Need an affordable rig for Youtube

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 9 Oct 2013 2:16 pm

For a long time I've wanted to record instrumentals with backing tracks onto Youtube, but I don't want to have to invest a big pile of money in a rig. I don't need impeccable sound quality, but I don't want it to sound tinny either. Any recommendations? Thanks.

Douglas Schuch · Post by **Douglas Schuch** » 9 Oct 2013 4:00 pm

I have a Zoom R16. That might be a bit more than you need, but it is very simple to work and is pretty inexpensive at $400 for a stand-alone unit. For simple projects the free download Audacity works fine for mixing and editing.

If you have a good computer might can get by with just a digital sound interface like the Presonus Audio Box at about $150, but they do need a good, fast computer and still might have latency issues and other concerns.

Good luck!

Doug

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 9 Oct 2013 7:11 pm

I want it to be video and audio. Does the R16 do that?

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 10 Oct 2013 5:01 pm

R16 is just an 8trk digital audio recorder, theres no video. Easiest way is probably with a USB video camera and a USB mic recording directly into your PC.

Don Griffiths · Post by **Don Griffiths** » 3 Jan 2014 11:16 pm

So I've been thinking about the same thing.i saw a sony video cam at costco for a little more than $300. I'm sure the video quality would be better than the ipad. But not sure how good the sound quality might be.

Don Griffiths · Post by **Don Griffiths** » 4 Jan 2014 2:58 pm

$:\$ Thinking out loud again. The new digital video cam would USB to the computer. I've got a sm57 and mic pre that I'm sure would sound better than the video cam mic.
Clete . Would just a pigtail that converted from 1/4 or XLR to USB be all that is needed from the mic preamp to the computer?

Don Griffiths · Post by **Don Griffiths** » 4 Jan 2014 3:11 pm

With help from our fellow forum brothers we will get this figured out Glen.

Clete Ritta · Post by **Clete Ritta** » 5 Jan 2014 12:16 am

If backing tracks will be played back from the computer either via BIAB, midi file or CD, one option would be using a video camera to capture both video and audio. If the camera has a decent mic you may get good results from a room recording with some decent monitors. Not sure how others like David Hartley, Mickey Adams, Zane etc. do theirs, but this may be the method.

Otherwise, with a small mixer you can monitor the sound being recorded with headphones and send a mix out to the camera mic input as you record.

Both these methods are much quicker than recording audio and video separately.

Don, not sure about an adapter to USB for the mic pre, as a driver might be required to recognize any USB connected hardware?

Don Griffiths · Post by **Don Griffiths** » 5 Jan 2014 10:43 pm

Upon a little further investigation I found most of the camcorders above a few hundred $ do have mic inputs and some of the better camcorders even have pretty decent mic's .I know there are quite a few guys on the forum making videos. Let us know what you are using guys!

Glen Derksen · Post by **Glen Derksen** » 8 Jan 2014 4:54 am

Thanks for the info. I think that will go toward guiding me through this audio/visual maze.

Steve English · Post by **Steve English** » 18 Jan 2014 1:51 pm

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... o-recorder

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 19 Jan 2014 2:04 am

Yes, the Zoom Steve mentioned!

Don Poland · Post by **Don Poland** » 19 Jan 2014 10:04 am

Steve English wrote:http://www.musiciansfriend.com/pro-audi ... o-recorder

Looks like it would work fine. If it has the threaded hole on the bottom for a tripod mount, that would be even better. You could always mount it to a cheap mic stand and position it wherever you wanted.

Ray DeVoe · Post by **Ray DeVoe** » 2 Feb 2014 11:56 am

I have never used any of the hand held recorders but I noticed this today.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/Q4/

It looks real interesting for someone wanting to make recordings with video.

It also looks like it has an audio in and out jacks.

Any thoughts?

Ray DeVoe

Ken Metcalf · Post by **Ken Metcalf** » 25 Feb 2014 6:31 am

I have a Kodak Zi8 that I bought because it had a mic input. It works well and is cheap.
I have not used the input as the internal mic works quite well.
Only down side is that it uses MOV files and you must use their Arcsoft editing program.
Has a USB pop out and plugs into your computer, upload to youtube.
These were recorded with it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysRtQw9KWlU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlJcb9mYelM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqGH-t9atqo

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 5 Mar 2014 10:10 am

The trick is getting good audio with the video. I personally don't think the video needs to be super good, but the audio should be. I'm still looking.

James Quillian · Post by **James Quillian** » 7 Mar 2014 3:59 pm

What do you have right now?

The way I record with youtube is to make a recording that is up to my standards, which aren't all that high. Make a video while playing along with the pre-made track. Put the video into a video editing program. For a sound file use the good recorded track. Get the sound from both tracks synchronized. Mix the video and then upoload it to youtube.

Glen Derksen wrote:For a long time I've wanted to record instrumentals with backing tracks onto Youtube, but I don't want to have to invest a big pile of money in a rig. I don't need impeccable sound quality, but I don't want it to sound tinny either. Any recommendations? Thanks.

Quentin Hickey · Post by **Quentin Hickey** » 19 Oct 2014 1:49 am

Use a mixer. Put all of your tracks on cd. Plug your cd player into channel 1. Plug your mic'd amp or amp out into channel two. Plug your mixer out into a usb audio interface. The usb interface doesnt have to be expensive just needs to work. Plug the interface in to the computer. Use headphones to monitor if using a mic or you can use monitor speakers if plugging your amp direct. Do some trial runs and see that your tracks are well balanced. Plug in a usb camera to your computer. Go into your video editing program. In the audio/video selection you should be able to choose your a/v inputs. Choose the camera for video and the usb interface for audio. Now press record and fire away.

When you get some videos up let me know! Best of luck.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 19 Oct 2014 2:51 am

although this seems primitive..I have maybe a dozen UTube's up there and they were all recorded with my digital camera in the video mode, which records AVI... I played live to a backing track and just turned on the camera !

A small amount of experimenting is required for levels but that would need to be done anyway regardless of the recorder...

This just happens to be an older model Canon A540..Of course there are many ways to do this but sometimes we think in the OVERKILL mode...

A little bit of front end and back end editing of the video file and that's it..oh yeah..you still have to play your best...

And yeh, I have a Flip Ultra Camera ( $150 at the time) which also serves the purpose.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq_nz4CGXnU

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Need an affordable rig for Youtube

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