Line and real microphone recording

Not for Pianoteq but for "the real thing", when capturing live performances, I often mix the camera sound to add some ambiance indeed. Just be sure to deactivate the "automatic gain" or whatever it is called to avoid compression artefacts.

Regarding 'line' instead of WAV files. When I put in an ok performance that has been filmed, I would then stop record in Pianoteq and save and name the midi file, then render this file. This would then require my video to be quickly auditioned and a decision to load it to the PC, it could be 20 minutes or so for this to complete. I would then move the audio WAV into the video folder to make sure they were together for editing.

If I use 'line out' (to line in on camcorder) then I can forget about the recording, audition it weeks later knowing it is, apart from some minor editing (cut and title etc) complete.

Thanks tmyoung. I only have two channels running, using ASIO4ALL. To simulate four channels I use the AV amps reverb and find the rear surrounds very inspiring. If I switch the fx off then I find the sound to be 'two' dimensional not 3D as I am after. Interesting the TC6000 has random effect. Regarding reverb, and I'm no expert, I wonder if a room mic (stereo) will be better than any digital reverb unit ever made, simply because it is real and reacts to many changes.

The Canon is set with no auto gain and EQ off, this however is not the case if audio mix is on (line and internal mics) but this is only for testing balance etc. One cable from mixer to camcorder is really the big benefit for me, the line to camcorder is already set for my next videos, regardless of the mics not been ordered yet. I have a good Sony stereo dynamic mic, great sound but not loud enough, it's ok for very close surround speakers but not what I'm after.

I live near a market and do like my recordings to have these sounds in them, also, seagulls nearby do add further interest to my piano videos.

Thanks Qexl. Yes I think just two mics for room ambience and stereo line should do it. In an 'ideal world' one would simply use a good external stereo mic with a video camera and start filming. In reality this wouldn't work, although the Canon DM-100 optional stereo mic (powered by the HF G26 mini hot shoe) has always been tempting, just not a realistic choice so I haven't bought one, yet.

I have a demo video on YouTube, sorry don't know how to do a link, never done that before. But I'm sure you will find it and if anyone wants to do a link that would be appreciated. My YouTube channel is nick dixon, the video title is Canon HF G26 Line Recording with Pianoteq.

The video is a line level recording only, the microphone 'thing' is about a month off yet (still saving up).

Any feedback on this forum would be great.

P.S As all my videos now are made using loud speakers, headphones are not required to hear this at it's best, even a mobile phone will not require headphones!!

Many thanks Qexl. Really appreciate that!

There are some tips I have for video making which for anyone here on this forum, I'm more than happy to share. In this vid I try to cover some of the questions raised on the forum. Sync issues have been discussed recently and this line level method solves this.

I'm more of a tester than a researcher, and still simple things like cut and paste seem beyond me. I will do some reading on links.

Thanks again Qexl

You're most welcome Nick - will be really good to see your upcoming videos

Also, so respect your efforts and enjoying observing the fruits from that.. so cool.

Not sure how you're measuring MeDorian, but here's a plugin I think is great - has a Youtube setting, so you don't need to wrestle directly with all the controls..

Youlean Loudness Meter 2. 

It's USD $ 47 super handy to have the ability to click/select for the various streaming services settings within it.  The free version will allow you to test it and measure without specific platforms and might be fine if you're OK to just aim for around  "-14LUFS" but the paid version has the magical Youtube and other streaming services in the menu - and it updates every so often, handy if the platforms change their specs and measures. There are others but I like this for simplicity and complexity in one.

Props for taking down your video if you believed it was too high, that shows authoritative intuition on the fly

It was good on my browser I thought though, but certainly let your ears guide beyond the visual cues in the last steps.

There's still a lot of subjective appreciation in this and on computers and devices, many consumers will associate high volume directly with quality. Pop music is probably the thing these platforms' filters work best with and music like solo piano may have mostly low signal with several high peaks, therefore might not be as simple to trust visual monitoring and algorithms alone. (pop carries a lot of flat static peak material up near max levels and dipping only in verses a little etc.).

So, although you can use metering to find technical accuracy on paper so to speak - always do like you did and trust your ears in the end

Maybe collect a group of bookmarked Youtube videos, great sounding ones with similar music to yours as well as some other genres for comparison. Listen between these and yours as a routine when you've uploaded your video. This can help your ears decide "Oh.. mine is definitely sounding too loud/soft".

Thanks Qexl and tmyoung! The video was made so I could see and hear how the sync was compared to my previous videos, also it was a test to upload to the VP9 YouTube processor. These went to plan but I had not realized how high the volume was, it didn't distort and sounded good on speakers. My mixer etc were only briefly setup ready for when I bought the mics.

This will be the one draw back to recording this way, if I make an error then I will not be able to correct it in editing as with midi files. So really I need to make sure I set the levels properly, this should then be ready for all my vids.

I'm sure I will be able to do this by ear, I have always done in the past, metering is available on Pianoteq, mixer and camcorder, although I will have a proper look at the recommendations for camcorder levels. I will though look at software options.

Thanks again for your advice here, Nick

I’ve found your video very disappointing!  It’s disappointing it seems to end too quickly just to allow me to put down my iPad from something as breathtakingly beautiful as it is serene.

https://youtu.be/My6GiCm562g

Microphone test video using Thomann t.bone EM 800 stereo pair.

I will be using this setup (as in the video description) to add ambience to my Pianoteq recordings. I have done tests recording my surround (effects) channel with great results. Pianoteq is now 3D sounding even when two track mastering.

I will post my results in the near future, I have some piano composition to complete first. The Djembe test video will at least give some idea how ambience can 'lift' a recording. As I have said before, 'something magical happens when you open up the mics', Nick

Thanks Qexl, your opinion is highly valued by me, really appreciate that, Nick

Oh wow Nick, fabulous transportative music and great sound. Love it and feel it.

It's precious, the sense of inspiration from beautiful instruments like the Dohnal - you inhabit the sort of soul of this purely here - wonderful!

Since topic is recording, only idea worth mentioning on those lines, might be that although final Youtube volume level could be just a touch higher (for consumer web systems, for some measure of average.. only saying because my sys vol is set quite high and I want to raise it for this piece) despite that, in a perhaps higher sense, that seems unimportant here because as a piece of genuine art, a lower volume does somehow luxuriantly suit its sense of contemplative reverie/mood to be sure.

Sincere thanks for sharing your triumphs with your audio and your art and obvious passion, talents and hard work, it's genuinely such a pleasure to me.

You're so welcome Nick.

Just love how Pianoteq allows this luxury to us, to feel virtually the same sense as composers through history. That old quest "how do I express my feelings" is actually quite divine on the lovely old instruments. Modern artists should all visit this space, IMO.

Something immensely satisfying about sitting calm, playing freely one of the historical pianos - giving yourself the chance to be as one with pure music in that universal way - really made my day witnessing it in your fashion   Wishing you always the best.

Good to hear Feel so very differently enchanted in certain ways by each one at separate times.

Thanks Amen Ptah Ra!

I remember seeing reviews on the Korg Handrum in the early 90's, very expensive but looked interesting. I think they produced a similar product more recently but I might be mistaking it for the Roland Handsonic as you mentioned.

I play the Djembe with piano like technique using fingers. My favorite though is the drum placed horizontal, and to play one handed with the other hand inside the base opening to change pitch, similar to a trombone, the pitch surprisingly becomes lower and one can actually create music, real fun!! Nick

Interesting, you play on a djembe as though it were a talking drum one gets from Nigeria (or any online musical instrument store).

If you can ever afford a genuine talking drum, I would like to encourage you just to get it perhaps instead.  And, develop your technique seriously as a drummer if ever you’re interested only.

When your budget is low you put of course to use what you already got.  Even though, sometime you may appreciate the drum that much more unnecessarily repurposed.

Well MeDorian, my setup seems a good one now in the confines of the apartment next to a just closed hospital of the local archdiocese to me and to which this apartment of mine was a part.

Will have soon though just as a drummer to post something from my own playing using naturally that setup.

My plan is to use just line level audio and MDI from my Handsonic.  I’m considering additionally a possible leap into video recording via a Xiaomi Fimi Palm or Sony ZV-1.

I feel I’m going to have to stride however to get video quality any as good as yours!  Yours you’ve deleted is some of the best I’ve ever seen at this forum.

Thank you!

This is a very nice recording & interpretation—thanks for sharing.
Have you tried it on any of the other historic pianos?  'seems to me it might sound especially nice on the Ph. Schmidt square piano (1780) from the Karsten collection (with your diapason at around 392 and using something like an Artusi temperament)...