I've being thinking about the logistics of recording and file handling.

Usually for a small project I just record away and sort out the files later, but for this one I'm definitely going to have a lot of video and audio files to sort out and match up later, and they will all need editing together.

I've come up with (well, pinched from pro film-making) the idea of using a cue card for each shot (to easily identify each video clip) and announcing the same information aloud (ditto for each audio file). So, I invested (a whole £2.75!) in an A4 dry wipe board with pen and eraser from ebay, which duly arrived on Wednesday, so I'm all set now.

I also find it useful to do a clap to the camera once video and audio are running, as it helps to sync up audio with video later on while editing.

I'm presently letting my laptop (which I'll use to run the audio recording software) do all its windows updates, as it doesn't get switched on that often, so it gets well behind.

I'm expecting to set up for some actual recording next week.

Meanwhile, I've been mucking about with my mic test video and have found that a bit of reverb actually creates more of a difference between the 2 mic configurations, and I definitely prefer the XY.

I was always going to add a little reverb to the final edit, as it helps blend the instruments together (also the recordings in a small room tend to be very dry and somehow unrefined) I'll maybe upload the one with added reverb to YouTube so I can link to it here.

EDIT: Link to same video but with a bit of reverb:

Ooh, look what I found (warning - the sound quality is rubbish on this video)! 

ab_channel=LunneWadenius

The music is free at imslp as well:

https://imslp.org/wiki/2_Inter.....%2C_Ethel)

The next project is writing itself.

@ELCBK Yeah, I'd never heard of her either. I was browsing in imslp looking for something I'd be likely to be able to play (the fiddle part being the crucial one, as my weakest instrument) when I came across this and it looked ideal.

Anyway, back to the Bouree. I've been setting up the recording area this morning, and this is how it looks right now. I'll be sitting on my guitar stool in front of the radiator.

I was too knackered to post this last night, but it didn't go well with the recording yesterday.

I warmed up nicely and was in a good frame of mind, but as soon as I tried to start the audio recorder, Audacity decided it couldn't connect to the audio interface. 15 frustrating minutes later I found that creating a new project would allow it to work; however it randomly stopped working twice more during the recording session.

All this carry on meant my flow was well and truly broken and I played pretty poorly; in fact I doubt if I can cobble together one decent performance from all the takes.

Add to that the fact that when I exported all the audio files I found that Audacity had switched the sample rate from 48 to 44.1 kHz so all the audio was recorded at the wrong rate. This in itself is probably not a huge deal, as it's hard (if not impossible) to tell the difference audibly - however my video editor exports at 48khz, so there might be some degradation with the conversion. All probably not a huge deal, but combined with my below-par playing made for a very depressing evening.

I'm still not sure what the problem was, because everything worked fine during the test recordings the day before (also I tried the audio interface on my desktop PC this morning, with the same version of Windows 10 and Audacity, and it worked fine). The only suspect is a rather aging USB lead I had lying around that I used to connect the interface to the laptop - but I'm not convinced it was that.

Anyway, I need to sort that out before I try recording again and that means a delay. Adding to that, our bathroom fitters phoned yesterday to say that they will be coming early to fit our new bathroom, so they will be here in the middle of next week instead of the week after, so I have to clear the loft (US = attic) above the bathroom so they can get access to fit the new lights (a major challenge with my back!). I was really hoping to get all the recording out of the way before they came.

So, I'm going to leave this project where it is for at least a couple of weeks. I need to regroup, and now I can't see any way of getting it all done before the new bathroom is fitted (there's bound to be a lot of noise, as well as disruption, so no chance of recording while it's being done).

I might post my best 'cobbled together' version from the session if I can get one edited together.

ELCBK said
@Jim Dunleavy -

So sorry you had all that trouble! 

That's very depressing, especially after all the work you've put in so far. 

How's Audacity customer support?  Or, maybe someone here will offer some good advice. 

I used to get so frustrated with my PC and programs, was ready to throw everything in the trash.  Only way I keep my sanity is to think of them as 'people'. 

...and we ALL know 'people' do strange things, for no apparent reason. (lol) 

I'd normally say there's no rush, but will you have to re-tune the piano again - if you have to wait to record for a few weeks? 

 

 

- Emily

  

Thanks Emily. Audacity's freeware, so not sure about support, but it must be something in my setup, because I've used it for years with that interface and never had a problem before (though it is a new version).

The piano already needs touching up, but it won't be a big job, as it's already up to pitch (spot on in fact) so I'll just have to put a few unisons right, where one string has moved slightly. It's to be expected, especially since my pin-setting skills are rusty (and they were never that great to start with).