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[brianread]

I'd like to be able to make video with audio recording of my playing for promotional and amusement purposes.  The quality that "ladydetemps" gets would be more than acceptable.

What equipment to do I need?  i have tried to use the webcam on my Asus eePC, but the quality is awfull.  the sound is just about ok, but the video lags miles behind, and I tried to upgrade the quality (increased framerate & co), but it processed all night and ran out of disc space. 

So, can I do it with a webcam type device or do i need a "proper" video type camera.  i have access to a microphone, so i suppose I could enhance the sound quality quite easily.

Thoughts?

[ladydetemps]

I'd like to be able to make video with audio recording of my playing for promotional and amusement purposes.  The quality that "ladydetemps" gets would be more than acceptable.

I mainly use my built in macbook camera..but I sometimes use this
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/Digital%20Compact%20Cameras/products/Casio/Exilim%20EX-Z100%20Digital%20Camera%20(Black)-75071/Show.html
(well this links is to the next model up) but what you are looking for is 'youtube mode'...it makes it all a lot eaisier.
it  takes stills and moving video.....mines erm..bright pink.

[SamWise]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW--Samson-C03U-Multi-Pattern-USB-Condenser-Mic-CO3U_W0QQitemZ170324535721QQcmdZViewItem

[brianread]

If you have a digital still camera, even just a little point and shoot one, it'll probably have a video mode. It may well not record sound, but the picture should be quite good. Get a decent USB microphone (Samson make some good ones) and some audio software, and you're set. You can use Windows Movie Maker to synch the two up.

aha, yes that makes sense I do have a still camera with video mode, and no sound.  I'll investigate further.  Part of my "plan" for this activity is to use Linux rather than Windows to capture and process the clip.

[brianread]

Would this one do? - a bit cheaper

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Samson-Q1U-Dynamic-USB-Microphone_W0QQitemZ120404143104QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Music_Instruments_Microphones_MJ?hash=item120404143104&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A30

I'll still need to see if it will operate under Linux though.

[SamWise]

Yes and no. That mic is a dynamic mic, which means that it's rather like a stage microphone. It picks up really well from very close, like when you use a vocal mic on stage, but not well when you're sitting away from it with an instrument and your vocals. Condenser mics, like the one I linked to, are a bit more fragile, but they pick up better from a distance, and they pick up much greater detail of the sound. So, the one you linked to would do, but for once, half the price probably means literally half as good. If it's an option, and you want to make videos with good sound quality, I'd say the other one is worth the extra cash. My microphone cost almost twice as much again, and I spent lots more on other kit too, and personally I'd consider that the Samson condenser mics as the best entry level.

[brianread]

ok, i see what you mean, and actually the internet tells me that it works better with Linux than the cheaper ones, so I'll probably go for one of those.  Thanks for the pointers.

Once I get it I'll be trying to "merge" an avi file with the output from this mike, I'll let yu know how I get on..

[SamWise]

That's really easy to do under Windows - you just need to find an equivalent of Windows Movie Maker. The only tricky part is synchronisation, and that's usually just a matter of fiddling (and being satisfied with "good enough", if you don't want to be there all night). If it's just one take of you playing, then even synching is just a one shot job. It's only hard work when you've got loads of different clips to use.

As far as Linux, it won't be that condenser mics work better with Linux, it's that they ARE better. The only reason for dynamic mics to exist is for stage work; they're way stronger (you can swing 'em round your head and sometimes fail to catch them and they'll work), plus on a noisy stage, the fact that they only pick up what's right near them is a positive benefit.

[juker]

I'd like to be able to make video with audio recording of my playing for promotional and amusement purposes.  The quality that "ladydetemps" gets would be more than acceptable.

I mainly use my built in macbook camera..but I sometimes use this
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/Digital%20Compact%20Cameras/products/Casio/Exilim%20EX-Z100%20Digital%20Camera%20(Black)-75071/Show.html
(well this links is to the next model up) but what you are looking for is 'youtube mode'...it makes it all a lot eaisier.
it  takes stills and moving video.....mines erm..bright pink.

Do you use Photo Booth?

[ladydetemps]

I'd like to be able to make video with audio recording of my playing for promotional and amusement purposes.  The quality that "ladydetemps" gets would be more than acceptable.

I mainly use my built in macbook camera..but I sometimes use this
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/Digital%20Compact%20Cameras/products/Casio/Exilim%20EX-Z100%20Digital%20Camera%20(Black)-75071/Show.html
(well this links is to the next model up) but what you are looking for is 'youtube mode'...it makes it all a lot eaisier.
it  takes stills and moving video.....mines erm..bright pink.

Do you use Photo Booth?

no that only takes photo's....
I use the built in I-view camera (same as photobooth uses) with i-movie....means its easier to edit.

[juker]

I'd like to be able to make video with audio recording of my playing for promotional and amusement purposes.  The quality that "ladydetemps" gets would be more than acceptable.

I mainly use my built in macbook camera..but I sometimes use this
http://www.jessops.com/online.store/categories/Digital%20Compact%20Cameras/products/Casio/Exilim%20EX-Z100%20Digital%20Camera%20(Black)-75071/Show.html
(well this links is to the next model up) but what you are looking for is 'youtube mode'...it makes it all a lot eaisier.
it  takes stills and moving video.....mines erm..bright pink.

Do you use Photo Booth?

no that only takes photo's....
I use the built in I-view camera (same as photobooth uses) with i-movie....means its easier to edit.

Photo Booth takes film on my Mac. If I could cope with being seen playing a tune badly in my dressing gown I would try posting it. But might save making the effort till I look more respectable (and play better!!). I don't know if the photobooth film can be uploaded to Youtube though. I'll try the i movie thingy.

[ladydetemps]

Photo Booth takes film on my Mac. If I could cope with being seen playing a tune badly in my dressing gown I would try posting it. But might save making the effort till I look more respectable (and play better!!). I don't know if the photobooth film can be uploaded to Youtube though. I'll try the i movie thingy.

if you want me to I can do a little step by step guide for you?
I've recently figured out crop/zoom in i-movie which makes it less tricky as I don't have to stand just in an exact position to fit in the screen I can stand where I want and just zoom in.

[juker]

Photo Booth takes film on my Mac. If I could cope with being seen playing a tune badly in my dressing gown I would try posting it. But might save making the effort till I look more respectable (and play better!!). I don't know if the photobooth film can be uploaded to Youtube though. I'll try the i movie thingy.

if you want me to I can do a little step by step guide for you?

Hey, that would be great thanks. I would appreciate that. 

[ladydetemps]

Photo Booth takes film on my Mac. If I could cope with being seen playing a tune badly in my dressing gown I would try posting it. But might save making the effort till I look more respectable (and play better!!). I don't know if the photobooth film can be uploaded to Youtube though. I'll try the i movie thingy.

if you want me to I can do a little step by step guide for you?

Hey, that would be great thanks. I would appreciate that. 

here you go
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v28/imbored22001/howtomakemovie.jpg
Ta da!
Just drag off onto the desktop and you can view it in preview.

[juker]

Wow! You're not just a pretty melodeon player I see!! Thankyou, you may shortly be rewarded by the sight of my good self labouring through some poor tune 

[juker]

Wow! You're not just a pretty melodeon player I see!! Thankyou, you may shortly be rewarded by the sight of my good self labouring through some poor tune 

Hi Ladydetemps, good news and bad news on the video front. Good news - your instructions were clear and easy to follow and worked. The bad news - I sound like crap! I am much more impressed with EVERYBODY's playing now 
Thanks again for your help with the video making. Hopefully my playing will improve 

[ladydetemps]

Wow! You're not just a pretty melodeon player I see!! Thankyou, you may shortly be rewarded by the sight of my good self labouring through some poor tune 

Hi Ladydetemps, good news and bad news on the video front. Good news - your instructions were clear and easy to follow and worked. The bad news - I sound like crap! I am much more impressed with EVERYBODY's playing now 
Thanks again for your help with the video making. Hopefully my playing will improve 

I'm sure you are fine..and probably better than me. 

[Gerard374]

Well I don't know if I say something which everybody knows, but I make my audio recordings with the Zoom H2.
 
Just Google on the name Zoom H2 http://www.peterverspuy.nl/cgi-bin/x/14377.htmland you see what this small digital audio recorder can make. It is one of my best buys last year. It works so easy and the quality is so good. You can record on wave MP3 and so on.

I make my youtube video's mostly with my Minolta dimage camera and put for the audio my Zoom h2 on. Later I mix both on Movie maker, just a piece of cake.

An example of the results is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdC2ofh6U3Q&feature=channel_page

[SamWise]

There's nothing quite like recording yourself to focus the mind on how smooth your playing is. Or isn't!

[juker]

There's nothing quite like recording yourself to focus the mind on how smooth your playing is. Or isn't!

Too true. A very confronting experience! But fun too.