Recording video with audio from my Interface

[NorthTexasBass]

Hello, I want to record some videos of me playing. I would like to use my audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett Solo) for my bass and play along to an mp3 file already on my computer.

How can this be done live? I searched a few threads here on TB and I saw a a lot of suggestions on how to go edit in the 'good' audio in after recording the video, but nothing about doing it 'live' for lack of a better term.

I plan on using the camera in my laptop. It's a Windows 10 system. Any software suggestions or other tips would be appreciated.

 

[Laurentian Dave]

Hello, I want to record some videos of me playing. I would like to use my audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett Solo) for my bass and play along to an mp3 file already on my computer.

How can this be done live? I searched a few threads here on TB and I saw a a lot of suggestions on how to go edit in the 'good' audio in after recording the video, but nothing about doing it 'live' for lack of a better term.

I plan on using the camera in my laptop. It's a Windows 10 system. Any software suggestions or other tips would be appreciated.

 

[Laurentian Dave]

Hi. I do this all the time with Camtasia by Techsmith. Not sure what this software costs (i have an older version) but it's simple to use and effective. There's a free trial. See Download Camtasia Free Trial
Just import your video and audio tracks into the Camtasia and you're good to go. You can edit/trim, fade-in/out, and save the output file in various formats.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hello, I want to record some videos of me playing. I would like to use my audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett Solo) for my bass and play along to an mp3 file already on my computer.

How can this be done live? I searched a few threads here on TB and I saw a a lot of suggestions on how to go edit in the 'good' audio in after recording the video, but nothing about doing it 'live' for lack of a better term.

I plan on using the camera in my laptop. It's a Windows 10 system. Any software suggestions or other tips would be appreciated.

You have to push record on both, and edit them together. That's how all movies are made. Capture video, capture audio, edit them together. I use power director on my phone, and reaper. I'm sure there are far better free ones for your computer.

 

[Frank Tuesday]

The slate/clapperboard used in film is used to sync audio and video. You can use your hand clap. This way you have a sound with a sharp transient and a frame when your hands make contact. Line these up and your sound and video will sync.

 

[JRA]

one reason to consider aligning the audio and video post recording is that it's cheaper. video cameras that will input proper audio (stereo via XLR from your interface) are expensive and unwieldy for most home recordists. and: it's the way video and film has been coupled with audio since the beginning of time. all of the affordable home-recording software and hardware would work this way.

you already have most of the tools --- you may need video editing software (there are some great free ones!). drag in the audio, drag in the video, align = done!

once you get the hang of it, OP, it's easy peasy --- good luck with your video recordings!

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Hello, I want to record some videos of me playing. I would like to use my audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett Solo) for my bass and play along to an mp3 file already on my computer.

How can this be done live? I searched a few threads here on TB and I saw a a lot of suggestions on how to go edit in the 'good' audio in after recording the video, but nothing about doing it 'live' for lack of a better term.

I plan on using the camera in my laptop. It's a Windows 10 system. Any software suggestions or other tips would be appreciated.

So, I just did my first run with my webcam. Apparently your computer uses whatever's set as your microphone to capture audio. So with my interface connected, it recorded in real time. But, It records in mono. So, if you have a mixer, plug in to that first, then run the output to your power interface. It should come out with your audio in both left and right channels.

 

[NorthTexasBass]

So, I just did my first run with my webcam. Apparently your computer uses whatever's set as your microphone to capture audio. So with my interface connected, it recorded in real time. But, It records in mono. So, if you have a mixer, plug in to that first, then run the output to your power interface. It should come out with your audio in both left and right channels.

In addition to my bass, I want to hear the song I'm playing to, which will probably be an mp3 file. I could use Spotify or You Tube also. Were you playing along to music or just recording your bass?

 

[JKos]

There is software that will combine any number of audio sources and make it available to other software through a virtual audio device. You could use it to combine the mp3 output and bass from your interface. Then, you would select the virtual device as the audio input to your video recording software.

Now, if I could just remember the name...
VB-Audio VoiceMeeter is one.
VB-Audio VoiceMeeter

 

[skycruiser]

Shotcut is a good free program for mixing audio and video if it is fairly simple. Dropping in a replacement audio track is easy.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

In addition to my bass, I want to hear the song I'm playing to, which will probably be an mp3 file. I could use Spotify or You Tube also. Were you playing along to music or just recording your bass?

Just playing. But, that wouldn't be a problem if you had a mixer. Just plug it into a channel and mix it in.

 

[DirkP]

In addition to my bass, I want to hear the song I'm playing to, which will probably be an mp3 file. I could use Spotify or You Tube also. Were you playing along to music or just recording your bass?

To do this you need an interface with a loop-back. If you have a smartphone or mp3 player you could just feed the audio out of the device into your interface.

With a good smartphone cam you get much better results than with most webcams. And Smartphones - at least from Apple - accept any audiointerface without native drivers and the cam apps will take the audio from the interface.
I have some semi-pro cams and professionell location recorders, but doing video and audio at once like for live or rehearsal recordings is an easy thing to do. If you have good preamps or a good stereo cam mic with a preamp the lower quality of the integrated cam preamps become somehow less relevant.
If quality is your main focus, then you surely sync audio and video in post.

 

[craigb]

On the computer you can play the mp3 in whatever you want, use direct monitoring on the Scarlett to hear your bass (on top of the audio being played from the mp3), and record using something as simple as the Camera Windows 10 app. I've done this as part of remote collaboration (audio & video) that I've been doing this year.

However latency will rear its ugly head and most likely the audio & video that you've just recorded will not be in sync. I've had to go back in with a video editor after the fact and realign the audio track to get it synced up. You have a ton of choices for what applications you can use to do that post-processing. If someone knows a video recording program that can deal with audio-video latency (like many audio programs let you enter a latency value to adjust track recording for you) I'd be interested to learn what it is.

The video files I've received from folks using their phones with the built-in microphones were much better aligned but limited to the audio quality you can get from a phone mic.

 

[seamonkey]

You can patch audio every which way you want with
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
It works great to combine standalone instruments along with daws all running at the same time, but it’s complex to set up.

And as mentioned above VoiceMeeter Banana can do it and has a built in MP3 player
VB-Audio VoiceMeeter Banana
it’s easy to set up

 

[DigitalMan]

Start with a DAW. Reaper is a good affordable choice.

- Import the MP3 to a track in Reaper
- Setup your video camera and start rolling
- Record your bass into Reaper on its own track

- Mix the audio in Reaper and export it to a stereo file
- Import the audio file and video from your camera into a video editing program
- Sync the audio and video
- Trim/edit as needed
- Render the project to whatever video format you want to post
- Post your video

 

[DigitalMan]

PS - just noticed the intent to use the camera on your laptop. I’d use anything else instead. A dedicated camera, a smartphone, etc.


It’s likely that running multiple media playback or recording programs on your computer at the same time would create conflicts. Also, the laptop camera is probably the lowest quality camera you have.

 

[Nephilymbass]

Hello, I want to record some videos of me playing. I would like to use my audio interface (Focusrite Scarlett Solo) for my bass and play along to an mp3 file already on my computer.

How can this be done live? I searched a few threads here on TB and I saw a a lot of suggestions on how to go edit in the 'good' audio in after recording the video, but nothing about doing it 'live' for lack of a better term.

I plan on using the camera in my laptop. It's a Windows 10 system. Any software suggestions or other tips would be appreciated.

Most people just use video editing software and line up the audio with the video.

 

[rudy4444]

Start with a DAW. Reaper is a good affordable choice.

- Import the MP3 to a track in Reaper
- Setup your video camera and start rolling
- Record your bass into Reaper on its own track

- Mix the audio in Reaper and export it to a stereo file
- Import the audio file and video from your camera into a video editing program
- Sync the audio and video
- Trim/edit as needed
- Render the project to whatever video format you want to post
- Post your video

This is all very good advice.

You don't need a separate video editing program, though. Reaper does basic video editing just fine, simply insert your video as a media file in a new track in Reaper.

There are a number of ways to do what you want to do, and all of them will require a bit of a learning curve to figure out the necessary steps and how to sync everything together.