what do I need to record some vocals + guitar for youtube?
 

Hi guys. Totally newb question here-

I wanna have a crack at recording some YouTube/TikTok clips of me singing + playing guitar.

If I just wanted to dip my toe into this world...perhaps just looking for a step up from the mic built into my iPhone...any suggestions? Don't really want to spend more than a few hundred $ at this stage. Even less would be terrific.

I have a MacBook and a PC. I already have a a SM58 and a PA and all that stuff from playing live. Not sure if any of this can reasonably be used or not, but thought I should mention it.

I just got a Nikon Z-30, and it can do it all with near professional results. They are offering a package right now with a Rode mic, tripod, and remote controller. Not the cheapest solution, but certainly not the most pricey, either. Plus you get a killer state of the art mirrorless camera compatible with Nikkor lenses. (Or new lightweight Z lenses)

I've done a few posts here on how to do rudimentary videos. An example of that would be "Recording audio and video on the cheap".

You can do the audio part with something as simple as a Tascam DR-05.

Another recent post, "Easy video recording with an Android phone".

Your smartphone can be a great way to shoot video. I'm not a fan of the fisheye view that common "music cameras" have.

Shure MV88 will plug right into your iPhone and sounds quite good.

Thanks Rudy. I've had a read of your threads and they contain lots of thoughtful info..thank you!

I'm still a bit baffled as to what direction to go for a mic.

I've tried recording with the mic built in to my MacBook / iPhone 13 and both don't pick up the low end very well. My voice is very deep, so the low end is something I really want to capture well.

On one hand as suggested above I could go the MV88 / iRig Mic Studio or something like that that plugs directly into an iPhone MacBook. I like the simplicity of this, although the price is on the high side for my budget.

I'm wondering whether similar sound recording quality could be a achieved for less $ with something like the iRig Duo or Sarmonic Smartrig and utilising another mic (or maybe even my SM58)?

Thoughts anyone?

You need to decide if you are satisfied with mono recordings or if you want stereo.

If you're looking for a good sounding mono track I'd suggest you go with a large diaphragm condenser mic, provided that you will have phantom power available. There are tons of LDCs that will fit your needs that can be purchased in the $50 to $150 range if you're wanting to do this economically. Virtually all of those mics have a bit of added presence on the high end, but they will do what you require.

SM57s and 58s are great live sound mics, not great for your purposes.

One of these lower tier cardiod SDCs (Here's an AT 2035 as an example...) and a pop filter will allow you to get a reasonably accurate recording, particularly if you can find a good non-reflective space to record in and the mic can be set back from you just a bit.

.............

Thanks for the reply Rudy.

Mono recording will be fine I think.

If I get an LDC like the AT2035, I will still need to get a an audio interface (such as a Focusrite Scarlette), is that correct?


So you're saying they will pick up my deep voice with plenty of bass okay?

If you have an iPhone, then I suggest getting a Shure MV88 microphone for it.

https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/A3jq...angle_LR.0.jpg

It will give you a Stereo Condenser Mic sound. Much better than the phone mic by itself.

It's also very beneficial to have video editing software. I live in the PC world, so I use Cyberlink Power Director. Once I tried using iMovie on my iPad. I was pissed to learn that iMovie would not accept video files from an iPhone. Maybe it's changed since then. But that bothered me so I moved on.

Now days I am working with a Zoom R20 audio recorder. It has 8 inputs for mics and guitars. Each track is saved as a WAV file. I can easily move them into Cyberlink and sync them with the iPhone video. Makes for a great sound. I'll use Audacity (free software) to edit the individual tracks.

Here's a song from last year using the MV88




And here's the most recent recording using the Zoom R20 for audio.

You will need either an audio interface or multi-track recorder that supplies phantom power and has preamps built into the inputs. (Anything you are looking at probably has those basic functions included.)

There are MANY LDCs that are much cheaper than the AT2035, too. The 2035 actually has a "large diaphragm", unlike many of the lower priced mics that have a smaller capsule size. Even the often-recommended AT2020 is marketed as a LDC, although it has a smaller capsule.

Does capsule size matter? Not for the uses we're talking about here, so the best advice might be to grab something and start using it. You can always upgrade later if and when you decide that you enjoy recording.

Yes, an LDC will be responsive to your voice. The ability to capture a wide range of sources is one of the reasons why LDCs are so widely used. You should still look at reviews and user comments on whatever you decide to purchase.

I did a virtual open mic at the begging of the covid lock downs.

I used my Canon EOS 77D, I was really surprised with how good it came out just using that.

Most nice DSLRs these days take great videos. They will record audio too, but you're only getting the mic built into the camera. Most cameras have an 1/8" input for a stereo mic. I've found this old standby works pretty well for that.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/...Mic_150434.jpg

thanks all. after much deliberating I ordered myself a Focusrite 2i2 bundle, which came with a basic condensor mic and some headphones. I'll see how this goes! I'll also give my SM58 a try.