I AM

happyrat1

Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
13,745
Reaction score
5,531
Location
GTA, Canada
Hi Syntheside...

Welcome to the forum.

As for the track you posted? Keep working at it. The sound quality is very poor. Did you record it on a cellphone mic?

My advice is to learn how to input your keys directly to your computer for your recordings.

Otherwise, enjoy your stay. Everyone here shares the same journey of perfecting his or her craft.

Gary ;)
 

Fred Coulter

Collector of ancient keyboards
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
825
Reaction score
427
Location
Central Florida
If you're recording this on a video camera or on your computer, look for a microphone input. If you're recording this on your cell phone, you need to get a video camera or a camera attached to your computer. I don't know of any cell phones with microphone (or line) inputs.

I've connected a video camera to my keyboard with this cord. I use the plug a quarter inch plug into each of the two outputs -- my keyboard is stereo -- and the eighth inch goes to the line in on my camera. If you're camera (or computer) only takes a monophonic input, use the mono output and a simple quarter inch to eighth inch cord.

By doing this, you're only recording the sound of the electronic instrument. Obviously, this won't work if you're recording an acoustic instrument.

I'd also recommend for all productions uploaded to YouTube that you have some sort of picture. If you're not video taping yourself playing, then pictures of you and your gear. Images that inspire the music. Something. YouTube is a video service, and a black box (which is all I saw) isn't very interesting, visually. (This doesn't mean that you should limit yourself to YouTube. There are several services that are audio only. If you use one of those, then you don't need pretty pictures. Or, in my case, ugly images of my hands.)

Once you've done this, we'll probably enjoy your recording much more. I know I'll be watching the Your Music Forum to see your next production.
 
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
29
Reaction score
6
Location
unknown
Yes it was recorded on my phone and the reason the screen is black because sometimes I put my phone or digital camera close to the amp and I don't like showing my face at all I'm not a camera person
 

happyrat1

Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
13,745
Reaction score
5,531
Location
GTA, Canada
The problem is that when you record on a phone mic the mic is not designed for hi fidelity recording. Also acoustics and background noises also get picked up and the result is an insult both the listener and the artist.

Seriously you could solve the problem easily with a $10 adapter cable that plugs directly from your keyboard or mixer to your computer's sound card line input.

All you have to do then is record the file as a WAV with free software and then convert it to an MP3 with different free software.

Otherwise it's difficult to offer either praise or criticism since no one here can actually tell what they're listening to.

And if you don't want to put in the effort to create a video with the music I'd suggest posting the MP3 on Soundcloud.com.

I too am camera shy and I post all my tracks as audio only over on Soundcloud.

Gary ;)
 
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
29
Reaction score
6
Location
unknown
Well Gary I'm glad you and I agree about being camera shy. Erm I do have a Flip camera from I want to say 2010 I think. But I think I need to invest in something much higher quality maybe. Now WAV and recording how do I go and do that because I have never had to record on a laptop before
 

happyrat1

Destroyer of Eardrums!!!
Joined
May 30, 2012
Messages
13,745
Reaction score
5,531
Location
GTA, Canada
Physical hookup from Keyboard or mixer to computer couldn't be simpler.

Get the right cable.

https://www.amazon.com/Hosa-CMP-159-Stereo-Breakout-Cable/dp/B005HGM1D6

If all you own is one keyboard then plug the 1/4" plugs into the keyboard's line outs and the 3.5 mm plug into either the blue line input on your laptop or the red mic input if that's all your laptop has.

BTW, the latest Windows 10 laptops have only a single dual purpose audio jack now. Stupid I know but you'd have to unplug any external speakers and configure the unijack to line input with device manager I guess. I'm foggy on exactly how to do this these days cause like I said, I'm a linux guy.

A better approach might be to buy a secondary USB soundcard for cheap and then you'd have proper inputs AND outputs.

https://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&field-keywords=usb soundcard&index=blended&link_code=qs&sourceid=Mozilla-search&tag=wwwcanoniccom-20

At this point you could simply use any recording utility like Windows own Soundrec to record the keyboard as a WAV file and any freeware MP3 converter to convert the WAV to MP3.

There are also freeware DAW programs out there (Digital Audio Workstations) that integrate all of these features as well as MIDI sequencing thru the USB connection and Audio Multitrack Recording and Looping as well as integrating VSTi plugins.

You can find out how to use these programs with a few simple google searches and youtube searches such as "Reaper Tutorial" or "Anvil Studio Tutorial" to name a couple of them.

Believe me, producing a quality product takes a bit of sweat and blood and tears to master the techniques but they are well worth the effort.

There are other freeware DAWs out there as well as quite a few budget priced commercial ones such as Cakewalk Music Creator 6.

I'm sure others will jump in with other suggestions as well.

But this should steer you in the right direction.

Gary ;)
 
Joined
Jun 28, 2014
Messages
1,955
Reaction score
1,911
Location
Adelaide, Australia
I am Syntheside this will forever be my name and here is my YouTube Channel of me playing Keyboard/Synthesizer
Oh great synth lord, thank you for gracing us mere synth serfs with your mighty presence.

While we genuflect in the glory of your magnificence, please humble us with the details of the synths you co opted to record this seminal work, so that we too may take the path to righteous enlightenment.

Oh, and "G'day, cobber".
 

Fred Coulter

Collector of ancient keyboards
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
825
Reaction score
427
Location
Central Florida
As for videos, you don't need to show your face while playing. Generally I've been placing my camera at one end of the keyboard pointing down to the other end. Then I run the cord directly from the keyboard to the camera, and listen to my playing over headphones. My latest video can be found here.

All you see of me is my hands, and (maybe) the color of the shirt I'm wearing.

However, I've decided that having the single static image will get boring over longer videos (and it's a crappy angle for more than one keyboard), so I'm probably going to get a Go Pro type camera and attach it to the ceiling. Then the video software can switch back and forth between the two angles. (The ceiling is lower than you think. My house has "four" bedrooms, but the fourth bedroom is really a very small space with a loft. The loft is big enough for a bed, but we're using it to store stuff. The Kronos is directly under that loft, so the ceiling at that point is maybe six feet off the ground. It should make a good place to stick a camera.)

If that works out, I may actually get yet another camera and show my smiling face. Assuming the camera doesn't break from the view. It might be possible to attach that camera to the top of my keyboard stand, a K&M Spider Pro. I usually play sitting down, so a camera up there might be a good view. Or not.

As for the camera cost? Cameras are getting real cheap. All I'm looking for is one that records 30 fps at 1080x1920. Amazon has some at around US$50. You only need one camera with good sound quality and a stereo microphone input. You'll delete the sound from the other cameras during post-production.

You'll need a good microphone if you tape acoustic music or full bands. (Unless you've got access to the mixer. I've heard a really good bootleg of King Crimson that was taken directly off the mixer.) But even those are getting cheaper. Heck, Zoom just put out a stereo microphone with a video camera built in. And there are others, too.
 

Fred Coulter

Collector of ancient keyboards
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
825
Reaction score
427
Location
Central Florida
I just checked out the Wikipedia article on the Flip cameras. (I've got one at home, too. I think I saw it while cleaning recently.) It's only mono, not stereo, and it doesn't have a microphone / line in. I wouldn't recommend using it to record your music.

Either record audio only, preferably using a direct feed to your computer, or buy an inexpensive video camera and use a direct feed to it. Since you're main purpose in all of this is your music, you REALLY want to make sure the audio is good.
 
Joined
Jul 13, 2016
Messages
331
Reaction score
153
trying to hear thru the bad recording and my bad hearing, which is better at the moment but not near 100%, I thought the arrangement sounded really awesome. If you were trying to capture the song name in the arrangement that's what I heard and pictured: sort of a mirrory metallic, partly translucent, gigantic human shaped creature with veins of lightning, rising up to towering overhead looking down while jamming with some bizarre alien keyed instrument that rippled up and down his arms and spine as a part of him. :)
Tell me that wouldn't be badass if you could find a pro to design such an animation in a realistic virtual form.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
29
Reaction score
6
Location
unknown
Oh great synth lord, thank you for gracing us mere synth serfs with your mighty presence.

While we genuflect in the glory of your magnificence, please humble us with the details of the synths you co opted to record this seminal work, so that we too may take the path to righteous enlightenment.

Oh, and "G'day, cobber".

Oh no no lol that is just an idea I got from Star Wars Episode III when Mace Windu exclaimed "A Sith Lord!?" So I was like hmmm about Synth Lord
 
Joined
Jul 13, 2016
Messages
331
Reaction score
153
Scythe , Synthian, Greater Synthia :) :) Don't get me started. Lots of cool word plays. I might even change my name to Synthian if I could.
 
Joined
Nov 29, 2016
Messages
29
Reaction score
6
Location
unknown
Scythe , Synthian, Greater Synthia :) :) Don't get me started. Lots of cool word plays. I might even change my name to Synthian if I could.

well why not?! do it!! I used this name as a creative way to think of never heard before and it must be original, why not go with Scythe? Iike it better
 
Joined
Jul 13, 2016
Messages
331
Reaction score
153
Scythe is the thing the grim reaper carries. Actually, some farmers still use them. I've used them, before weedeaters :) . I think of the word coming from Scythian farmers and the land of "greater Scythia." However, I need to hold off on the name Synthian since it implies I might know a lot about synthesizers which I don't. I may be more of a synthestimator at this point :D
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
13,996
Messages
86,237
Members
13,099
Latest member
Ionbel

Latest Threads

Top