help me. new to recording acoustic guitar

[TBman]

Here's a basic setup:

Zoom H5

MXL 990/991 microphone set

The Zoom is about $280 and the mics $130. Plus you'll have to spend to get two xlr cables and two mic stands.

Plus you might want to invest in 2-3 of these ATS acoustic panels.

[keith.rogers]

I would certainly experiment with the phone you have on a tripod. A camera tripod with a holder for a smart phone is how I'd start. You'll probably want the tripod even if you go further into this with a different video capture device, though, honestly, current smartphones are pretty darn acceptable for YT videos, especially if not handheld (IMHO).

The audio quality is where it gets unpredictable. The tiny mic(s) in the phones can capture everything, and you'll find phone videos of folks playing guitar that are quite good, though there are likely more that are not so great. The problem is the mics capture *everything*. (I like to refer to the "baby's first words video" case - you don't want to be the phone mfr that caused that to fail.) And, that cuts both ways, as they say. In the right environment, it works for music, but in the wrong one, it picks up all the other noises that are not part of what you want to capture. The better videos I've seen are done outside in a quiet setting. Inside videos tend to emphasize room echo as well as other things like the refrigerator or AC compressor kicking on, etc.

Best is to experiment as much as possible with what you have, and when you know its limitations, start looking at other options. I like a separate, *cabled* microphone that plugs into the phone as the first step up, so you can get a better mic in a better position, but still avoid all the video sync and audio editing steps.

After that, IMO, improvements are more a matter of location and lighting, or at least understanding them, because without tackling those, equipment $ will contribute very little, and the work you put into creating the finished video can go up a lot. Depends on your expectations, as noted.

Good luck.

[Gdjjr]

Originally Posted by keith.rogers

I would certainly experiment with the phone you have on a tripod. A camera tripod with a holder for a smart phone is how I'd start. You'll probably want the tripod even if you go further into this with a different video capture device, though, honestly, current smartphones are pretty darn acceptable for YT videos, especially if not handheld (IMHO).

The audio quality is where it gets unpredictable. The tiny mic(s) in the phones can capture everything, and you'll find phone videos of folks playing guitar that are quite good, though there are likely more that are not so great. The problem is the mics capture *everything*. (I like to refer to the "baby's first words video" case - you don't want to be the phone mfr that caused that to fail.) And, that cuts both ways, as they say. In the right environment, it works for music, but in the wrong one, it picks up all the other noises that are not part of what you want to capture. The better videos I've seen are done outside in a quiet setting. Inside videos tend to emphasize room echo as well as other things like the refrigerator or AC compressor kicking on, etc.

Best is to experiment as much as possible with what you have, and when you know its limitations, start looking at other options. I like a separate, *cabled* microphone that plugs into the phone as the first step up, so you can get a better mic in a better position, but still avoid all the video sync and audio editing steps.

After that, IMO, improvements are more a matter of location and lighting, or at least understanding them, because without tackling those, equipment $ will contribute very little, and the work you put into creating the finished video can go up a lot. Depends on your expectations, as noted.

Good luck.

I tried the tripod thing, even used a shure mv88 plugged directly into the phone- the sound by passes- so, I lean my phone onto my laptop screen and it's a lot better- I was told a few mos ago by a listener they could hear other sounds- perhaps. But, I ain't spending money I don't have to. My phone does just fine.

[Rudy4]

The thing to realize about cell phone video is that the audio part is often compromised by the phone's internal compression and automatic gain that often can't be bypassed, even if an external microphone is utilized.

This is the reason why so many shoot with a phone but combine the video with audio that has been recorded by a separate device.

[Boneman]

Yes the phone will work, though you may run into issues trying to share the file. If you buy a USB audio box and a microphone to record in your computer, you can then upload to a cloud service like SoundCloud for file sharing.

I recently went from phone to computer recording, bought a Audiobox USB that came with free Presonus software, two Shure mics( one for instrument, one for vocals) and the mic cables. Total investment was $400 and now I can record separate vocal and guitar tracks and mix them together, which you cannot do on the phone. Granted there is a learning curve to the setup which I’m still going through, but like mentioned earlier, learning something new later in life is a good mental challenge, yet rewarding.

Good luck!

[shufflebeat]

Originally Posted by Gdjjr

I use the lap top in the open position to support my phone with the screen and I'm only a couple of feet away from the phone.
That works better than the phone tripod I have. I guess the screen reflects the sound into the phone directly, It's like the sound goes past the phone on the tripod- IDK the why it works better the way I do it, but, it does.

Just a little follow up to this in case it's useful to someone else.

In UK cop shows whenever someone is (used to be) interviewed in custody there would be a black square on the wall with a wire coming off it. This was a Pressure Zone Mic (PZM) and they work by sitting a small omni mic against a small sheet of metal. The sound waves reaching the plate cause maximum pressure and minimum comb filtering (caused by reflections cancelling out waves) at the surface of the plane (plate). Much clearer sound is picked up by the mic than would be if the mic was slightly further away from the plate.

The wall against which the mic is hanging forms an extension to the metal plate allowing more extended bass and greater SPL, all with good coherence due to minimum phase cancellation/comb filtering.

I would suggest the combination of the phone in the mic and the laptop screen is operating like a PZM.

This suggests that placing your phone flat against the wall would have the same or greater effect. Certainly work a try if anyone has the time to experiment.

[Gdjjr]

Originally Posted by shufflebeat

Just a little follow up to this in case it's useful to someone else.

In UK cop shows whenever someone is (used to be) interviewed in custody there would be a black square on the wall with a wire coming off it. This was a Pressure Zone Mic (PZM) and they work by sitting a small omni mic against a small sheet of metal. The sound waves reaching the plate cause maximum pressure and minimum comb filtering (caused by reflections cancelling out waves) at the surface of the plane (plate). Much clearer sound is picked up by the mic than would be if the mic was slightly further away from the plate.

The wall against which the mic is hanging forms an extension to the metal plate allowing more extended bass and greater SPL, all with good coherence due to minimum phase cancellation/comb filtering.

I would suggest the combination of the phone in the mic and the laptop screen is operating like a PZM.

This suggests that placing your phone flat against the wall would have the same or greater effect. Certainly work a try if anyone has the time to experiment.

You might be correct- but, my lap top is on the coffee table and convenient -

That said, on another message board a poster posted a song he recorded with his wife just holding the phone- it worked well- she did say, according to him, she wasn't going to do it anymore though-

[ssstewart]

Thanks everyone for all the great advice, appreciated. just purchased a used Roland R-09HR ( works but gotta learn how to use it properly, then ill post something with it) thanks again all