it is at lease 1080, but the audio is what I'm more concerned with

Sorry, the way you worded your original post it wasn't clear if you were using something like a webcam that might be built into your computer.

And of course the choice of computer is significant because merging audio and video requires a program to manipulate the video and many of those programs are specific to the OS in use.

I would say that if you "care less about image quality" then it is true that any camera that hits your resolution target will be fine. And there are literally hundreds of cameras that will do that. Perhaps your phone will capture 1080p video and you don't need anything else.

Of course it's possible that you'll find you do care about image quality, ease of capture, range of adjustment, depth of field, low light performance, etc. after you start shooting, but that's just the risk we all face when trying new things.

Quoting from your original post:

What i've not figured out is how to record myself playing with video, and use my audio from my rec set up as opposed to the camera audio. Is there an easy way to do this? Something free is preferable.

It's basically very easy to replace the audio from the camera with the audio you recorded on your PC. Modern video editing software accepts audio tracks and merges them into the final video painlessly.

Since you're on a PC you can use Windows Live Movie Maker or AVIdemux to combine your audio tracks with your video. Both are free. WLMM requires that you transcode the video format, which is time consuming but otherwise no big deal. AVIdemux requires that you geek around a lot, not something I would call easy.

If you up your budget a bit from free, REAPER V5 has enhanced video handling for syncing, editing, and rendering, but still lacks things like titling and many clip treatment features. The usual recommendation for PC video editing on a budget is Vegas, which is available in various versions, some selling for under $100.

The trick to simplifying the merge of video and audio is to start both recording streams and then create a sharp noise, which will leave an obvious spike in the audio wave forms of both recordings. Line up the spikes, mute the audio from the original video, trim heads and tails, and render.

Naturally there are things to learn about formats and codecs and bit rates but it just takes a bit of persistence.

Fran

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Timothius

The computer is irrelevant other than its a PC and about as good as it gets, I build cpus. I have no camera, thats part of the question I guess, most people say that the camera doesnt matter as long as it records in 1080. Is that true? I could care less about image quality assuming it is at lease 1080, but the audio is what I'm more concerned with

Actually to find out if your computer was PC or Mac, is probably what Fran was actually asking and is totally relevant. That info gives people an idea of what video editing software to possibly recommend. Because as you already stated you have a decent audio system. So the audio is not actually what you should be concerned about. Reason 7 will work just fine for recording and exporting the audio. (which is all the audio DAW needs to do )
What you need to be concerned about and figure out is what video editing program to use. As far as camera 1080 is simply the resolution that is now considered the HD standard. And yes it is also true that most cameras can operate in a video format ( not resolution but actual digital format) that is usually compatible with most video editing programs.

I know and use Reason (albeit usually as a Rewired slave to Pro Tools ) I am on the Mac OS and use Apples Final Cut Pro X for video editing so I can't really offer an informed suggestion for a PC OS video program

Oh I see Fran posted another reply while I was typing in my usual very slow fashion so some of mine now seems redundant, but you get the idea.

P.S. One more thought. As Fran pointed out in his second post, about Reapers video editing, and it is true of all DAWs that offer video capability, they do so in only a very limited fashion. So while it is certainly possible to use something like Reaper for both, given you already have Reason (and if your happy with the way it handles audio editing) your money and time and learning curve , might be better spent on a dedicated video editing program.

[Mtn Man]

I have the same question but I have a Mac. Can this be done using the software (Garageband, iMovie) that comes with the Mac? If not, what Mac-compatible software (preferably free) would work?

[MarvinLee]

This is commonly used in video editing....

https://www.redgiant.com/products/pluraleyes/

As Fran mentioned, a simple sharp CLAP at the beginning of your recording will give you a visual reference to align camera and DAW audio, once they're all in the edit software.

[Karel]

Timothius, I use Reason 8 the record my songs and than follow the Rudy4 procedure with Moviemaker. Have not done much up to now with moving immages but here is the first one in which I was able to have the marching bands walk the rhythm of the song and add a fraction of my own guitar playing. The song is in Dutch though... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shz5d7pA4SQ