Audio/Visual Software (help?)

Hi folks,

I did not want to start a fresh thread for this so I am tagging it on to this existing one (of mine):

I you wanted to re-write (just for fun!) the sound-track to a video then would you start by using the You-Tube GRABBER to download it onto your PC. Then, considering I would not require ANY sound of the original video whatsoever (ie dialogue, FX, diagesics, and obviously sound-track etc), is it possible (in Cubase) to MUTE everything (ie so it is just like a SILENT movie [ie Charlie Chaplin!]). I know that people have used Cubase for video music but this is something I have never done before. So I wanted to see if what I am asking is at least possible?

Then, I would jam my own soundtrack along to the video (probably on my NORD or/and Yamaha DX7) which I assume can be done also?

This is not serious and it is just an Idea I have had for a while. It may not happen (because once I start it may because apparent that I am not skilled enough to perform the necessaries), however, I would at least like to gain some insight into how it might be done.

As you will see from above, I was originally thinking of purchasing CAMTASIA but I am again not sure if I can justify the (£200+) purchase being the complete novice (in this field) that I am!

Thanks in advance . . .

Paul

I sometimes do audio for video, but like you, nothing too serious.
My workflow is the following:

  1. download the video from youtube.
  2. write your music in Cubase. (you can import the video on a video track in Cubase but I’ve not had much luck with it, I usually work without the video).
  3. Export my song to wav or mp3.
  4. Use windows movie maker to silence the original audio and add my own song to the video.
  5. Export the result from moviemaker to your preferred video format.

Windows movie maker is free btw

for example: only the 36 million subsribers to the highest-grossing youtuber in the world?

on topic: i’ve been using camtasia, without external asio bridges. i will just record system sound (“what you hear” loopback) and the mic channel, internally, in cubase. seems like the easiest way to me.

Thanks Strophoid,

I have WMM already downloaded and installed thank you.

I would be very interested please to see a couple of your self-creations if you happen to have any uploaded? That would be quite helpful to see/learn what/how you have done using Cubase and WMM.

Would it be better to, rather than DOWNLOAD the video from You-Tube, purchase an original/genuine DVD copy of it (for the sake of having the best QUALITY file)? I am sure that downloading uploads can cause loss of QUALITY during the processes. In which case then, HOW do you “GRAB” (for lack of a better term!) the video FILE off the physical DVD and then IMPORT it into whatever SOFTWARE you might choose?

If you work WITHOUT the VIDEO (in Cubase) then is it not impossible to compose the music and get it to fit with the Video/Frames/Scenes? Or do you just TIME the parts of the Video of which you need music for, and then COMPOSE music to that exact LENGTH? For example, you use the CLOCK in WMM to attain the LENGTH of the SCENE, and then hop into Cubase and COMPOSE the music to that exact DURATION?

Appreciate your help here.

Paul

Hi Lukas,

Do you think purchasing CAMTASIA would be good and justifiable to perform the tasks I describe directly above? Or, as Strophoid does, do you think the entire project could be done by using Cubase and WMM?

Do you have the STUDENT or PROFESSIONAL copy please? The former is about £100 cheaper.

I think the version is now at CAMTASIA-8?

Best,

Paul

Sorry for the late reply.
My video work consists of either filmed plays for which the audio needs some touchups and music, or existing lyric videos for church where I edit the original song a bit to make it more suitable for church service and then edit the lyric video to fit with the new song.
I don’t own copyrights to these so I can’t share them here unfortunately.

Hi Strophoid,

Ok, that’s fine, I understand.

Cheers,

Paul

i haven’t tried recording with WMM, but i can see on camtasia’s website there’s a free trial so why not try that?

Hi Lukas,

Ta mate. I did try the free trial of Camtasia/Snag-it last year and thought it was excellent.

Anyway, I Skyped CAMTASIA in US and they have kindly offered it to me at the teachers-discount rate of 50% reduction (so £130). I am definitely not going to get a better deal than that anywhere so it looks like I will be going with that.

Its a download/activation-code process.

Being a peripatetic piano teacher does have its perks I guess! lol :slight_smile:

Cheers,

Paul

Hello again,

I have just purchased CAMTASIA 8! Superb customer service (from Liverpool-UK to MI-USA) via Skype, and very quick and easy download process. :slight_smile:

Highly recommended!

Best,

Paul

IGNORE.

IGNORE.

Hi,

In order for me to be able to use my MIC, KEYBOARDS and also record CUBASE (on my Win7 PC) when making a video with CAMTASIA, it was suggested that it might be a good option to purchase a MIXING DESK which has a GROUP OUT facility. I can then feed in the MIC and (say) 3 or 4 x KEYBOARDS, which then, via the GROUP CHANNEL option, run into the INPUT of my CI2+ STEINBERG soundcard, and then (via USB) into my PC/CUBASE/CAMTASIA.

Otherwise, I am not able, due to ASIO limitations in CAMTASIA, to have all 3 x audio’s recorded by CAMTASIA (as it will only record either my MIC and KEYBOARDS, or CUBASE on it’s own). Yes, a right massive pain for sure and I am learning that so many people are complaining about this very same issue/limitation!

Anyway, if I was to go down the route of purchasing a DESK with GROUP OUT’s, then would this be suffice please:

And there is one for sale on eBay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-mixer-MG-16-4-/221818829127?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item33a56eb947

There are also a couple of SOFTWARE options I could take to try and be able to RECORD my CUBASE and everything else in CAMTASIA, but I will discuss these at a later point. I just wanted to get an opinion on this possible hardware solution first please (as at the moment I can RECORD only CUBASE with CAMTASIA).

Thanks a lot,

Paul


(EDIT: Some extra info from the seller I just received:

Paul, let me just a little background on the GROUP option on this mixer.

It is called “4” GROUP buses, but these is really two stereo outputs. The mixer has the main stereo ‘mixed’ output, and you can add channels to that output using the ST button.

It also has a single GROUP 1-2 button each channel. This allows you to select a bunch of channels (irrespective of the ST settings) and output them to the GROUP 1-2 buses. You can use the pan L-R setting to control how much of each channel goes to bus 1 or 2.

There is a separate slider to control the overall output level of the GROUP 1-2, and your can either
a) take the 1-2 output directly from a socket on the back the mixer OR
b) Feed it back into the main stereo output by pressing the TO ST button.

Snazzy desks have squillions of groups, while my mixer basically has one stereo group, which combined with the stereo main output they call ‘4 groups’. This is sort of true, if you use the Pan L-R control, but it’s perhaps grander sounding than it is. Most channels only have one Pan L-R, so you can’t select this independently for the GROUP 1-2 versus the main stereo output. Channels 9/10 and 11/12 have Pan / Balance option put the difference is limited, frankly).

Hi again,

The two softwares I was recommended and promised to mention (to enable the RECORDING of CUBASE and incoming audio) are TAPE IT and VOXENGO WAVE RECORDER:

http://www.silverspike.com/?Products:TapeIt (sliver coloured VST top of web page)

The former costs 20GBP (I think) and the latter is FREE.

Not sure if anyone has any experience with either of these please?

Thanks a lot,

Paul

I was not aware of this one, I am going to check into it in the next few days and will write back. :sunglasses:

Hi NWM,

Thanks, let me know please!

Do you have any experience with CAMTASIA yourself?

Ta,

Paul

NWM,

What did you think of it so far please mate?

Ta,

Paul

this is what I use. the best screen recorder I have found.

here’s an example:

Thanks TC,

I will take a look cheers.

Do you think you could record a basic WEBCAM video with it on a Win_XP? Damn CAMTASIA is just kicking up all types of problems (on my Win_7), so I am having to scale down what I originally intended. Apparently, it is hungry on resources and also (apparently) my PC’s are quite low on SPEC. Been a total waste of money up to now!

Did this s/w capture the SCREEN and the AUDIO of CUBASE all simultaneously? I mean, in CAMTASIA, it will not record the CUBASE (audio) as SYSTEM SOUND. So you have to mess around installing 3rd party s/w to bridge it. I have spent over 6 x weeks on this now!

Now that I have finally more or less gotten it to work, it appears to have all been a waste of time because of incurable LATENCY issues!

Nice You Tube video btw.

Cheers,

Paul

hey man, I’ve actually gone through all the problems you listed and have a solution I’ve worked out for myself xD

here’s a video I made a while ago which explains what to do and what you’ll need.

debut is fantastic because it records high quality mp4 files and doesn’t take up anywhere as much cpu as other screen recorders. to get the audio of cubase while using an asio driver you’ll need an application that can mix the signals down and send it over to the screen recorder in realtime. reaper is pretty good for this and is free (shareware) or 50 bucks for a license which isn’t bad :slight_smile:

hope this helps!

-John