How To Record Digital Audio: a beginner's guide
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- Опубліковано 1 лип 2024
- How to record digital audio! This is a very comprehensive video explaining everything you need to know about recording digital audio. For music, videos, film making, podcasts, voiceovers, foley, sound design, field recording, and the rest. It's all talk, so it's good for listening while doing other stuff.
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Feel free to skip to your desired chapter:
00:00 - Intro
01:12 - Overview
01:35 - Sample Rates
06:09 - Bit Depth
10:24 - Input Levels
14:00 - Capture Devices & Color
23:18 - TLDR Sum-Up
#recording #digitalaudio #howtorecord #audio #audioadvice #howto #audioforbeginners #samplerates #bitdepth #filmaudio #musicrecording #voiceover
Gear Used in this video:
-Townsend Labs L22 (UAD DLX) Sphere Mic (103/VM1)
-Universal Audio Apollo Twin X (SSL Pre)
-Rycote InVision Shockmount
-Canon M50
-Sigma 30mm 1.4 EF-M Lens
-Sennheiser HD25 Headphones
-Manfrotto BeFree Tripod
-Manfrotto Mini Tripod (MixPre Mount)
-Godox ML60 Continuous Light
-Godox 32" Softbox with Grid
-GVM LED light panel (backlight)
-Pixel GS1 RGB Light
-Godox VL49 RGB Light
-Canadian Studio 5-in-1 Reflector
Links to purchase all my gear below! Please use them, I could really use the bones to help make more videos!
My film Kit:
kit.co/The_Recordists/film-kit
My Music Recording Kit:
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16 and 24 bit refer to a “word length” of that many bits. Each word contains one sample of audio. The sample is a set of bits that represents a voltage obtained by sampling, say, a microphone. (Later, those samples can be turned back into voltages and sent to an amplifier/loudspeaker.)
32-bit Float means instead of a simple set of bits the representation of the voltage in each sample is expressed in 32-bit Floating Point format. Floating point is a computer technique needed for doing arithmetic on very small numbers to very large numbers, and positive and negative if needed. There are videos explaining the details and since I am an Electrical Engineer I can follow those videos but it isn’t easy. Forces me back to 1971 when I knew this stuff in some detail. Simple 32 bit can encode an excellent range of voltage samples. 32-bit Float can encode a mind-boggling range.
Still, this is an excellent example of how technology is improving our lives.
And, excellent video by the way. Useful to me.
Thanks so much for this! It’s excellent! Once again, I’m going to pin it! Cheers!
idk why, but this video is so damn calming
Oh thank you very much! And thanks for watching!
This is an excellent exploration of digital audio recording. Whether you're new to audio and even video recording or you've been doing recording work for years, you're going to learn - or be reminded of - knowledge that will make your recordings noticeably better.
Hey thanks, Stephen! I really appreciate that comment! I hope it helps people! And thanks for watching!
Holly Molly! That's a goldmine of knowledge right there. Thank you very much for this lecture, it's eye...Ear opening!
Hey! That’s the same thing my wife always says to me - minus the positive bits! Haha.
Thanks for watching! And thanks for the great comments!
Bravo! Not exactly the info I was looking for, but so well explained and pleasant that I could not almost skip anything!
Oh thanks! What info are you looking for?
What you said I discover by myself along the years by instinct and experimenting. It's good to listen that I am right from another specialized people like you.
Oh that’s wonderful! That’s how I started! Glad to meet another audio recording lover!
Great video. I liked the analogy of the cup for bit. I tried to explain it on the weekend but a audio/visual demonstration was needed. This will help me in the future.
I'd love to see a video of you in the field doing some field recording for sound effects and natural sounds. Always great to see in field workflows too.
Thanks for the videos!
Hey thanks, Armand! I sure hope it’ll help you and anyone else! It’s hard to know what others know already and when I watch it back I’m thinking, “ho hum… boring stuff”. But I’m glad to see so many are getting some good nuggets from it!
Yes. I will be doing a series of field recording how-to videos in the spring/summer. It’s been just insane weather up here in the North Pole 😉.
Thanks for watching!
@TheRecordist Looking forward to it. I'm fairly new to recording and learn new tricks when I watch videos but they are too far and between.
Do you use field recordings in music at all or is it all for work and collecting?
@@armandhammer2223 hey Armand. Yes. I have used field recording in music but generally I’m a private collector of sounds. I’ll be making a public library one day. But for now I’m just enjoying collecting them. Cheers!
The bits and herz part will stick with me forever, thanks 👍
Haha. That’s great! Thanks for watching!
Excellent!!! I already knew you are a perfect teacher, but this video even surpassed that. I loved watching it; even when you are teaching us the nerdy stuff you are able to keep it amusing. Perfect.
Hey thanks, Roland! I really appreciate that!
Thank you for this video :D I think this is the first time someone has just plainly explained what bit rate actually does
You’re very welcome! I’m glad it helped you! Cheers!
I was frightened when you stated that this video would be with less than normal humor. But then you picked up you tape measure and all was right with the world. By the way, excellent video. Everything that audio lovers who are not professionals were embarrassed to ask. Thank you!
Oh you’re very welcome! I hope this helps some people! I’ll do a more hands on video about capturing audio for video soon. Cheers!
Excellent stuff.
Entertaining and informative.
This is the educational breath of fresh air I've been looking for.
You enjoy something and you remember the details and like every great teacher, you inspire.
Hey thanks so much! I’m so glad it helped you! I appreciate your wonderful comments, Christopher!
Keep doing these videos me and the gang love them fr♥️💥💯
Hey thanks, Gonzo! I’ll do my best! Cheers!
Great stuff mate! Learnt a ton.
Thanks great! Thanks so much for watching!
Thanks Captain! Hoist up the sails!
Hahaha! Make it so!
I've been using a daw blindly and getting stuff hit and miss. That was a real eye opener thanks fir all that clear info. ❤
Hey, no worries at all! I’m glad I could help! Cheers!
Grat video. Been looking around for something like this for a minute.
Thank you very much! Cheers!
Wow. Amazing channel! Glad I came across it. Just scrolled thru your videos.
Hey thanks so much! Cheers!
student from germany here,, i just wanted to say your video are incredibly helpful thanks alot and keep it going !!!!
Hey thanks so much! I appreciate you leaving that wonderful comment! Beifall!
Valuable information.
Thanks!
I really can’t emphasize enough how great your videos are. You’re making them better than most of you UA-camrs. I’d say better than 95% of them. at least in my opinion. You’re one of the coolest guys ever. thank you.
Hey thanks so much! What a kind compliment! I appreciate that! Cheers!
That was a pretty cool knowledge package.
Thanks so much! Cheers!
Fabulous: much appreciated.
You’re very welcome! Cheers!
Great video!
Thank you so much!
Great great content and thank you for sharing! Professional cinematographer for years and been dabbling in audio now for some time. Well done on every aspect of your video and super helpful.
Hey thanks so much! I’m glad I’ve been able to help! Thanks for watching! Cheers!
Thank you for this. I just picked up a Portacapture X8 for work, and I'm considering if field recording is something I'd like to explore. Maybe a weird comment, but you have such a radio voice and your clear breakdown of complex subject matter in an entertaining way reminds me of Alan Cross.
Oh thanks so much! That’s quite a compliment! I appreciate that!
Field recording is the coolest! And unless you’ve managed to create libraries to sell, it’s a very personal hobby. Most people won’t care about what you capture. But YOU will. And listening back to your recordings brings much joy - at least, it does for me!
I wish you much luck with your new X8!
Cheers!
Great video! Super informative!
Thanks Hans! I hope it helps! Cheers!
@@TheRecordist all your videos help a super lot. This one got me thinking back to recording on ADATs in in 90's!
@@hansstorsberg2022 oh I remember those days! Are we ever spoiled now! Hahaha
@@TheRecordist yes we are although sometimes it is overwhelming with so many choices. Lol
@@hansstorsberg2022 agreed!
How do I say this, awesome tutorial. Explaining a subject that is not always the most exciting yet you found a way to make it interesting and easily understood. Many other videos focus on the tech and settings and don't really explain the why? How can anyone learn to master a subject without learning the fundamental reasons something is done the way it is. Thank you!
Oh you’re very welcome! And thanks for the awesome compliment! Very much appreciated!
I'd love to see a tips guide to field recording nature and action settings like planes or vehicles
I am definitely working on some of those. I’ll have some this summer for sure! Thanks for watching!
@@TheRecordist Your welcome and great news. I've been field recording as a hobby for several years now and I never knew about the levels thing 😂
Makes complete sense though.
@@TheSound0fLegends there you go!
Hi, it might be random but...could you please make a video about "Lufs" ? I'm so confused!!! By the way, thank you for doing all this. I'm learning so much!
That’s not random at all! Yes I absolutely can! I’ll try to do one in the next few weeks. Maybe a little mini video about it. Cheers!
@@TheRecordist lufs and rmv and the difference;)
@@nellomaxim roger that!
@@nellomaxim but just so you know. LUFS means Loudness Units Full Scale. Just perceived loudness measured in units. -14 is what UA-cam likes.
Just to get you started. Haha.
Hello, and thank you for sharing your time with us. I have been trying to do some recording for my wife as she plays singing bowls. Partly based on some of your videos, I chose to use line audio mics for this. I am powering them with a rode pro caster. The problem I have is an occasional clicking sound. I am thinking that for some reason, despite me keeping my recording levels low at the acceptable DB range that the resonance from the singing bowls is causing a clip having listened to your video and it’s entirety I wonder if 32 bit float might fix this but I was curious to know if you had any thoughts on my problem I have listen to others play singing Bowls on TikTok and I hear them have the same issue if not worse than me even though it is a small and brief click, it is extremely jarring to me. Thank you for taking the time to read and perhaps answer my question.
Hey. Ok, could you send me a sample? the_tps@protonmail.com
I’ll see if I can discern what’s going on. Cheers!
@@TheRecordist I definitely will but I travel for work so it will be this weekend. Thank you.
@@Grumpe3games no worries!
@@TheRecordist ua-cam.com/video/h_iDMeEA9Gc/v-deo.html
this is an unlisted video I made showing the issue
@@Grumpe3games hey. Ok. That’s not clipping. 32 bit will not fix this. So let eliminate a possible issue.
Are you recording in 48KHz? If not, you should be, because 44.1kHz doesn’t always play nice with videos.
That’s definitely not clipping. That’s a digital glitch. Like a sync issue or an encoding issue. It may be the RodeCaster. Honestly lately I’ve heard nothing but problems with those units. Is it a RodeCaster 2?
It’s not a resonance issue. In fact, the glitch aside, it sounds great. You’re miking properly and it has great separation and a full and robust sound. It’s not the mics. It’s not resonance. It’s a literal digital glitch.
Do you have any other recorders or an audio interface with two XLR ins that you can compare with?
Can you zoom in on the wav and see the glitch?
How about playing that wav file NOT in davinci? I don’t mean to export it from davinci and play it elsewhere. I mean take the original file and use a different player. Or even play it back on the RodeCaster itself.
I’d bet money that it’s not clipping.
Let me know. You can also take a sample of the original wav file and send it to my email so I can really zoom in on it.
Let me know about these things. I’d like to help you.
What do I apply for to learn this in school? Any good school recommendations for this? I tried to explain before and got placed in classes learning about becoming a newscaster not what I wanted a waste of time and money for me.
Oh I’m sorry to hear that. What type of audio would you like to get into? That’ll help me give you some better suggestions.
Or am I Dig Duggler? Anyways - great video.
Hahaha. Thanks, Matt!
I am trying to record audio with my newly purchased XM8500 and mackie producer 2*2 audio interface. Even with the gain level turn just shy from maximum , audio meter in audacity just go till -30/-24 Db. Is this expected ? do I have to boost that in post ?
Hi there. I apologize. I don’t have much experience with either pieces of gear, however, a cursory look at the gear tells me some stuff.
Dynamic mics tend to need a lot of gain to run. And the Mackie Producer 2x2 is a very low gain interface. In fact, I just now read many reviews where it’s noted that the preamps inside it are very weak and won’t work well for a dynamic mic.
Boosting in post is an option.
You have some other choices if you don’t want to boost in post. Each will cost money.
First choice is to go for a condenser mic which doesn’t need much gain to run, but will pick up everything around you - including cars outside.
Second choice is to purchase an in-line preamp to go between the XM8500 and the 2x2 (sE Dynamite or FetHead or Cloudlifter).
Third choice is to upgrade your interface to one with at least 60dB of clean gain.
The cheapest (free) way would be to boost in post, and that could get noisy. So running a noise reduction plugin could help - depending on the types of stuff recorded.
The second cheapest way is the in-line preamp.
Sorry about that. Hope this helped in some way.
@@TheRecordist Thanks for all the information. I wish I knew this before spending so much. Interestingly I only saw positive review for both these product in insolation , never thought they don't play well together.
@@TheRecordist Any recommendation for the interface which can give me 60DB of gain
@@monarksinghyede hey there. So sorry. It sucks. Most cheap interfaces are perfectly fine for condenser mics. But dynamics struggle a bit.
Way cheaper to get an sE Dynamite stick than a new interface, but if you wanted to go the interface route, Audient, Apogee, and Apollos all usually have 60dB of gain.
Like an Audient ID44.
But like I said, way cheaper to just buy a dynamite stick or a Triton FetHead.
Hi, this is totally unrelated question but which camera and lens do you use?
Hey. No worries. I use the Sigma 30mm 1.4 EF-M for most of my videos. It’s a Canon M50. Not the second one. The original. Hope this helps!
@@TheRecordist Thank you so much!
Unpopular question (yes noob again).
For a talking head video, with well controlled levels, requiring no other post-production than level slight level adjustment.
Would It make any difference to record 44kHz 24 bits or MP3 320 kbits/s ?
When contents destination is UA-cam anyway ?
(UA-cam sure crushes video, but same with sound?)
This is a great question. Would you like me to answer it here or on video?
I'll answer it here. For a minute there I thought this question was on my ASK ME ANYTHING video.
UA-cam does compress audio and video but it DOES make a difference if your original audio was recorded in MP3. It will squash already squashed audio. If you're going for quality, then I fully recommend recording your video's audio in 48kHz --- not even 44.1. If you're just ripping off quick videos to upload, and quality isn't your concern then it doesn't matter. But you can get around some of the bad compression that UA-cam does. Here is a trick: When editing regular 1080p HD video for UA-cam (whether in DaVinci, Premiere, Final Cut, or LumaFusion), edit on a 4K timeline and render it out at 4K resolution with restricted video bitrate at 80,000, and choose PCM audio. This will render a very high quality video and you then upload that as 4K to youtube and then UA-cam will treat the video and audio much better. Less bad compression, better video and audio. You also want to go for a -14 LUFS target so UA-cam doesn't automatically set the loudness.
Hope this helps!
@@TheRecordist Ok, Hmm Loudness, did not know that UA-cam messes with that as well.
@@daniel635biturbo yep. So always best to try to get within 3dB from 14 LUFS.
@@TheRecordist After reading about LUFS, I realize that's way over my head, but also somehow a really deep rabbit hole 😂
The loudest sound ever made was 240db!!
Was it even louder? Krakatoa! Boom!
Commit no mistakes and still lose. I'm like that is so profound...then I'm like...hang on that's Jean Luc Picardism
Hahaha. You’re damn right! Picard FTW!
Cool t-shirt! A bit NSFW at times :)
Hahahahah! I just noticed that! It’s supposed to be “Canal Days”. Hahahahaha
I know who you really are. You are Q!!!!
I hope you mean from Star Trek TNG. Hahaha. In that case, you are correct! Hahaha.
@@TheRecordist of course. THAT Q! ;p
@@windpeoples then in that case, “As I learn more and more what it is to be human, I am more and more convinced that I would never make a good one.”
And that’s the straight truth. Hahaha
@@TheRecordist "I understand what you've done here, Q, but I think the lesson could have been learned without the loss of eighteen members of my crew" - one of Picard's best replies to Q.
@@windpeoples oh man. I love it! Tell me, have you watched the last season of Picard yet? If not, boy are you in for a treat!
jesus christ man you keep turning up nuggets - you making UA-cam a better place 🫡 (you know this guy is not full of it when he uses Metric! - the unit of SCIENCE!)
Haha. Thanks, man! I really appreciate it! Ah yes, metric. It’s where it’s at! I use inches in my videos because USA is my largest demographic so I’m trying to cater to that. Same with US pricing. I’m a metric dude, though. I mean come on, it’s 0C outside right now. Not 32F. Haha.
Thanks for the awesome comment and for watching my videos! Cheers!
(PS - I made partner 🤓)