Audio quality on youTube at DVinfo.net

Michael Thames · May 16th, 2007, 05:57 PM

I just recently bought a Canon XH A1. I bought it primarily for the XLR connections. I run two mic's through a Blue tube preamp into a mixing board and into the A1. I record myself playing guitar as well as others, and have been disapointed with the sound quality once I upload it on to YouTube. The guitar looses it's warmth and the sound seems very boxy and the treble is clipped, as well as alot of background noise like running water. I called the Canon people and he told me some of my settings on the camera were wrong. I've corrected those problems, and will give it another try.
here is a link to my video. Thanks
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX8iBEXsmWE

Are there any tricks for settings for audio on YouTube

Michael Thames
http://www.thamesclassicalguitars.com/

Doug Bennett · May 16th, 2007, 06:19 PM

Prosumer video cameras are not great for recording audio, but you should be able to do better than that.

What type of mics are you using and where are they placed? why 2 mics?

It's possible that you could get better audio by raising the bit rate when you compress the audio - how are you doing that? I doubt it has anything to do with youtube, but I've never used it. Why use youtube if you have a website?

Michael Thames · May 16th, 2007, 10:23 PM

Hi Doug,

Thanks for responding. The mic's I have are Cad XGL 1200. I'm wondering if the 25 foot XLR cable might be too long? I read something somewhere else on this Forum about problems with that.

I upload to YouTube through I Movie, and share it to Web. I'm not sure of the custom settings.

I post on YouTube because potentialy 1000's of people will see it as oppossed to my website. In the future I will link to my site.

Michael

Doug Bennett · May 16th, 2007, 10:59 PM

you need a better mic and it needs to be mounted closer to the sound hole

A. J. deLange · May 17th, 2007, 08:30 AM

Connect a decent pair of headphones to the camera and play back the tape. If it sounds as bad as the YouTube sound you have indeed screwed up the recording. If it doesn't (the more likely outcome) you have recorded the sound properly and YouTube has distorted it by the extreme compression they apply to both audio and video.

Michael Thames · May 21st, 2007, 08:57 PM

Thanks guys I'll try your recomendations!
Michael

Matthew Roddy · May 22nd, 2007, 10:49 AM

To me, and I'm NO audio expert, this sounds like the volume was recorded too low and the HDV compression just snotted out. I mean, the audio in HDV is really compressed, right? And if the audio is recorded too low, you get all kinds of artifacting. That is what it sounds like - to me.
And the only reason I have any opinion on this is because it sounds like when I recorded my audio too low last time.
You can ignore me if I'm way off base.

Gert Kracht · May 22nd, 2007, 02:29 PM

Hi Michael,

Why not try to produce your own videocast?
You can produce your own show, tell something about the music etc. and place a good quality video (and sound!!) on a network like Podshow.

I made some recordings on a podcast event. Brought them to Podshow and those files are between 150 and 200 Mb. High Quality Picture and sound.
No metal sound. 192bps (or better) MP3 sound.

And Podshow is free.

Steve Yager · May 22nd, 2007, 03:01 PM

Its impossible to get good audio on youtube. They do their own compression after you upload your already compressed video. Its not a site for impressing people with the quality of your work. For that you need to have your own website where you can control the compression of your vid and audio.

Michael Thames · May 30th, 2007, 12:37 PM

Thanks Gert and Steve,

I do plan to put some videos on my site soon of myself as well as other guitarists.

YOUtube is a good way to direct people to ones site.

I have another question...being that I'm a total begenner at this stuff I was thrilled to have been able to just edit and upload my stuff........is there a better setting for uploading to youTube? Some videos are very clear and mine aren't. The Mac guy told me to use the share to web for youtube and that if I tried something else I could really screw it up. Any thing fairlt easy I can do?

Thanks, Michael Thames

Bill Pryor · May 30th, 2007, 12:44 PM

I think Youtube gives you 100 mb, but it's been awhile since I uploaded stuff. What you have to do is keep tweaking your own compression settings until you get one that uses right at the maximum allowable size but not over it. Check the specs on Youtube and then tailor your compression accordingly.

Steve Yager · May 30th, 2007, 12:50 PM

Hey, Michael. I've heard that if you convert to Flash (which is what youtube converts your video to after you upload it) before you upload, it maintains more quality. Haven't tried it since I don't have a way to convert to flash first. But, I think there are some free PC programs that'll do that for you. Not sure how great they are though. Someone suggested Sorensen Squeeze

Kevin Amundson · May 30th, 2007, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve Yager

I've heard that if you convert to Flash (which is what youtube converts your video to after you upload it) before you upload, it maintains more quality.

I have heard this as well, if you upload as Flash they don't touch it. If you can export as Flash that would be the way to go.

Michael Thames · June 1st, 2007, 08:58 AM

Kevin Does Flash work on a Mac? If not, is there a simalar software for a Mac?
Michael

Peter Wiley · June 1st, 2007, 12:26 PM

First, very nice playing.

Audio on YouTube is MP3 and the rushing water-like sound is a classic artifact of that audio format when highly compressed it is also exaggerated when there is a lot of of room echo/room tone in the audio. What kind of mics are you using and where are they placed in the room relative to the sound source?

You might also give brightcove.com a try.

On the video quality issue, how are you importing the video and what is your edit application? Flash does indeed work on the Mac.

May 16th, 2007, 05:57 PM	#1
Michael Thames Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM USA Posts: 396	Audio quality on youTube I just recently bought a Canon XH A1. I bought it primarily for the XLR connections. I run two mic's through a Blue tube preamp into a mixing board and into the A1. I record myself playing guitar as well as others, and have been disapointed with the sound quality once I upload it on to YouTube. The guitar looses it's warmth and the sound seems very boxy and the treble is clipped, as well as alot of background noise like running water. I called the Canon people and he told me some of my settings on the camera were wrong. I've corrected those problems, and will give it another try. here is a link to my video. Thanks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX8iBEXsmWE Are there any tricks for settings for audio on YouTube Michael Thames http://www.thamesclassicalguitars.com/

May 16th, 2007, 10:23 PM	#3
Michael Thames Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM USA Posts: 396	Audio Quality on YouTube Hi Doug, Thanks for responding. The mic's I have are Cad XGL 1200. I'm wondering if the 25 foot XLR cable might be too long? I read something somewhere else on this Forum about problems with that. I upload to YouTube through I Movie, and share it to Web. I'm not sure of the custom settings. I post on YouTube because potentialy 1000's of people will see it as oppossed to my website. In the future I will link to my site. Michael

May 21st, 2007, 08:57 PM	#6
Michael Thames Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM USA Posts: 396	Audio quality on YouTube Thanks guys I'll try your recomendations! Michael

May 22nd, 2007, 02:29 PM	#8
Gert Kracht Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ens, The Netherlands Posts: 198	Hi Michael, Why not try to produce your own videocast? You can produce your own show, tell something about the music etc. and place a good quality video (and sound!!) on a network like Podshow. I made some recordings on a podcast event. Brought them to Podshow and those files are between 150 and 200 Mb. High Quality Picture and sound. No metal sound. 192bps (or better) MP3 sound. And Podshow is free. __________________ http://www.hdvinfo.nl The Dutch forum and website about HDV & Canon XH-A1

May 30th, 2007, 12:37 PM	#10
Michael Thames Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM USA Posts: 396	Audio quality on YouTube Thanks Gert and Steve, I do plan to put some videos on my site soon of myself as well as other guitarists. YOUtube is a good way to direct people to ones site. I have another question...being that I'm a total begenner at this stuff I was thrilled to have been able to just edit and upload my stuff........is there a better setting for uploading to youTube? Some videos are very clear and mine aren't. The Mac guy told me to use the share to web for youtube and that if I tried something else I could really screw it up. Any thing fairlt easy I can do? Thanks, Michael Thames

May 16th, 2007, 06:19 PM	#2
Doug Bennett Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 260	Prosumer video cameras are not great for recording audio, but you should be able to do better than that. What type of mics are you using and where are they placed? why 2 mics? It's possible that you could get better audio by raising the bit rate when you compress the audio - how are you doing that? I doubt it has anything to do with youtube, but I've never used it. Why use youtube if you have a website?

May 16th, 2007, 10:59 PM	#4
Doug Bennett Major Player Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 260	you need a better mic and it needs to be mounted closer to the sound hole

May 17th, 2007, 08:30 AM	#5
A. J. deLange Major Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: McLean, VA United States Posts: 749	Connect a decent pair of headphones to the camera and play back the tape. If it sounds as bad as the YouTube sound you have indeed screwed up the recording. If it doesn't (the more likely outcome) you have recorded the sound properly and YouTube has distorted it by the extreme compression they apply to both audio and video.

May 22nd, 2007, 10:49 AM	#7
Matthew Roddy Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Riverside, Ca Posts: 307	To me, and I'm NO audio expert, this sounds like the volume was recorded too low and the HDV compression just snotted out. I mean, the audio in HDV is really compressed, right? And if the audio is recorded too low, you get all kinds of artifacting. That is what it sounds like - to me. And the only reason I have any opinion on this is because it sounds like when I recorded my audio too low last time. You can ignore me if I'm way off base.

May 22nd, 2007, 03:01 PM	#9
Steve Yager Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 157	Its impossible to get good audio on youtube. They do their own compression after you upload your already compressed video. Its not a site for impressing people with the quality of your work. For that you need to have your own website where you can control the compression of your vid and audio.

May 30th, 2007, 12:44 PM	#11
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	I think Youtube gives you 100 mb, but it's been awhile since I uploaded stuff. What you have to do is keep tweaking your own compression settings until you get one that uses right at the maximum allowable size but not over it. Check the specs on Youtube and then tailor your compression accordingly.

May 30th, 2007, 12:50 PM	#12
Steve Yager Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 157	Hey, Michael. I've heard that if you convert to Flash (which is what youtube converts your video to after you upload it) before you upload, it maintains more quality. Haven't tried it since I don't have a way to convert to flash first. But, I think there are some free PC programs that'll do that for you. Not sure how great they are though. Someone suggested Sorensen Squeeze

June 1st, 2007, 08:58 AM	#14
Michael Thames Major Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Santa Fe, NM USA Posts: 396	Audio quality on YouTube Kevin Does Flash work on a Mac? If not, is there a simalar software for a Mac? Michael

June 1st, 2007, 12:26 PM	#15
Peter Wiley Major Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Lewisburg PA Posts: 752	First, very nice playing. Audio on YouTube is MP3 and the rushing water-like sound is a classic artifact of that audio format when highly compressed it is also exaggerated when there is a lot of of room echo/room tone in the audio. What kind of mics are you using and where are they placed in the room relative to the sound source? You might also give brightcove.com a try. On the video quality issue, how are you importing the video and what is your edit application? Flash does indeed work on the Mac.