How to Record Music Videos Easily?

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by TBman

I've never seen the words "record music easily" in the same sentence before...

if you want to start feeling like recording music is easy, record some videos! Between setting up multiple cameras, lighting, getting them all aimed right and in focus, managing to play in one take without mistakes and without looking too stupid, then sitting thru long data transfer and rendering times, video editing, color balancing, etc, video is work! After I do a video, an audio recording is like, are you kidding, all I have to do is sit down in front of mics and hit the record button?

[Glennwillow]

I started out from the same place where you are now, hoping I didn't have to mess with separate audio and video. After some trial and error I gave up on that idea. As some folks have pointed out to you from their experience, many find that good sound requires recording the audio separately and then synching audio and video later in a video editing program.

The synching issue was referred here to as a rabbit hole, but I have generally found that it's not that much of a problem. As gfirob noted:

Originally Posted by gfirob

Shooting separate video and sound (double system) is really the only way to genuinely control the quality of the sound and sync. It may seem like a lot of trouble, but there is a reason professionals do it that way, and syncing on any reasonable editing system is not difficult if you just clap your hands at the head of the take, once (replacing the clapsticks you see on films). Sync the sound of the clap to the first sharp frame of your hands coming together and that's it.

This way you can use a better microphone, and the sound is a separate track which can be eq'd or effects added or whatever.

There used to be a saying about production—"You can have it quick, cheap or good, pick two..."

I am not familiar with the Final Cut program that Doug Young referred to. I need to look into that.

This video that I did some time ago explains how to use the "clap" method that gfirob was referring to.



I use better microphones today plus a green screen, courtesy of some ideas that KevWind suggested some time ago, but my method is still the same as the video above. I use three separate cameras and three separate microphones. There are times when I need to synch a clip that is not full length and does not have a synchronization clap in it, but I learned to synch up to the same wave form in the main audio track and video clip audio and then experiment with moving the clip forward or backward one or two frames at a time until it looks and sounds correct.

This is an example of a multi-track video I did using a green screen and using the method outlined in my above video. I do this all by myself in my studio. I would drive anyone else crazy if they had to hang out with me for 8 hours or so while I work through a video like this.



- Glenn

[phcorrigan]

Glenn, thanks for the tutorial.

BTW, what are you using for cameras?

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

I am not familiar with the Final Cut program that Doug Young referred to. I need to look into that.

I started out using the clap method, and it's fine, tho once you get multiple cameras, it can get more and more difficult. Final Cut, Premiere, and likely others support automatic syncing, and also support multiple cameras easily. All I have to do is import all my video files and audio, select them, and do "Make MultiCam Clip", and I get a single clip containing all cameras and the audio, all synchronized - it will automatically adjust start times of each clip and audio to make them perfectly in sync, far better than I could possibly do by hand. I then get a view like this:

Screen Shot 2020-12-26 at 11.01.18 PM.jpg

I can play the video and click on the thumbnail views to the left and change the camera on the fly, which turns into scene cuts in the main view (on the right) (I can fine tune the timing later, if needed).

You're doing multiple parts, which might complicate things. I'm not sure it could sync an electric guitar alone to an overall mix for example. I have used it will full bands, but in that case everyone was actually playing together, and I had the total band mix as picked up by the cameras as well as my mutltrack mix, which was close enough. The sync can use audio (what I normally use) or timecode, which requires pro-level cameras and audio recorder.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by phcorrigan

Glenn, thanks for the tutorial.

BTW, what are you using for cameras?

Hi Patrick!

Thanks for your comments... My main camera is a Canon Vixia HF G20. I have two older cameras, one with a hard drive inside it. It still works pretty well, though it's abilities with lower light and shadows is not as good as the G20. I am replacing the other Canon camera, which does not do well in low light at all. I have just ordered an HF G50.

For what I do in my studio the G20 is really about perfect. Canon doesn't make this camera anymore, so I ordered the G50.

- Glenn

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I started out using the clap method, and it's fine, tho once you get multiple cameras, it can get more and more difficult. Final Cut, Premiere, and likely others support automatic syncing, and also support multiple cameras easily. All I have to do is import all my video files and audio, select them, and do "Make MultiCam Clip", and I get a single clip containing all cameras and the audio, all synchronized - it will automatically adjust start times of each clip and audio to make them perfectly in sync, far better than I could possibly do by hand. I then get a view like this:

Attachment 48989

I can play the video and click on the thumbnail views to the left and change the camera on the fly, which turns into scene cuts in the main view (on the right) (I can fine tune the timing later, if needed).

You're doing multiple parts, which might complicate things. I'm not sure it could sync an electric guitar alone to an overall mix for example. I have used it will full bands, but in that case everyone was actually playing together, and I had the total band mix as picked up by the cameras as well as my mutltrack mix, which was close enough. The sync can use audio (what I normally use) or timecode, which requires pro-level cameras and audio recorder.

Doug,

Wow, this is great information! Thanks so much for taking the time!

Merry Christmas to you and thanks for all you do for the AGF!

- Glenn

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

I started out using the clap method, and it's fine, tho once you get multiple cameras, it can get more and more difficult. Final Cut, Premiere, and likely others support automatic syncing, and also support multiple cameras easily. All I have to do is import all my video files and audio, select them, and do "Make MultiCam Clip", and I get a single clip containing all cameras and the audio, all synchronized - it will automatically adjust start times of each clip and audio to make them perfectly in sync, far better than I could possibly do by hand. I then get a view like this:



I can play the video and click on the thumbnail views to the left and change the camera on the fly, which turns into scene cuts in the main view (on the right) (I can fine tune the timing later, if needed).

You're doing multiple parts, which might complicate things. I'm not sure it could sync an electric guitar alone to an overall mix for example. I have used it will full bands, but in that case everyone was actually playing together, and I had the total band mix as picked up by the cameras as well as my mutltrack mix, which was close enough. The sync can use audio (what I normally use) or timecode, which requires pro-level cameras and audio recorder.

Doug I may have asked this before but to find the sync audio automatically feature in FCPX, is that in the import media selection options ?
Although I use FCPX, I have yet to avail myself of this feature
And thus for example this video (my first attempt to record both acoustic and electric) was very complex and frustrating , to do manually . Even though it is only one camera

Now since I used "loop playlist" (Multiple looped takes same track) style recording in PT for the multiple vocal takes, I am guessing there is no choice but to be synced manually for the video because the video clips occur consecutively and linearly.

[TBman]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

if you want to start feeling like recording music is easy, record some videos! Between setting up multiple cameras, lighting, getting them all aimed right and in focus, managing to play in one take without mistakes and without looking too stupid, then sitting thru long data transfer and rendering times, video editing, color balancing, etc, video is work! After I do a video, an audio recording is like, are you kidding, all I have to do is sit down in front of mics and hit the record button?

That's why I don't even think about doing videos.

[anton]

I used to use the clap method, but when syncing recorded and camera audio it’s obvious if they are off if you play both. I suppose with multiple cameras and things to keep track of it might be harder. I want to get a second digital camera so i can gave multiple shots

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Doug I may have asked this before but to find the sync audio automatically feature in FCPX, is that in the import media selection options ?
Although I use FCPX, I have yet to avail myself of this feature
And thus for example this video (my first attempt to record both acoustic and electric) was very complex and frustrating , to do manually . Even though it is only one camera

Now since I used "loop playlist" (Multiple looped takes same track) style recording in PT for the multiple vocal takes, I am guessing there is no choice but to be synced manually for the video because the video clips occur consecutively and linearly.

No, you select any clips you want to sync after you import from the clips window. You can choose to just synchronize them, which will line them up while staying as individual clips, or make a multi-cam clip. For my videos, I typically use 3 cameras, and just let them and audio run while I do how ever many takes I need to, then load them, sync, chop off the bad takes and I'm done. You can also choose to import just a portion of each audio, but I'm not usually sure which take is a keeper until I see it all.

The most extreme case I've done was with some of the stuff we did at the local TV studio. 6 big cameras, and a guy roving with an iphone/gimbal taking shorter shots. So I have 6 full length videos, but several dozen that were only seconds long. I just loaded them all, made a multi-cam, and it put all the short iphone shots all in the right places, with everything lined up.

[Boozehound]

Thanks for all the responses! Many of you guys are much more skilled than I am, both in terms of playing ability and production ability!

I’m coming to terms with the fact that I probably won’t be able to get the sound I want from my Focusrite run directly through QuickTime recording vocals and guitar at the same time.

I was playing around with GarageBand and was able to get a much better sound - both guitar and vocals. I ended up using my Rode Nt-4 to get an ‘easy’ stereo guitar sound. I then recorded vocals with my AKG c214 as a separate track.

The ability to EQ, add noise gate, etc. has yielded much better sound quality. My next step will he figuring out how to incorporate the video and sync with the audio, but for now I’m focusing on the audio.

Should I just stick with GarageBand, or is there another (relatively entry level) DAW I should consider. I have a pretty well spec’d iMac.

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

No, you select any clips you want to sync after you import from the clips window. You can choose to just synchronize them, which will line them up while staying as individual clips, or make a multi-cam clip. For my videos, I typically use 3 cameras, and just let them and audio run while I do how ever many takes I need to, then load them, sync, chop off the bad takes and I'm done. You can also choose to import just a portion of each audio, but I'm not usually sure which take is a keeper until I see it all.

The most extreme case I've done was with some of the stuff we did at the local TV studio. 6 big cameras, and a guy roving with an iphone/gimbal taking shorter shots. So I have 6 full length videos, but several dozen that were only seconds long. I just loaded them all, made a multi-cam, and it put all the short iphone shots all in the right places, with everything lined up.

Thanks

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Boozehound

Should I just stick with GarageBand, or is there another (relatively entry level) DAW I should consider. I have a pretty well spec’d iMac.

Garage Band should be fine. Logic would be an obvious step up, but it's a very full-featured DAW, not entry level. Reaper would be another option, it's just a more typical DAW, less of the pre-packaged stuff that GarageBand tries to push your toward. One nice thing about Garage Band is that you can open GB projects in Logic, so if you ever do decide to move up to that, you can easily migrate old projects.

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by Boozehound

Should I just stick with GarageBand, or is there another (relatively entry level) DAW I should consider. I have a pretty well spec’d iMac.

I'm not a Mac user, but I would suggest sticking with GarageBand while learning the basics, and then when you think you're ready to move on take a look at the demos of other DAWs. You should obviously look at Logic Pro, and I would suggest looking at Studio One as well. BTW, when you are looking, look for reviews from other Mac users, because they will likely make comparisons with GarageBand and Logic.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by Boozehound

Hi all,

I have searched the forum, but haven't stumbled upon a direct answer. I'm looking for a way to easily record acceptable quality Audio and Video simultaneously. I want to avoid recording the video and audio separately and editing them together etc. if at all possible.

What I have:
iMac
iPad Pro (USB C)
Focusrite 4i4
AKC C214
Rode NT-1A

What I have tried:

Focusrite Impact App for iPad Pro: This works OK, however I'm having intermittent noise / hiss issues. It's almost like the USB-C connection from the iPad to the Focusrite isn't consistently providing adequate phantom power

Quicktime on iMac using internal Camera: The audio quality always seems to suck for some reason when I do this.

Does anybody have a relatively easy way to do this? I know I can record the audio with garage band and edit together with video from Quicktime, but that seems like a lot of hassle and I'm not particularly patient or tech savvy.

Basically I just want to be able to hook up a Mic or two, grab a guitar, and record a quick video with decent audio. Am I on an impossible mission?

Thank you for the responses. Hopefully this isn't a repeat question.

Talk is cheap. If you like what you see & hear here, it is simply my iPhone 6S with a Shure MV-88 mic plugged into it.

First video I'm playing electric through a pair of amps and the mic is simply laying on the ground between them. No monitoring except setting the record level so it wouldn't red line much.



And for an example of straight dry recording of an acoustic, there's this. The mic is sitting on a table directly in front of me. No monitoring. Simply plug & play.



Regards,
Howard