Music

[technoid]

I was a band geek back in high school, played mainly the brass (or 'fiberbrass') basses, i.e. baritone (~euphonium), tuba, Sousaphone and bass keyboards (Fender Rhodes model).  Now I mostly dabble in electronic/computer multitrack audio/midi mix and master (on a DAW), along with some keyboards/synth/keytar (usually just vst/vsti/dls/sf2/xg/tracker, etc) and maybe some vocals skills too. Am about to record a live gig for a band client in a couple weeks. Hopefully my daw laptop won't die anytime before that.  But I wouldn't rule out a seeing a bsod during one of the recordings though, lmao. 

[Axeminister]

Wow technoid, you are the man I've been looking for. I think everyone here knows I play lead guitar. I want to stop using my webcam microphone to record youtube videos with and use my M-audio Fastrack USB. The only problem I have is the software it came with doesn't allow me to put on a song by someone else and record me playing along with it. The webcam recognizes the m-audio device and records me playing guitar and of course the video, but I can't seem to find a way to record both at same time. I made the first video using m-audio device by using Windows Movie Maker to somehow start the song at the same time I start playing(which anyone can tell that is not a viable way to do it) but somehow I did it. I don't want to go through that again. I downloaded audacity last night but haven't tried it yet. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I want to put some more of my original Axeminister songs out, and some Iron Maiden.

[Clavin12]

I've sung before. I dance modern.

[VSMIT]

The webcam recognizes the m-audio device and records me playing guitar and of course the video, but I can't seem to find a way to record both at same time.

Get a 1/8in. to XLR adapter and plug an MP3 player into the Mic line?

[technoid]

Wow technoid, you are the man I've been looking for. I think everyone here knows I play lead guitar. I want to stop using my webcam microphone to record youtube videos with and use my M-audio Fastrack USB. The only problem I have is the software it came with doesn't allow me to put on a song by someone else and record me playing along with it. The webcam recognizes the m-audio device and records me playing guitar and of course the video, but I can't seem to find a way to record both at same time. I made the first video using m-audio device by using Windows Movie Maker to somehow start the song at the same time I start playing(which anyone can tell that is not a viable way to do it) but somehow I did it. I don't want to go through that again. I downloaded audacity last night but haven't tried it yet. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I want to put some more of my original Axeminister songs out, and some Iron Maiden.

Well I don't own a Fast Track (although I do have an M-Audio Uno USB/MIDI interface), so can't be sure what it can do.  I'm not totally sure what you said (lol), but it looks like you need to mix the pre-recorded music/song with your guitar and vocal feeds.  I think the Fast Track has a mic-in, guitar-in and line-in, so all those should get mixed inside and then output to your pc/recorder via usb, afaik. 

You need to buy a real microphone, instead of the one off your webcam, as you stated.  Go get a dynamic/condenser mic with xlr connection (or the unbalanced/balanced phone plug), although I checked and it says the Fast track requires a dynamic (probably because it may not have phantom power for a condenser).  Start the audio recording along with the webcam and it should be good to go (depends how powerful your rig is recording A/V).   A cheap dynamic (with cable) can run $20 or so. If you only find a cheap dynamic with a phone plug (such as on some home karaoke units), you can get a 1/4" to xlr adapter with imp balance, like at Radio Shack.

VSMIT says to try the mic line (on the PC I assume, not Fast Track).  You might get an impedance mismatch there, unless you feed the mp3 player, or what have you, through a line-in (if any) instead, should you decide not to use the mic-in on the Fast Track. 

[TheJamsh]

I go to music college where i study sound engineering and creative music production.

I play the drums and have done for about 3 years. ive played in and formed two bands, the latest of which i tried to name with the help of you guys. According to the people ive played with im 'pro as f*ck for only 3 years!'. Which is one hell of a confidence boost

I play heavy metal mostly, the only kind music i could get a niche in. I do appreciatte many others though, jst cant play them to well!

[TheJamsh]

BTW, if its electric guitar youre playing Axe, try and get an SM57 from the internet (mic) and an XLR lead so it can plug into youre m-audio kit.

Place the mic RIGHT up against the speaker cone, about halfway between the edge and the epicentre. That gets a good sound for a budget system. (Decent mics are NOT cheap!)

[Axeminister]

The mic is what I'm trying to avoid. I just want to go totally digital. Play guitar along with a pre-recorded song and have them record at same time as the video. Basicly I want two tracks of sound (my guitar and one cover song) and one video that's in sync. I don't play in a band anymore, my favorite thing to do is play along with old heavy metal songs here at the house, I made some videos of me doing that using the mic on the webcam, but now I want to increase the quality of the sound by using the "m-audio fastrack usb". It allows me to plug in my guitar to the pc basically. I've tried other programs to help me with this but they are so damn hard to figure out it's not fun.  It should be easy, but so far I've been defeated.

Here is a video of me using the m-audio device:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF6SUsiyDPQ

And here is one with the webcam microphone:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A3mkXW1F6I

But like I said, since I can't make the two sound recordings merge into one I had to use the windows movie maker program to literally drop the cover song into the video timeline and then move it back and forth a million times until it matched up. This sucks. I've already spent too much money, I don't want to buy a tascam or anything else really. If I do my wife will want a new car or something to balance the spending out. lol

[Nielk1]

I might need to recruit ppl for something at some point. Seems all Steeveeo can make is techno, which I don't want...

[AHadley]

What do you want then?

[Axeminister]

I have that FL Studio 8 that Steeveeo has. Very advanced program. In other words, I don't what in the hell to do with it except play with the keyboards that make drum sounds. lol

[AHadley]

GoldWave, and access to Cubase VST5 (I think) and Sibelius 5 at school.

[King Gladiator]

I play the piano, my favorite song is my own variation of Pachelbels Canon in D, i can also play around with other songs but i like playing Canon, the Diary of Jane, My Immortal, Bring Me to Life, and other stuff i find laying around.

[King Gladiator]

Also im into ballroom dance im on my team at our high school

[AHadley]

Some nice tunes in there, I wish I was a proper pianist... I'm more like what a rhythm guitarist is to guitar to piano... if you know what i mean