Seasons of the Ukulele

A weekly song challenge for ukulele players - all welcome. Find out more here

Put your techie questions here!

Edwin

I'm curious to know how people record their videos. Simple or complicated, tell us your process here. Maybe we can learn things from each other! Maybe you just point your phone camera at yourself and upload directly, or maybe you have a fancy video editing tool and a variety of fancy mics. Either way, I'd love to know.

I'll tell you mine later 🙂. When I started this thread in the other place I immediately got told off for being exclusive, probably because I am a Massive Nerd and love this sort of thing (you knew that though, didn't you?). But really, I'm just interested to learn new recording tips and tricks from people, as interested as I am in learning new musical tricks and techniques. So, please tell us interesting things!

chris667

Lovely!

For me, the joy of playing in the seasons was I didn't have to worry too much about the technical side, or indeed be too polished!

When I am trying to do something well (that is to performance standard), I record on my little Tascam multitrack recorder. It's a DP-006.

I've got quite a nice workflow going with it. I rip the song I'm learning directly from YouTube (thank you yt-dlp), then load it into Audacity and export it as a .wav file before importing it as a track on my Tascam. The quality is good enough for learning the song.

I'll then play along with the song until I don't suck at it! You can change key and tempo in Audacity before you export it.

If you want a really deep dive into the audio side, I recommend this thread (which I have still never got through).

I don't have anything constructive to say about video, so I'm following with interest.

Renaissance-Man

My best quality audio recordings come from just hitting record on a Tascam DR05X handheld recorder. If I need or want to multitrack, I use a relatively good quality USB microphone, connected to an Android tablet running either the Bandlab, or FL Studio apps. Those recordings are not so bueno. There's noise and artifacts generated from the app, reduced bandwidth, and latency between tracks. Even a considered good Samsung tablet is grossly underpowered. But multitracking provides the potential for recording more interesting music, and the ability to collaborate. I don't record with a camera.

Edwin

Renaissance-Man I am sorry to hear this and sending you my best wishes, for whatever that is worth.

Also for whatever it's worth, and while we're just getting going, if anyone sends anyone any guff about posting things the wrong way or in ways they don't approve of: Go Away. We're here to post things that make us happy in whatever way makes us comfortable. Not everyone wants to do things the way you do, and for so many reasons they may not be able to. Let people have their fun in ways that keep them comfortable.

Nobody should ever have to explain anything about the way they participate. Enjoy the Seasons in whatever way is comfortable for you.

(I spent my first two years here with few people knowing what happened above my nostrils. I had reasons. I stand by them.)

DesertPavement

I’m out of the Pabrizzer school - recorded straight to iPad then uploaded straight to YT. I used to label my videos with a little animated title at the beginning, but then Apple decided to tuck that functionality into iMovie and after keeping after it for a few weeks just stopped wanting to even do that any more.

And I’m with Edwin in his statement above, in addition to best wishes… still picture, animation, headless, whatever. However you want to share your music is up to you and nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable for sharing it the way that works best for them.

bobjking

I mostly use my phone. A lot of the time I'll simply point it at myself and film my performance (audio straight to phone mic) and that's that. I do now have a tripod which is a huge step from just propping it up against a coffee cup or something on the kitchen table!

I have an app (YouCut) which I use to add a filter, title etc. but that's usually as far as it goes.

Sometimes I'll film myself as usual with the phone and record the audio into GarageBand on my iPad at the same time through a Rode usb mic. Obviously, this always sounds much better (a lot less hiss than the phone mic for starters) and I can play around with the sound much more but whether or not I do this is usually down to if I can be bothered! It does mean that I have to send the audio file to my phone so I can align it with the video which isn't that much of a ball ache (I'm getting pretty quick at it) but I am just inherently lazy.

The two songs I did last Season were straight to phone because I felt they suited a more rough and ready approach.

If I'm collaborating with other people, I always use the mic/GarageBand method (even if my collaborator is only Bobby 2) for the better sound quality. Again, for video I use my phone and the YouCut app to splice everything together.

Every so often, inspiration will take hold and I'll try something fancy!

Sorry to hear about your health problems, Cody. Best wishes to you, mate. x

Joko

Aha! This answers a question asked in an email thread about posting pics here by non-moderators. You'll need a 3rd party site like Imgur. No biggie,

CeeJay

chris667

chris667 I rip the song I'm learning directly from YouTube (thank you yt-dlp), then load it into Audacity and export it as a .wav file before importing it as a track on my Tascam. The quality is good enough for learning the song.

So you create a sort of "guide vocal" ?Hmmm seems like a good idea.

CeeJay

Joko

I cut my teeth creating music videos with no guaranteed audience for years before becoming a Seasonista. Note, I called it making music videos not recording myself making music. I kinda knew from the first day I picked up a ukulele (or a guitar for that matter) that I probably didn't actually have the in-born talent to make music that would naturally be enjoyed and appreciated by others. My ex-wife forbade me from playing guitar in the house. My parents asked me not to play in the backseat of the van on long road trips. Despite my shortcomings, I still felt compelled to share, and if my voice and strumming alone didn't do it, then I would take the extra steps - finding compelling locations for recording, getting the essential costuming and make up, taking the time to edit a 4 minute video out of 100 clips - steps needed to make my performances more enjoyable than annoying. It helps that I happen to be just as interested in the videographical opportunities this hobby we share provides as much as the purely musical aspects do.

I've sort of been aware that some would see my elaborate videomaking, and to a lesser extent, mixing, as "electrickery" - an artificial masking of inferior musicianship - and they would be right, to some extent. That said, it's paid off for me emotionally and given me a feeling of having contributed to the world in a non-annoying way. I've made a lot of music videos, often accompanied by music that objectively isn't something I would want to listen to if I weren't the one making it. But sometime, the video makes up for it,.. like the first time I ever won the Seasons of the Ukulele contest, week 106, the extra effort was well worth it that week.

chris667

CeeJay Yes, it's just an extension of playing along with a recording. But if you load it into Audacity first you can change pitch and tempo before you start playing.

I used to have a Tascam MP3 player that could change pitch and tempo on the device - I stupidly sold it just before my other MP3 player died. But with the multitrack recorder you can just turn down or delete the source material and play whatever you like - take it from an exercise to something you'd be proud to share with others.

CeeJay

I use Cakewalk, I'll have a look see if it can do that as well. seems a good idea .

CeeJay

Edwin

Edwin (I spent my first two years here with few people knowing what happened above my nostrils. I had reasons. I stand by them.)

You stand by your nostrils ? Wow, that's quite a trick.

Don't hide that Dude!!😇🤣🤣

MikeM

I clamp a Logitech webcam and an at220 usb mic onto my music stand and just use OBS to capture and Openshot video editor to cut the ends off and mash the video down to 1.5mb/s

LimousinLil

Edwin Everyone should always stand by their nostrils … they are a very vital part of one's anatomy!

Renaissance-Man Cody, so very sorry to hear this … take care! (I was guilty of feeling very uncomfortable when you first appeared on the Seasons, simply because of your "anonymity" and I can only apologise for that now. Well, I have already, but there's no harm in doing it again!)

When I first started on The Seasons, I remember that there was someone - not a Seasonista - who used to complain about videos presented in "portrait" form, rather than "landscape". Honestly!!!

LimousinLil

Regarding recording, I use a Blue Yeti, plugged into an Acer Chromebook. (I have two Chromebooks, one of which has rather dodgy audio when you plug earbuds in to listen on account of I spilled coffee on it, but it's OK for doing the actual recording.) I occasionally use my phone to record - with the mic - but the image tends to get a bit "flickery" and, from what I've read, this can happen with Samsung phones. I can't access Audacity or GarageBand because they're not available on Chromebook, but I use an editing programme called "Wevideo" which allows me to adjust the volume, and also to add images to the video. Like Joko, I have no illusions about my musical ability, so making my videos interesting to look at is my way of compensating for a complete lack of talent … and I enjoy doing it! I suppose I am exceedingly "low tech"!

OneManAndHisPGUke

I usually just record straight to my dog n bone. I used to use a little usb mic that went straight into my iPad but I was finding (well as far as I could tell) that my recordings sounded better straight to my phone, no attached mic needed. Sometimes I’ll record the visual on my phone and the audio to garage band on my iPad, so’s I can add reverb, harmonies or other instruments. Mostly I don’t really have the time to do all that stuff. If I can get a decent enough recording on the phone that’ll do me. I’m not trying to earn a living from my music so I’m not overly fussed about the process.

pabrizzer

when i use my desktop mac i have a mic and record to imovie - if i want to fiddle (reverb etc) or add some extra tracks - i can send the audio file to garageband and fiddle there - then put the altered file back in imovie

lately straight to my phone then straight to youtube

Mezcalero

Hi Edwin,

I've tried a ton of different things. for the longest time, I would record directly to iMovie. But more recently, I've been recording to zoom. Since I teach on zoom I have a very nice chain set up so that my recorded teachings can sound their best. What I do now, is just open up a zoom meeting, hit record and do the song a few times until I get something I can live with. Then I'll export that recording to my desktop. At that point I do take it into iMovie for editing purposes such as cropping both the front and back end of the video clip, as well as the size of the image. Occasionally if the recording volume is low, I'll increase the volume in iMovie as well.

Cheers,

kev