External Stereo microphones to iphone video (record stereo)
Jun 5, 2018 11:08:53 GMT -5
Gary Cook, AudioHTIT, and 1 more like this
Post by garbulky on Jun 5, 2018 11:08:53 GMT -5
I realized there is no guide on the internet to do this.
Note if you don't want to waste time: Scroll down to THE SHORT SETUP if you want to get past the rambling and straight into how to do this.
Why would you want to do this?
The point of it is to get a stereo soundfield into a video. The point for me was to provide a stereo audio input my iphone would use when taking video. Straight, one take, no post splicing in the audio. My purpose was for music videos.
I wanted to do something like this.
I've been trying to do this for years but at first I thought it was impossible. And only now am I realizing that it was quite easy if you knew the right language to use.
It started with me figuring out how to do mono recordings to my iPhone. This was relatively easy - all it took was an adapter cable as my iphone still had a headphone jack. But it still only gave mono recordings.
(I used this for mono)
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071GCV97P/
A lot of my music videos are with my wife sitting next to me. And I always wanted the video to capture the position information. So if she was playing a ukulele on the left and me an accordion on the right, then that's what I wanted to hear. Also in outdoor fields where we record there is a lot of acoustic information like birds flying overhead, cars driving by, insects buzzing in the background. Getting that in stereo provides a lot of neat positional cues.
But when I looked to input stereo audio into iphone video all the solutions I found were things that already had cheaper microphones already attached to a digital interface. The microphones were inbuilt.
like this:
($99) www.amazon.com/Zoom-iQ7-Mid-Side-Microphone-Devices/dp/B00S9WNULM/
Yeah I did not want that. But if you were okay with that, there you go. That's all you need. You'd be limiting yourself in placement and quality, but that's about it.
However, I already have a nicer pair of external phantom powered microphones that I want to use.
Or a Rhodes NT4 Stereo microphone
Both nicer and more flexible external choices imo.
First a note to my solution - I use a TASCAM DR 70 d MK2 because I use PHANTOM POWERED stereo microphones. If you don't need phantom power, you may be able to get away with a cheaper option. However for this particular solution you will need some device (like my TASCAM) which does provide an analog output from a microphone. Likely this will have to be a POWERED device either way. Tascam sells several cheaper devices that will do this IF YOU DONT NEED PHANTOM POWER.
THE SHORT SETUP:
You're going to need a
-iphone. The cheapest high quality option I can see is the iPhone SE. An Android phone may also work but untested.
- A camera connection kit ($40)
www.amazon.com/Apple-MK0W2AM-Lightning-Camera-Adapter/dp/B01F7KJDIM/ref
- A USB digital audio capture interface ($11) This one does not need external power!
www.amazon.com/Capture-Grabber-Cassette-Digital-Converter/dp/B079N4KPDG
- Tascam DR 70 d mk 2 (or some external mixer that gets you your stereo analog audio output) ($250) - or cheaper alternative unit. Note: MUST be able to output a camera microphone level signal. Line level is too high.
www.amazon.com/Tascam-DR-70D-4-Channel-Recorder-Bundle/dp/B00U1SMWES/
- Stereo microphones and a pair of XLR cables.
Optional Gear (see further information):
mini tripod mounts for your stereo microphones $10 each
www.amazon.com/ammoon-Mini-Microphone-Mic-Stand/dp/B013U48ZZ4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1528216766&sr=8-5&keywords=microphone+tripod
Selfie stick for your iphone which can mount on your TASCAM.
www.amazon.com/ZIZON-Bluetooth-Extendable-Aluminum-Smartphones/dp/B074SJWN16/ $12
Rechargeable batteries for your tascam $25 (comes with charger and 8 batteries.)
www.amazon.com/EBL-Battery-Charger-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B0148675WM/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1528216866&sr=8-9&keywords=AA%2Brechargeable%2Bbatteries&th=1
That's it. If you got these things you can make this work. Just hook them up.
The chain is
Microphones > Tascam to (line out, set for "cam level")> USB Capture device > Camera Connection Kit > iPhone / iPad
Use the Line out output on TASCAM and set the TASCAM to "cam" level - which reduces the level to microphone level so it doesn't clip. Hit the record button the tascam which turns on the line output. Then press record on your iphone.
You'll also need to enable phantom powered stereo inputs in the TASCAM menu before you do any of this if you already haven't.
The sequence is:
Lineout from Tascam connects to the Digital audio interfaces 3.5mm jack. The digital audio interface's USB jack connects to camera connection kit. The camera connection kit connects to the iphone.
After that whenever you want to record press record on TASCAM and record on iphone.
This post wasn't long enough? Need more information? You're in luck!
FURTHER INFORMATION!
So the advantage here with the TASCAM which is the most expensive part of the audio change is several fold
The TASCAM allows simultaneous 96khz recording to itself while outputting a camera level output signal to the iphone of your stereo microphones. If you are worried about clipping it will even make a second recording that is 10 db lower at the same time. Giving you THREE recordings of the stereo event. I've never bothered with it because the TASCAM has clipping LED's that blink when appraoching clipping as well as individual level indicators. But if you wanted to you can.
The iphone will record at about 250 or 320 kbps bit rate of audio at 44.1 khz. I don't think it's mp3 audio - it may be PCM. So that's not very high. But it's high enough. The TASCAM will do 96khz at something like 2000 or 46000 kbps. So a lot higher.
If you wanted to record FOUR microphones at the same time you can use the TASCAM to down mix or adjust levels individually etc. Also you can monitor whether things are sounding good in your recording with a separate headphone jack at the side. That's right - the Tascam has two audio outputs. one for your iphone and one for your headphones!
Even better your TASCAM will mount an appropriately tripod mountable SELFIE STICK for your iphone. So you have a base for your iphone right away.
www.amazon.com/ZIZON-Bluetooth-Extendable-Aluminum-Smartphones/dp/B074SJWN16/ $12
^^Note you have to have the tripod adapter at the bottom. Not every selfie stick will have it.
This means your selfie stick can mount on top of your tascam which can sit on the ground and it will extend up to about sitting height from the ground.
If you want to get even fancier your tascam can actually mount to a camera tripod from a hole on the bottom (and it can also mount your selfie stick on top ).
Kind of like this but instead of the camera imagine your selfie stick
And much more importantly the TASCAM is totally self powered and portable.
Input 1L and 2R are where your phatom powered microphones will go.
The
line out jack is where you plug in the stereo 3.5 mmm jack from the digital audio capture card.
One thing to note is that to get audio you have to press the record on the tascam at least ONE time - even if you don't record to it.
Then the digital audio capture card will plug in using USB into the big USB input on your camera connection kit.
That optional micro USB input is for an external battery which you can get from anywhere including walmart for about $15. YOU DONT NEED IT. It's useful if you are recording video that is several hours long and you want to charge your iphone at the same time. If you want to do this make sure that the battery is plugged in before you start the video.
So there ya go. I think I've covered all the bases and questions I can think of.
Note if you don't want to waste time: Scroll down to THE SHORT SETUP if you want to get past the rambling and straight into how to do this.
Why would you want to do this?
The point of it is to get a stereo soundfield into a video. The point for me was to provide a stereo audio input my iphone would use when taking video. Straight, one take, no post splicing in the audio. My purpose was for music videos.
I wanted to do something like this.
I've been trying to do this for years but at first I thought it was impossible. And only now am I realizing that it was quite easy if you knew the right language to use.
It started with me figuring out how to do mono recordings to my iPhone. This was relatively easy - all it took was an adapter cable as my iphone still had a headphone jack. But it still only gave mono recordings.
(I used this for mono)
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071GCV97P/
A lot of my music videos are with my wife sitting next to me. And I always wanted the video to capture the position information. So if she was playing a ukulele on the left and me an accordion on the right, then that's what I wanted to hear. Also in outdoor fields where we record there is a lot of acoustic information like birds flying overhead, cars driving by, insects buzzing in the background. Getting that in stereo provides a lot of neat positional cues.
But when I looked to input stereo audio into iphone video all the solutions I found were things that already had cheaper microphones already attached to a digital interface. The microphones were inbuilt.
like this:
($99) www.amazon.com/Zoom-iQ7-Mid-Side-Microphone-Devices/dp/B00S9WNULM/
Yeah I did not want that. But if you were okay with that, there you go. That's all you need. You'd be limiting yourself in placement and quality, but that's about it.
However, I already have a nicer pair of external phantom powered microphones that I want to use.
Or a Rhodes NT4 Stereo microphone
Both nicer and more flexible external choices imo.
First a note to my solution - I use a TASCAM DR 70 d MK2 because I use PHANTOM POWERED stereo microphones. If you don't need phantom power, you may be able to get away with a cheaper option. However for this particular solution you will need some device (like my TASCAM) which does provide an analog output from a microphone. Likely this will have to be a POWERED device either way. Tascam sells several cheaper devices that will do this IF YOU DONT NEED PHANTOM POWER.
THE SHORT SETUP:
You're going to need a
-iphone. The cheapest high quality option I can see is the iPhone SE. An Android phone may also work but untested.
- A camera connection kit ($40)
www.amazon.com/Apple-MK0W2AM-Lightning-Camera-Adapter/dp/B01F7KJDIM/ref
- A USB digital audio capture interface ($11) This one does not need external power!
www.amazon.com/Capture-Grabber-Cassette-Digital-Converter/dp/B079N4KPDG
- Tascam DR 70 d mk 2 (or some external mixer that gets you your stereo analog audio output) ($250) - or cheaper alternative unit. Note: MUST be able to output a camera microphone level signal. Line level is too high.
www.amazon.com/Tascam-DR-70D-4-Channel-Recorder-Bundle/dp/B00U1SMWES/
- Stereo microphones and a pair of XLR cables.
Optional Gear (see further information):
mini tripod mounts for your stereo microphones $10 each
www.amazon.com/ammoon-Mini-Microphone-Mic-Stand/dp/B013U48ZZ4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1528216766&sr=8-5&keywords=microphone+tripod
Selfie stick for your iphone which can mount on your TASCAM.
www.amazon.com/ZIZON-Bluetooth-Extendable-Aluminum-Smartphones/dp/B074SJWN16/ $12
Rechargeable batteries for your tascam $25 (comes with charger and 8 batteries.)
www.amazon.com/EBL-Battery-Charger-Rechargeable-Batteries/dp/B0148675WM/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1528216866&sr=8-9&keywords=AA%2Brechargeable%2Bbatteries&th=1
That's it. If you got these things you can make this work. Just hook them up.
The chain is
Microphones > Tascam to (line out, set for "cam level")> USB Capture device > Camera Connection Kit > iPhone / iPad
Use the Line out output on TASCAM and set the TASCAM to "cam" level - which reduces the level to microphone level so it doesn't clip. Hit the record button the tascam which turns on the line output. Then press record on your iphone.
You'll also need to enable phantom powered stereo inputs in the TASCAM menu before you do any of this if you already haven't.
The sequence is:
Lineout from Tascam connects to the Digital audio interfaces 3.5mm jack. The digital audio interface's USB jack connects to camera connection kit. The camera connection kit connects to the iphone.
After that whenever you want to record press record on TASCAM and record on iphone.
This post wasn't long enough? Need more information? You're in luck!
FURTHER INFORMATION!
So the advantage here with the TASCAM which is the most expensive part of the audio change is several fold
The TASCAM allows simultaneous 96khz recording to itself while outputting a camera level output signal to the iphone of your stereo microphones. If you are worried about clipping it will even make a second recording that is 10 db lower at the same time. Giving you THREE recordings of the stereo event. I've never bothered with it because the TASCAM has clipping LED's that blink when appraoching clipping as well as individual level indicators. But if you wanted to you can.
The iphone will record at about 250 or 320 kbps bit rate of audio at 44.1 khz. I don't think it's mp3 audio - it may be PCM. So that's not very high. But it's high enough. The TASCAM will do 96khz at something like 2000 or 46000 kbps. So a lot higher.
If you wanted to record FOUR microphones at the same time you can use the TASCAM to down mix or adjust levels individually etc. Also you can monitor whether things are sounding good in your recording with a separate headphone jack at the side. That's right - the Tascam has two audio outputs. one for your iphone and one for your headphones!
Even better your TASCAM will mount an appropriately tripod mountable SELFIE STICK for your iphone. So you have a base for your iphone right away.
www.amazon.com/ZIZON-Bluetooth-Extendable-Aluminum-Smartphones/dp/B074SJWN16/ $12
^^Note you have to have the tripod adapter at the bottom. Not every selfie stick will have it.
This means your selfie stick can mount on top of your tascam which can sit on the ground and it will extend up to about sitting height from the ground.
If you want to get even fancier your tascam can actually mount to a camera tripod from a hole on the bottom (and it can also mount your selfie stick on top ).
Kind of like this but instead of the camera imagine your selfie stick
And much more importantly the TASCAM is totally self powered and portable.
Input 1L and 2R are where your phatom powered microphones will go.
The
line out jack is where you plug in the stereo 3.5 mmm jack from the digital audio capture card.
One thing to note is that to get audio you have to press the record on the tascam at least ONE time - even if you don't record to it.
Then the digital audio capture card will plug in using USB into the big USB input on your camera connection kit.
That optional micro USB input is for an external battery which you can get from anywhere including walmart for about $15. YOU DONT NEED IT. It's useful if you are recording video that is several hours long and you want to charge your iphone at the same time. If you want to do this make sure that the battery is plugged in before you start the video.
So there ya go. I think I've covered all the bases and questions I can think of.
