Streamlining the recording process

Ok now that I’ve had a (somewhat good) night’s sleep…. I realized that in our new house, the piano space is narrower such that getting a side shot, like @Sam mentioned, might actually be a little harder.

I should be able to have a tripod behind me though.

And having a Bluetooth remote for starting and stopping would definitely be good, otherwise I’ll have to get up every time, which is quite disruptive.

Maybe I should just the remote, and deal with the tripod I currently have….

Here’s a screengrab from a video I made a few years ago. I just remember it’s such a hassle to get it set, get the angle right, and it’s off to the side, so it’s easy for it to get wonkey…

ShiroKuro And having a Bluetooth remote for starting and stopping would definitely be good, otherwise I’ll have to get up every time, which is quite disruptive.

My experience with a Bluetooth remote for starting and stopping was not good. Connecting the device to my phone was a hassle, and after not using it for a couple of minutes, it was disconnected automatically.
If you have enough free storage space on your phone, you can also consider to just let it record, until you make a really good recording, and then you stop. In that way, you always know that the good recording is at the end of your file.

Animisha My experience with a Bluetooth remote for starting and stopping was not good. Connecting the device to my phone was a hassle, and after not using it for a couple of minutes, it was disconnected automatically.

Ahh, this is good to know! I'll have to read the reviews carefully, and maybe there's just not a good option. Although, if I do find one, I'll share the product here.

Animisha If you have enough free storage space on your phone, you can also consider to just let it record, until you make a really good recording, and then you stop.

A lo of people recommend this, but I find video editing on the phone to be quite clunky, and if you have a large file, it's a huge hassle to get it onto your laptop... so I've always tried to have just one file per play-through, it's easier to manage. But if requires getting up after each take...

I feel like there's a catch 22 here...

ShiroKuro Your screengrab looks great! If somehow you can figure out a way to leave it permanently in place, then it would work very well. Are you open to the idea of recording directly to your laptop? I believe that could open a lot of opportunities to solve your conundrum.

iternabe If somehow you can figure out a way to leave it permanently in place

Unfortunately this probably isn't an option....

iternabe Are you open to the idea of recording directly to your laptop?

No, only because this would require even more of a set-up hassle. Every time, I'd have to get it out, bring in a little folding table or something, get the cord, get a usb mic, do the set up and take down each time etc....

My whole goal is to have the least amount of friction possible, so one key is to have the fewest number of items to get out and put away, since I can't leave it set up all the time.

ShiroKuro I do have the setup with the least amount of friction, and that's achieved by having everything permanent, including the computer. To me, the next least amount of friction setup is to make the computer (i.e. laptop) the only component that's temporary. Everything else can be left in place, preferable all connected to a docking station. Then all you need to do is to dock the laptop and be ready to go. The laptop/docking station can even be out of the view (as long as cables for camera and mic are long enough). Start/stop recording can easily be controlled by a remote device (wireless mouse/keyboard, iPhone app, or Stream Deck). Additional benefit is elimination of file transfer time and easier trimming/editing on the computer.

Maybe I can get something like that in the future, but for now, it's not an option. So based on what I'm hearing here and in another forum, I am guessing my best bet (least friction) is to get a better tripod or clip with gooseneck, not take it apart (I think I can store in a closet when not in use), so that all I have to do is get it out and put it in place.

I'll only get a bluetooth remote if I can find one that doesn't have reviews like @Animisha 's (e.g., unreliable connectivity).

We'll see how it goes!

@Sophia thanks for the pic! I wonder if your tripod, or the big part in the middle there? is more movable than mine, maybe that's part of my problem.... is that white thing a light?

iternabe This is where mic stand, c stand, and articulating arm with clamps are all better.

Ahhh, that's super helpful! I wasn't thinking about that issue!

Animisha You cannot get it there with Airdrop or Quick share?

Hmm, as I recall, airdrop doesn't work when going from an iPhone to a PC, and I'm not sure about Quick Share. But larger files are a hassle, and again, I'm wanting it to be as streamlined as possible, so I'd prefer not to change devices if possible.

ShiroKuro I'll only get a bluetooth remote if I can find one that doesn't have reviews like @Animisha 's (e.g., unreliable connectivity).

I must have got lucky with mine. It was very cheap (well under $10 Australian) and I have no problems with connectivity.

It is several years old, and still works perfectly, although I no longer use it, as I use a small utility which streams phone video (and audio, if required), wirelessly to the computer using OBS software for recording, and later editing. In use, the phone screen can be turned off, reducing heat, and increasing battery life. Once initially set up, it is extremely simple to use.
As my small studio is digital piano based, I don't mind having various tech on show, but can understand that those with acoustic instruments in beautiful settings, need to keep visible tech to a minimum.

ShiroKuro Hmm, as I recall, airdrop doesn't work when going from an iPhone to a PC, and I'm not sure about Quick Share. But larger files are a hassle, and again, I'm wanting it to be as streamlined as possible, so I'd prefer not to change devices if possible.

That is true! What about using an USB cable?

1. Using a USB Cable (Fast and Reliable)

   Connect your iPhone to your PC using a USB cable.
   On your iPhone, tap "Trust this Computer" if prompted.
   Open File Explorer on your PC.
   Go to This PC > [Your iPhone’s Name] > DCIM.
   Here, you can access your photos and videos.
   Copy and paste the files to your desired location on the PC.

Note: This method works well for photos/videos but not other files like documents.

Animisha good point, I should probably get whatever the cable would be to go from iPhone to pc (lightning to usb, I think)

Once you get it onto your computer, what program do you use? Do you use a Mac/Apple or PC btw?

At my old job, I used to have access to a video editing software program (app) called Camtasia, but for whatever reason my new uni doesn’t include in its software collection. I am sure there are others, but that one was really easy to use. The one I know we have, Premier Pro, is too advanced IIRC…

ShiroKuro Once you get it onto your computer, what program do you use? Do you use a Mac/Apple or PC btw?

II have a Mac, so I use iMovie. A year ago, I switched from PC to Mac. I almost lost both my sanity and my marriage, but both survived and I am now very happy with this transition.

Animisha almost lost both my sanity and my marriage,

Even though I use an iPhone and an iPad, I won’t be switching any time soon!

Thanks @iternabe ! I'll check out Shutter encoder!