iPhone for recording audio?

Eldor

Member Location: Montreal, Canada Joined: Feb 27, 2015 10:13 Messages: 112 Offline

Solved by

Mar 20, 2015 15:28

I'm trying to do tutorial-type videos and as a beginner with video, my results suck, particularly the audio. It was suggested that I get a lapel mic and use that instead of relying on one of the cameras to record the audio.

What I ended up buying (rightly or wrongly) is a Rode SmartLav+ microphone with the idea of using my iPhone with that mic to record the speaker's audio. Then sync it all up together.

Is anyone here using an iPhone to do this? If so, what app are you using on the iPhone and what format do you suggest saving the audio in?

For starting off I have the free Rode Rec LE app, and so far I'm not terribly impressed with it. Should I upgrade to the $6.99 (here in Canada) Rode Rec app? The LE version only offers AIFF (which I found PDR13 doesn't understand), WAVE and CAF. The full app adds several other formats including MP3, AAC, Apple Lossless, FLAC "and more".

But I also see there are audio recording apps from other developers which appear to do the same or similar. Almost all of them cost money (granted, not a lot, but it would be time-consuming to test them all) so there are certainly other choices out there.

Do any of you kind folks have any suggestions?

Thanks!

PIX

Senior Contributor Joined: Sep 21, 2011 00:02 Messages: 2910 Offline

Mar 20, 2015 19:02

Hello Eldor,

I'd like to be able to offer some advice on the basis of direct experience, but cannot. I do all my audio (for video) recording through (a) a RØDE NTG-1, (b) the built in mic on my Canon (which is surprisingly good in a variety of situations), or (c) a Zoon H2n

Hopefully, someone may be able to assist with some "proper" advice.

In the meantime, I can provide maybe a few pointers.

ADR does support AIFF. From the Help File - CyberLink AudioDirector supports the import of audio and video files in the following formats:
Audio: AIF, AIFF, CAF, FLAC, MP3, M4A (AAC, ALAC), OGG, WAV, WMA**.

I've read comments on & reviews of both APPS you mentioned (you'll find them easily) & it would appear that RØDE Rec has considerably better filtering & control features than the LE version. I wouldn't choose it on the basis of the extra output options. I'd say the small extra investment would be well worh it. Having said that, I've read quite negative reviews of both APPS.

https://youtu.be/V-nkqmvTlmw

Sorry I'm unable to share any direct experience.

PIX

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at Mar 20. 2015 19:02

PIX YouTube channel

Eldor

Member Location: Montreal, Canada Joined: Feb 27, 2015 10:13 Messages: 112 Offline

Mar 21, 2015 11:02

PIX thanks for your reply.

For you and anyone else interested, after looking at a bunch of apps and reading reviews, I settled on "Voice Record Pro".

And my initial tests have surpassed my hopes. The app itself is great and offers a lot of options both for the audio format and what you do with it afterwards. The free version works just as well as the pro version but has ads that I wanted to get rid of.

This is REALLY cool!

I set up three cameras for a test, used the Rode SmartLav+ mic on my lapel connected to the iPhone in my back pocket and started filming. I first gave a sound clap.

I then added my three video clips to the Multicam Editor in PDR13, added my separate audio track and told the ME to sync all the clips. It did a fantastic job!

And the audio I got was WAY better than from any of the three cameras but the audio from the cameras was enough to allow the synchronization of everything.

Oh, and PIX, about ADR supporting AIFF files, you're probably correct. But I didn't try that. What I'd tried was to bring the AIFF audio file into the Media Room of PDR13 and it gave me an unsupported format message. I guess I should have just done it all through ADR instead.

I'm now a happy camper. (Or I would be if the darn snow would leave!)

PIX

Senior Contributor Joined: Sep 21, 2011 00:02 Messages: 2910 Offline

Mar 21, 2015 13:57

Eldor,

That's great news! For others in the same situation, this will be a useful reference point.

It looks like your previously posted "hum" issue will be a thing of the past because you've now set up the right environment & equipment to give you a clear audio source for your instructional videos.

PIX PIX YouTube channel