How can I get good video quality with good sound for ?

Question

I am a guitar teacher, and composer. And i would like to record videos of me teaching lessons about guitar, my guitar style, and posting my own compositions. So what do I need to get a decent/good video quality pic quality, and good sound quality.

Answer 1

Nearly any modern digital camcorder will provide good video quality with good lightning. For good sound quality you will need an external microphone input. The internal microphones on camcorders record mechanical sounds of the camcorder.

Answer 2

You going to have to experiment with it to find the best combination.

It helps to have a video camera with an external mic slot, such as a Samsung 163 or is it 263? The DV-C one not the DVD one. Or a Canon 40 like I have.

Then you need either a long lapel mic or a wireless mic transmitter and lapel mic.

Then you need to record things in bits and pieces

Maybe you on a chair with the guitar so they can see you above the head to the legs and you talk to the camera about what it is you are doing or going to do and then move into the position.

Do this for each item.

Then move in CLOSER and in wider angel and favor the neck of the guitar looking back towards the body Just get the neck and sound hole and bridge and fingers.

Now use a mic on a stand near the guitar, maybe 1 foot away and outside of the scene.

Now play your pieces without syaing a word.

Do it for all the pieces

Then assemble it in Windows Movie Maker or Premier or Studio Deluxe

If the program allows you can then NARRATE over the guitar playing.

You can re-play (re-use) the same shots several times to make your points and even FREEZE FRAME it and narrate your points.

Now, many camcorders have NICE built in mics that word WELL up to 12 feet.

What you want, however, is a DRY ROOM

This means CARPET

This means DRAPES on walls

This means NOT extranious sound.

YOu can try shooting it the same way using the built in mic and see how it works.

You need a DIGITAL CAMCORDER (DV-C)

Editing software (Studio dexlue is easy to use Premier is a bit harder both cost about $500)

Try the FREE Windows Movie Maker and see if it will work for you.

You need a FireWire connection between Camera and Computer

Then yo uvideo capture all those shots and cut them into full segements and call them in and edit them.

Answer 3

Here's what I do.

For good video:
- I use good lighting. Almost too much lighting, but it has to be soft without hard shadows. I use several white umbrellas that have a bright bulb directed into the center.

Use the same light source type. Don't use fluorescent tube lights in combination with regular tungsten light bulbs. Your camcorder may automatically switch between types of light.

Make sure that clothing (no stripes), props and background work well in colors and lighting. You don't want a huge black afro disappear with a black background.

For Sound:
- I use an external microphone connected to the camcorder. Do not use the camcorder microphone, if possible.

If your camcorder does not have microphone inputs, then use a PC and a good microphone to record the sound as a high quality file. 2 microphones for STEREO. You may need a special "Y" adatper from RadioShack for this. Or a stereo microphone.

Important: Your microphones sound a lot better with a soft hairy scarf applied. If you have a microphone near your lips, use a coat hanger in a loop with a nylon stocking stretched over it, to eliminate winds, spit-sounds, and breathing noises.

Make sure that the room (your studio) doesn't echo (have a hollow sound) a lot. A carpeted room with acoustic cielings work good. If a "cubical divider" is handy, use that to help muffle the echo sounds. Place those near your set, but out of camera view. Drape towels or crapet on those for added muffling.

With all of this said, you'll need an editor to put this project together. Use a program like Ulead MedisStudio Pro. You can match up seperate audio tracks from other sources and things like that.

Answer 4

I wont recommend a specific model, because I dont know your budget, but go out and find a miniDV camera with a mic port (necessary), and 3ccds and manual controls (preferable). As for the mic, I think a rode videomic should provide good enough quality, its around $200. Or even better, if you have a mic that you use to record yourself playing, use that.

Before you actually record, plan out what you are going to do. This means planning what you are going to say, and when you are going to play. Then record your whole segment without playing the guitar. Then record close ups of you playing the guitar. Remember, these are just my suggestions, so feel free to ignore them or do something totally crazy. You could add interest by placing the camera to the side and talking straight forward to give the impression that you have lots of cameras taping you. But basically just do whatever YOU feel is interesting or cool. Hope this helps!