Video plus USB audio HELP!!!

[Iheartbacon]

So, it seems we are encouraged to make a video for the BGU labs homework. Due to family constraints, cranking an amp and recording with a phone is not going to be an option most of the time I have available.

My plan was to use the web cam on my laptop along with audio captured by a focusrite scarlet interface. The Windows camera app works ok to capture the video, but it doesn’t have much in the way of settings and doesn’t seem to be able to get audio from the Focusrite. I just get a silent movie.

I can capture the audio in Reaper but I then need to combine an audio and video source. Anyone have tools they use and tips on how to do this?

 

[PapaRaptor]

I bit the bullet on this a long time ago and got Vegas Movie Studio.
It's around $50 a copy, so if all you want it for is to record your labs, it's probably overkill.
I used it for the videos from the 2018 BGU Live Lake Arrowhead performances and for quite a while, I was recording a local open mic and making it available to some of the artists in my local area.

 

[CaptainMoto]

Good topic.
I've also been thinking about video.
I'll take a look at that.

 

[Cowboy Bob]

Anyone have tools they use and tips on how to do this?

You may want to take a look at DaVinci Resolve 16. It is FREE and MORE than capable. Also, you may find Media Composer First of interest. It is also FREE but IMHO, it is not quite as easy to use and is limited as compared to DaVinci Resolve.

Vegas Movie Studio 16 looks interesting, though, but it looks as if it is win doze only.

 

[CaptainMoto]

I know there is a setting in windows that will set the focusrite as your sound source.
I just don't know where that is on the computer.
Google that, I'm sure you'll get the answer.

 

[Iheartbacon]

I know there is a setting in windows that will set the focusrite as your sound source.
I just don't know where that is on the computer.
Google that, I'm sure you'll get the answer.

I tried that and failed, but I did have one more thought on what to try. I have a 6i6 with 4 physical inputs. The guitar signal is on 3 and 4, but I wonder if Windows only recognizes input 1 as the “microphone.” I will have to try moving cables around after the class tonight.

 

[Iheartbacon]

You may want to take a look at DaVinci Resolve 16. It is FREE and MORE than capable. Also, you may find Media Composer First of interest. It is also FREE but IMHO, it is not quite as easy to use and is limited as compared to DaVinci Resolve.

Vegas Movie Studio 16 looks interesting, though, but it looks as if it is win doze only.

Windows only is not an issue, so I will give all three a look. I don’t want to spend a lot of time on this, I just want very basic video capability so ease of use is number one.

Thanks!

 

[Elwood]

I am in exactly the same boat. and also would like to be able to get the audio and video in one pass with a very similar setup. Very interested in what you come up with.

 

[CaptainMoto]

I tried that and failed, but I did have one more thought on what to try. I have a 6i6 with 4 physical inputs. The guitar signal is on 3 and 4, but I wonder if Windows only recognizes input 1 as the “microphone.” I will have to try moving cables around after the class tonight.

FYI:
I just took a look at my computer setings.
Went to sound settings and selected my Focusrite as the input.
Good Luck, I hate computers.

 

[Iheartbacon]

FYI:
I just took a look at my computer setings.
Went to sound settings and selected my Focusrite as the input.
Good Luck, I hate computers.

What input did the computer “hear”? When I tried that I got silence, but it wasn’t until later that I remembered that I have the guitar signal going to 3 & 4. I wonder if the Windows mic is just mono on channel 1 only.

 

[Iheartbacon]

I am in exactly the same boat. and also would like to be able to get the audio and video in one pass with a very similar setup. Very interested in what you come up with.

If I get a simple one pass solution I will post it here.

 

[CaptainMoto]

What input did the computer “hear”? When I tried that I got silence, but it wasn’t until later that I remembered that I have the guitar signal going to 3 & 4. I wonder if the Windows mic is just mono on channel 1 only.

It hears all inputs because it's listening to the master volume controller send from the interface.
I believe, if you set the interface as the "sound in" inside windows, you should be able to hear all the sources plugged into the interface.
I don't think the inputs on the interface have anything to do with it.

One other thought,
Inside Windows, see if you can find the configuration for sound devices.
I'm guessing that you might not have the focusrite selected as the "recording" source.
There are selections for Playback, Recording,Sound & Communication.
Sometimes things might be set differently for recording verses playback.

 

[Elwood]

What Moto said. plus, for me at least, one other thing.

I can use Windows camera, (win10), click on the movie icon on the right of the camera screen.

To get my mic to work with it I have to go into "open sound settings" and change to my Onyx Artist (Mackie) as the source. This did not work until I disabled the resident mic on the windows camera I have. Once I did that It seems to work just fine. I have no idea of what this will look like in Reaper yet, but for the workshops I think this will be way better than anything I have used before without any Reaping. (Now to figure out what to play???)

Iheartbacon, hope this is a fix for you too!!! Simple one pass is in!!!

Many thanks!!!!

 

[Crossroads]

Do you have the latest focusrite control driver installed?

 

[Iheartbacon]

It hears all inputs because it's listening to the master volume controller send from the interface.
I believe, if you set the interface as the "sound in" inside windows, you should be able to hear all the sources plugged into the interface.
I don't think the inputs on the interface have anything to do with it.

I just verified that it does only hear inputs 1 and 2. So, if you have a Solo or 2i2 you wont see this issue. It also could be a setting I have somewhere, but I looked in the focusrite app and saw nothing. The short answer though is with a cable swap, the Windows Camera app will do exactly what I need.

 

[CaptainMoto]

Well, there ya go.
That don't make no kinda sense to me but, I hate computers so, maybe they hate me to.
Glad you got it work'n

 

[Iheartbacon]

Still have a problem. It only captures input 1 OR 2, so I can capture guitar OR backing track but not both. Downloading DaVinci at the moment to try that.

 

[CaptainMoto]

The killer is.............what you want to do is probably possible but, ya just can't find the path to get there.
So, Yippy more gear is the solution...(well more software).

 

[Elwood]

On my setup (Mackie ONYX Artist 1-2 into windows 10 desktop pc) I can now make a MP4 with camera video and the audio from my MXL mic. Just for a quick test I tried to drag the MP4 into Reaper to see what it would do with it - nothing. It will not accept the MP4 file format. For the challenges I can make a good enough video with good enough sound. I do have both channels. I may have to resort to crude measures to get a jam track in the background if needed. Iheartbacon hit the one spot I don't have ironed out there. (worse case I can just play the backing track out loud, mic the room, and play...crude)

For everything other than the challenge submissions I see no need for video and get way better bang for the buck with my time working on playing and learning basic recording skills.
Hope you get yours ironed out soon Iheartbacon.

 

[Iheartbacon]

So I have a workable solution. Not perfect but not too bad.

First, download VLC from Video LAN. Use the pull down on the download buton and make sure you get the 64 bit version if you are using Reaper 64 bit. Once installed, reopen Reaper and you now have MP4 support!

I then setup Reaper to record the guitar and the backing track. The Camera app was then set to record the camera and the backing track (I rewired so the backing track was in 1/2 again). Start recording on both, then start playing the backing track.

When done recording, drag the video file into Reaper. Open the video window (cntrl-Shift-V). Turn the audio volume all the way down on the video track (muting blanked the video). Zoom in on the opening clicks and use those to align the video version of the backing track with the Reaper track. In theory you can get this incredibly precise, BUT....

The damn Camera app does not capture the video in sync with the audio! The video lags when the tracks are lined up so you need to slide the video slightly ahead. Clip off the beginning and ending. Render it out to a new file using the FFmpeg encoder in Reaper. Figure out how to share it some other day.

I need to work on better lighting, and getting the video to sync better. The process is a bit more involved than a single app capture, but not too bad for a once a week Lab submission.