Needing Help With Audio Gear For Video Recording

[Jak Angelescu]

Hey everyone! I am getting SO sick of trying to do videos and my webcam sound is great when it’s just me talking, but as soon as I try to play music with my guitar over it, I quite literally have to have my guitar SO loud to where I can’t hear the music at all, for the guitar to even be heard on the video. It’s like my webcam can’t record two sounds at once. I’ve heard people talk about using an interface, which I have a Scarlet II (I think that’s what it is). But can someone truly give me a step-by-step guide on how to get decent sound during videos? Maybe a better webcam may work? I have a really nice one but damn…
Any help on gear, setup, etc would be much loved! Thanks!

 

[Ed Seith]

What program are you using to record? I just installed the free OBS Studio on several recommendations, and though I haven’t actually MADE a video yet, I have tinkered with it, and it just might be the ticket. It allows you to balance the two audio input sources separately (your webcam mic, presumably, and your Scarlett – great interface, by the way; SOLID preamps!)
https://obsproject.com/

 

[Jak Angelescu]

Ed, I may need to buddy up with you because you really seem to know what you’re talking about on this stuff every time I see you post something about it. To be honest….
I HAVE NO FREAKING CLUE HOW TO USE MY SCARLETT!!!
I am so audio challenged. I’ve installed the software but I gave up because nothing made sense to me and I have tried YouTube videos but they talk like everyone already knows what they’re doing!! I have no idea what that thing can do or how to use it

 

[Ed Seith]

You bet! I work full time and have wife and kids (and now a band!) making pulls on my time, so scheduling is tight, but we can for sure work something out. Let me get a quicky video put together to make sure it does, for sure, work that way, then maybe we can do a Skype thing to walk through or something.
I can talk about tech stuff like this all day – I just can’t bring myself to record and post videos.
Being on the wrong side of years has other challenges. What I mean by that is that I started playing in 1984. There are expectations around someone who’s been playing that long that I just can’t meet. I didn’t have the tools or the discipline when I was younger, and taking 5-7 years “off” from playing in my late 30s (not fully “off,” but not playing very much AT ALL) cost me a lot – I’ll never have the technique or speed I used to, and I can’t learn or improve anywhere near as quickly. I’m using the lessons here mostly to expand my theory knowledge, which has been VERY limited, and maybe will branch out into some new techniques later.
How did this response turn into “unburdening?” Damn. I didn’t think this would be a therapy session, but oh well…

 

[Noah Berends]

I can also give help on the technical side, which I love working with. I’m in college for film and media and I’ve taken a few audio technical classes so I can help in any way I can. It sounds like you have a Scarlett 2i2, which is what I have also.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I used a really good video editing software a while back to make some great videos of how I used to play my songs. But I thin kI had a free trial of it.. I cant remember if I paid the 60 bucks or not

 

[Jak Angelescu]

@ed and everyone… Thank you! Please feel free to add me on Skype at GuitarNinjaCat

 

[Noah Berends]

I can’t seem to find you with that name…try adding me: noahberends

 

[Jak Angelescu]

Found you!

 

[Filip Tomiša]

Gonna try to reply again cause my first reply disappeared.
First you need to download the driver for your audio interface and install it. Then you need an USB 2.0 cable to connect it (assuming you are on PC). If you are on MAC then you need an audio interface with fireware cause you can’t connect usb to mac. After that you plug your guitar into the interface and switch from LINE to INSTRUMENT because guitars need high impedance. You would use LINE if you would record your amp with a mic or if you would record vocals. Then you need to set the gain so it doesn’t start clipping -> color around the gain knob must never turn red because then your singal starts clipping and it becomes distorted. You adjust your gain by playing the loudest part of a song or just the loudest you play your guitar and if it starts clipping (red color starts blinking) then lower the gain. Usually focusrite interfaces need to have low gain cause they start clipping but that’s not a problem cause you can adjust your sound level in any DAW (digital audio workstation). To record your guitar you are going to need a DAW, you can use audacity cause it’s free and you are going to need a software that emulates an amp and effects (you can use Bias FX, Guitar Rig 5, GTR3…). You just need to adjust some settings in your DAW and you are ready to go.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

videopad is the program I have. I cant remember if its a full program or not, but either way it would have a free trial so you could try it out. It lets you edit audio and recording, so you can add things like back tracks, and it’ll play back while you record your video etc.. add split screens etc.

 

[Ed Seith]

Added you @jak, and also got my settings confirmed and worked out and posted a short video in the riffs. I can help you.

 

[Calvin Phillips]

I’d add you but I dont use skype anymore. So many viruses in that program. My username was hacked im pretty sure lol.