Question regarding audio/video editing systems

[billgennaro]

I have a ProTools MBox2 audio recording system in my home. I need to record a single performer, playing high end acoustic guitars, while capturing the performances on video. Then I'll need to edit the two together. Does anyone have any suggestions on what type of editing system or software I can use for this type of situation. I'm using the MBox because I want the audio to be better than what you get from a typical camcorder. This will be an ongoing process so I need to make a financial investment here. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Doug Young]

PC or Mac?

[billgennaro]

Originally Posted by Doug Young

PC or Mac?

I have a PC based set-up.

[Doug Young]

There are lots of choices on the PC. I think Fran Guidry uses avidemux, which is free. When I was last using a PC, I used Sony Vegas, and it worked very well for this. There are several versions, I think what I had was Movie Studio, which I got for around $60 with a $60 rebate, so free. The higher end would be things like the full Vegas, and Adobe Premier.

[SteeleString]

Things can be very simple or very complicated depending on how you want to edit footage. Even Windows Movie Maker can be used easily, depending on the complexity of the edits.

As mentioned, Premier is a staple as is Avid for more demanding projects.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by SteeleString

Things can be very simple or very complicated depending on how you want to edit footage. Even Windows Movie Maker can be used easily, depending on the complexity of the edits.

As mentioned, Premier is a staple as is Avid for more demanding projects.

I don't believe Windows Movie Maker allows you to sync video and externally-recorded audio, tho I could be mistaken

[billgennaro]

thanks guys, i'll look into them. i appreciate the help.

[220volt]

I use exclusively Sony Vegas Pro 9c.

I record with external quality mic to my DAW while at the same time i record video with HD camera. Then I edit audio to my liking and import both audio and video in vegas pro and sync it there. I even sometimes add green screen.

Just make sure that at the begging of the video you clap your hands few times so you have sync reference point. Then when you import everything in Vegas Pro you will see high audio peaks of you claps in Vegas Pro. You will be able to sync audio with video visually, without having to painfully move timeline over and over. Works like a charm.

[Fran Guidry]

I used Avidemux when I got my first HD cam and Premiere Elements wouldn't handle the format. Since then I've moved on to a really terrific, high performance PC based non-linear editing system called Edius. I use the starter Neo 2.5 version, and after my experience with Premiere Elements I'm overjoyed.

Video editing takes a lot of horsepower (or a lot of time and patience) but I was able to edit multiple video streams and sync with parallel audio on my laptop using Edius Neo 2.5 when I was in Hawai`i this past February. The last two vids in my YouTube collection were cut in Edius on that trip.

Depending on the camera you may find video editing software sufficient for your needs included. Are you aware of the recent moves toward HD video in DSLR and micro 4/3 cameras? These systems bring serious sensors and lenses to video at $1-1.5K, and if you'll be working in a studio setting they will be easy to use effectively.

PS: OK, I'm obsessive, but Edius is sooooo cool. My latest published Edius project is Daniel Nestlerode's "Long Black Veil" mentioned in this thread: http://69.41.173.82/forums/showthread.php?t=185145 We multi-tracked the audio using an Echo Audiofire Pre8 into Reaper, caught two video angles, and edited the whole mess together in Edius.

Fran

[Ty Ford]

I'm a Mac guy but don't hold that against me. I run Pro Tools. I shoot video.

If your camera is crap, then sure record to something else. You didn't say what it was.

I use a Canon XL2. you can see/hear what that camera looks/sounds like here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HqFtbwBM8k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWaPRHMGhGA

All of these were shot with the same camera audio. The first was done with better, more recent compression schemes. On the first link, I'm using a direct pickup in the Martin. On the next one, I'm using a mic. You can see it on the arm of the couch.

Here's Neil Harpe on a very unusual Stella. Same rig, mic to mixer to camera. http://www.vimeo.com/2179144

So, no, unless you have an extraordinarily crappy camera, don't bother. If you do record audio separately, choose 48 kHz sample rate. 24-bit if you can.

Regards,

Ty Ford

[dmoss74]

on a PC, you can use Adobe Premiere Elements to sync video with audio.

[CCreyeder]

For video editing, another recommendation for Vegas here. I had adobe premier previously and sony vegas blow it out of the water.

It has a very user friendly interface, easy to get up and running with it, loads of tutorials available, etc... A few caveats: As Fran says, video editing takes lots of computing horse power. If you dont have enough processing power, speed, memory, etc, it can test your patience. Also, whatever editing software you are thinking about, make sure it will work with whatever format your camera uses. For example, my version of Vegas (home studio) doesnt work well with the quicktime (*.mov) format. The video imports fine, but the audio does not. Not usually a big deal since, for music anyway, I record the audio seperately. It can be a royal pain in the hindend though.

[Doug Young]

Originally Posted by Ty Ford

I use a Canon XL2. you can see/hear what that camera looks/sounds like here.

That's a pretty nice camera, there, Ty! A lot of people shooting home videos have something more basic, Flips, etc, and many don't have mic inputs, so you're stuck recording the audio from across the room where the camera is. A lot of consumer cameras record 16 bits max, too. I had pretty good luck recording to a Kodak Zi8 with an external mic, and it's nice not to have to sync the video, but in the end, that doesn't usually end up being a big deal. I'm usually shooting with multiple cameras anyway, so one more track to sync isn't a problem.

[ronmac]

Sound on Sound magazine have just added a section discussing video capture and editing. They surmise it is a growing trend with musicians.

[moconno1]

I use Sony Vegas now but I used to use Ulead Video Studio, which was pretty simple (not sure if they make it anymore). Here's a list of open source video editors to take a look at though...http://tv.isg.si/site/?q=node/873