Recording equipment

keff · 2024-05-23T14:30:40+00:00

I have, perhaps, the simplest of recording equipment. An audio-technica 2020 microphone with a usb plug that attaches directly into an elderly MacBook Pro an...

Pallas

danno858
I think the file just has to be hosted somewhere, then you can post the URL as a link. Thank you for making the sample!

iternabe

Some of you commended on the split screen recording by me and Serge88 in PW Recital #74. Looks like we both use OBS Studio (software) and two webcams. OBS Studio is a free recording software designed for streamers. It can be configured to record audio MP3 only, too. But its real strength is to mix multiple video and audio feeds while recording.

For example, in my video the two view (side and top) comes from the webcams, but the audio is from the digital piano's USB output (to avoid any ambient noise). The mixing is done as the recording is made, so the only post processing needed is just to trim the video.

If you are recording from an acoustic piano, just add a microphone and set OBS studio to use that audio stream.

candela

iternabe Yes, OBS seems great from my fairly limited experience with it. Just wanted to add that it is not necessary to use a dedicated webcam. There are capture cards that make it possible to connect a regular digital camera to the computer to function similarly. My capture card has hdmi input (from camera) and usb output (to computer).

iternabe

candela Correct. Some of the newer digital cameras (SLR, mirrorless and point-and-shoot) can even connect directly to PC/Mac without the need of additional capture card. Many camera manufacturers released updated drivers to enable such feature due to high demand of webcams during the pandemic.

I do like webcams because they are so cheap. I have several permanently installed so that I can quickly switch between various angles in OBS Studio.

candela

iternabe Interesting! Thanks, I didn't know that about the newer camera models, as I've not been in the market to upgrade my dslr-s lately and I already had a capture card since before the pandemic. I should probably check for driver updates if I want to connect multiple external cameras simultaneously.

Which alternative is cheaper would depend on if you already own a camera (or several). I think I paid around 15 € for my no-name capture card a few years ago, and I don't think a cheap web-camera could compete in image quality with a dslr + optics costing several times as much (but already paid for and owned thus making the marginal cost low). Maybe someone else is in a similar situation I was and finds knowing about this option useful.

iternabe

Pallas I'm shopping for microphones and I feel overwhelmed.

I am no expert, but I have good experience trusting Wirecutter's recommendation on many products. Here is their's on microphone for recording music.

Pallas

iternabe Thanks, friend. I really appreciate how willing you are to share your equipment knowledge. It's one of my weakest areas and I need all the help I can get!

iternabe

If you want your recording to be useful to remote teachers, or even to yourself as an observer, this guy has good suggestions on camera placement.

WieWaldi

iternabe If you want your recording to be useful to remote teachers, or even to yourself as an observer, this guy has good suggestions on camera placement.

I disagree with his importance-ordering of camera angles.
If you have only one single camera, the angled camera seems best to me (3rd option).

If you have two cameras, then add the overhead camera (2nd option), this is a no-brainer. But I still have my doubts the profile angle is more helpful than the angled one. All bullet points he listed for the profile camera happen to work with the angled camera as well, if not even better.
Especially with the use case he mentioned - online teaching (live, no playback) - I strongly doubt a teacher can split view multiple cameras at the same time and understand what's going on. The angled camera just delivers most information in one single view.

TC3

danno858 I have a Zoom H4n as well, I love it. It's great for recording solo piano, either with just the built in stereo mics or adding one or two external mics. I especially like using a kick drum mic to pick up the lower end of my piano. It's also great that I can plug it right into my phone and get much better audio when I record video than I do with my phone's built-in mic.

danno858

TC3 how are you connecting it to your phone? What kind of phone?

TC3

danno858 I have an Android phone, just connecting with a USB cable. Check pages 31-32 in the Zoom H4n manual. Hint: I had to change the sample rate to match the phone, otherwise the sound came through at the wrong speed / pitch.

danno858

TC3 I have an iPhone. I’ll have to check if it’s compatible

TC3

danno858 I would think so, iDevices tend to be good about that. Just check settings in the phone and the video app to make sure the external mic is selected and the sampling rate matches.

kanadajin

keff
keff, the Audio-Tecnica 2020 usb mic is one which I am considering for recording my acoustic grand piano. I am just wondering if you are happy with the results, and if you have any comments about its placement for best results. Most reviews I have seen are from people using it for podcasts and other voice applications, … This leaves me wondering about rendition of acoustic musical instruments.

(So far, I have been exclusively using my digital piano onboard recorder for mp3 files)

keff

kanadajin Thanks for your reply. Generally I am happy with my AT 2020 usb. It is well constructed and has a nice weight about it. Its tripod stand is nicely made although I think the legs are a little too short and you have to be careful how to position the mike so that it doesn't fall over. It did fall on the floor once but didn't seem to suffer any damage.

I may not have a discerning ear but I quite like the results that it produces. I made the recording of Forgotten Dreams by Leroy Anderson, posted in Member Recordings, with this mike inputting to Quick Time Player.

My piano is a little upright and I simply place the mike at the treble end on the adjacent mantle piece.

kanadajin

keff Thanks very much for your comments and especially pointing me towards your recording of Forgotten Dreams. I listened and found your playing extremely enjoyable as others have rightly noted above! I remember hearing this song before but had no idea which piece it was.

I also of course paid particular attention to the sound rendition, and I find that this mic delivered a very nice sound presence with good balance throughout the range of the keyboard as far as I can tell, despite it being located at the treble end of the piano. The clarity of the notes came through convincingly as well (i.e. not muffled).

Nice to hear that it appears quite sturdy and well constructed - the fact that it fell on your floor once and did not suffer damage is testimony to this and very reassuring indeed. I appreciate your input, keff!

WieWaldi

keff Hi keff, I just listened to your recordings in the MR forum. All of them are way too faint. I must crank up my loudspeaker to have a reasonable volume.
You said, you have audacity? Make use of the normalize functionality:

-1 db just says, make it as loud as possible, but leave 1 db reserve to avoid clipping and distortions.

Maybe you have a different version of audacity, then it is called something like volume-normalize, or even stuck in a sub-menu like "volume" or "volume and compression". Just search for something with normalize in the effect menu.

Gombessa

I've heard some really good recordings from USB mics like the Yeti Blue, too.

I've been playing around with multi-mic recording and have struggled to find anything that is just a head and shoulders improvement on the hardware level. My current take-away is there's a huge knowledge/skill/experience element that makes the most difference in "maximizing the output quality" from whatever equipment you have, and all my "new stuff" really isn't being used to full potential because I have no idea what I'm doing 🙂

keff

WieWaldi Thanks for the reply. I will look for that function the next time I use Audacity.