Easy video recording with Android phone

[Rudy4]

Although it's easy to record quick videos with a Android smartphone the internal mic often gives poor results. Here's a quick video I did to compare the phone mic with a condenser mic that is patched easily to the phone using a Saramonic Smartrig 2 preamp. I normally wouldn't place the phone so far away, but I wanted to emphasize the "room sound" by doing that, as well as how minimal the room sound is when you get the mic closer to your guitar.

This unit is designed to use as a interface for Android phones, but there are versions for ios phones, too. It can be used for dynamic microphones and also supplies 48 volt phantom power for condenser mics. The input is a combo jack, so you can plug a non-preamped guitar directly into it and then use the Saramonic Smartrig 2 preamp to boost the level before it goes into the phone input. The preamp has tons of pretty clean gain, too. As the photo in the video shows, I barely used the gain control to provide plenty of signal to my phone input.

It's an easy solution to getting better audio into your phone. It's not a replacement for better techniques, but it's quick and easy.

As the video shows, I purchased this on Amazon for the whopping sum of $25.

[DCCougar]

Oh, so it's an adapter that lets you plug your mic into your phone. Well, and a pre-amp to boost that mic signal.

Frankly, I'm amazed at how decent the phone mic alone sounds - without having to set any levels or anything. Even so, I use a Tascam DR-05 (apparently now discontinued) "field" recorder, then sync that audio to the video in iMovie or, [gasp] Davinci Resolve.

[Horseflesh]

That's a handy gadget, thanks for sharing.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Horseflesh

That's a handy gadget, thanks for sharing.

You're welcome. I use a bunch of other ways to do it, including using the same DR-05 recorder that DCCougar does.

Syncing the video and audio isn't difficult, but I do appreciate anything that eliminates that step. I wouldn't do it for anything that I wanted quality audio for, but it does make "quick n' dirty" phone videos easier.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Oh, so it's an adapter that lets you plug your mic into your phone. Well, and a pre-amp to boost that mic signal.

Frankly, I'm amazed at how decent the phone mic alone sounds - without having to set any levels or anything. Even so, I use a Tascam DR-05 (apparently now discontinued) "field" recorder, then sync that audio to the video in iMovie or, [gasp] Davinci Resolve.

Yes,adapter, preamp, and phantom power for the mic. It also works as a way to use a pickup into the phone, too.

The phone does a pretty good job by itself. Normally I'd put the phone a lot closer so the guitar would fill the frame but I was trying to get as much "room sound" as possible in the phone only video. It helps to start off with a room that sounds good to begin with, though.

[Chipotle]

This assumes an older phone with a 1/8" headphone jack. Unfortunately, newer models like my S22+ don't have one. Saramonic makes models with a lightning connector, but nothing with USB-C as far as I could tell.

The only thing I could find close was the Zoom U22, which has USB out (you'd need a USB-B to C cable) for $75.

[rule18]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

This assumes an older phone with a 1/8" headphone jack. Unfortunately, newer models like my S22+ don't have one. Saramonic makes models with a lightning connector, but nothing with USB-C as far as I could tell.

The only thing I could find close was the Zoom U22, which has USB out (you'd need a USB-B to C cable) for $75.

You could get this TRRS to USB-C on Amazon

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by Chipotle

This assumes an older phone with a 1/8" headphone jack. Unfortunately, newer models like my S22+ don't have one. Saramonic makes models with a lightning connector, but nothing with USB-C as far as I could tell.

The only thing I could find close was the Zoom U22, which has USB out (you'd need a USB-B to C cable) for $75.

Amazon lists them with 3.5mm TRRS plug, Lightning connector, and USB-C connection, although the price is higher. That's getting into iRig territory, though. (Have I mentioned that I'm cheap?)

If I end up with a phone with a different connector later I'll either get a cheap adapter or convert it to 1/4" mono to use it for an extra phantom power source and/or preamp to feed an extra input for my Cube EX.

I also ordered 6" by 8" unbreakable mirror to use with a flexible clamp arm on my tripod to see the back of my phone while it's recording video so I can frame shots easily.

[rule18]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Amazon lists them with 3.5mm TRRS plug, Lightning connector, and USB-C connection, although the price is higher. That's getting into iRig territory, though. (Have I mentioned that I'm cheap?)

If I end up with a phone with a different connector later I'll either get a cheap adapter or convert it to 1/4" mono to use it for an extra phantom power source and/or preamp to feed an extra input for my Cube EX.

I also ordered 6" by 8" unbreakable mirror to use with a flexible clamp arm on my tripod to see the back of my phone while it's recording video so I can frame shots easily.

Hence the $15 TRRS to USB-C adapter I show above.

[Chipotle]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Amazon lists them with 3.5mm TRRS plug, Lightning connector, and USB-C connection, although the price is higher. That's getting into iRig territory, though. (Have I mentioned that I'm cheap?)

For some reason it wasn't showing it to me before, but I found it. The fact that it's over $100 makes sense, though. If you are going mic-to-1/8" out, it's all analog. You want to go mic-to-USB (or other digital connector) you need A/D converters, so there's extra cost. Still, could be a nice, relatively low-cost entry to get video with good audio quality.

[Rudy4]

Here's another tip for shooting video with a smartphone.

When we sit down in front of a tripod mounted smartphone it's usually much better video quality to use the front mounted camera, but then it's difficult to see exactly how your shot will be framed or to see all of the camera controls to make sure it's actually recording and also as a quick view of focus and/or white balance.

I bought a inexpensive 8" by 10" plastic mirror off Amazon (the kind that hangs up in the shower for shaving purposes), mounted it on a 10" by 3/4" dowel rod, and simply clamped it in the unused portion of my phone mount. The mirror is available in smaller sizes, but I wasn't sure how big I wanted it to be. A 6" by 8" would have been just as good.

This really works well for framing your shot and eliminates those pesky requests to the significant other.

[wood&wire]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Although it's easy to record quick videos with a Android smartphone the internal mic often gives poor results. Here's a quick video I did to compare the phone mic with a condenser mic that is patched easily to the phone using a Saramonic Smartrig 2 preamp. I normally wouldn't place the phone so far away, but I wanted to emphasize the "room sound" by doing that, as well as how minimal the room sound is when you get the mic closer to your guitar.

This unit is designed to use as a interface for Android phones, but there are versions for ios phones, too. It can be used for dynamic microphones and also supplies 48 volt phantom power for condenser mics. The input is a combo jack, so you can plug a non-preamped guitar directly into it and then use the Saramonic Smartrig 2 preamp to boost the level before it goes into the phone input. The preamp has tons of pretty clean gain, too. As the photo in the video shows, I barely used the gain control to provide plenty of signal to my phone input.

It's an easy solution to getting better audio into your phone. It's not a replacement for better techniques, but it's quick and easy.

As the video shows, I purchased this on Amazon for the whopping sum of $25.

Thanks for the demo and review! Is that a Yairi you're playing?

I searched Amazon and found a 2 channel rig with USB-C that lists for $89.

Will this device be able to run directly into DAW software? I use Cakewalk 7 on a desktop PC running Windows XP. I know it's an old setup but it works very well. I have a couple of audio interfaces for miking and/or recording from my instrument's pickup. The Sarumon, however, would add the ability to use video with my recordings.

[jim1960]

That certainly opens up a lot more mic options than a usb adapter.

[Rudy4]

Originally Posted by wood&wire

Thanks for the demo and review! Is that a Yairi you're playing?

I searched Amazon and found a 2 channel rig with USB-C that lists for $89.

Will this device be able to run directly into DAW software? I use Cakewalk 7 on a desktop PC running Windows XP. I know it's an old setup but it works very well. I have a couple of audio interfaces for miking and/or recording from my instrument's pickup. The Sarumon, however, would add the ability to use video with my recordings.

No Yairi. I make almost everything I play, so it's THIS ONE.

Saramonic makes several varieties of preamps and accessories. The one I bought (Saramonic Smartrig 2) is for plugging directly into an Android phone and sells for $25.

If you are just wanting something to interface with your Windows XP machine then get a cheap usb interface.

[wood&wire]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

No Yairi. I make almost everything I play, so it's THIS ONE.

Saramonic makes several varieties of preamps and accessories. The one I bought (Saramonic Smartrig 2) is for plugging directly into an Android phone and sells for $25.

If you are just wanting something to interface with your Windows XP machine then get a cheap usb interface.

Aha! Very cool that you build your own instruments. Due to the distance, the emblem on the headstock looked a little like a Yairi.



Yeah, I get what you're saying about the interface and I already have two. The main thing I was getting at was that I would like to record audio and video simultaneously without having to sync them up by recording audio with an interface and video with a separate phone or camera.

That said, I do have a podcasting shotgun condenser mic by Rode that has a USB-C connection made for filming with audio. I might try that since I already have it before shelling out cash for the Saramonic Smartrig with USB-C connection.

BTW, for the others, here is the amazon link for the equivalent device with USB-C. And I was mistaken about it being $89. It's actually $119 for a single channel, $149 for 2 channel.