Neil's YouTube Set Up To Record Audio Video

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Many people have asked how I record YouTube videos from an acoustic grand piano... well here's what I have set up at home. I hope it will help some of you to set up your very own recording studio without breaking the bank. 

Recording on YouTube has been an ongoing progress. When I first started uploading, I simply used the video camera on an iPhone 5 over the keys and the audio was captured acoustically. As time progressed and I watched other piano covers, I knew I needed to improve both the audio and the video quality. 

I've done all the shopping for you here - all the products I use are linked in the text and you can see some images with direct links below. Note: I do get a small commission percentage from Amazon via these links, so any purchase you make by using these links will show support of my channel

When I was recording on an acoustic grand piano, I knew I needed good microphones. I opted for a Shure SM87 Microphone for the lower register notes and a Shure SM58 Microphone for the higher register notes - the same can be used on an acoustic upright. They both capture string resonance extremely well. If you can't afford the SM87, just opt for two SM58 mics. The SM87 is a little crisper making your piano sound brighter. Both microphones feed into a very inexpensive Behringer Mixer X1222USB via and XLR Microphone Cable where I can adjust pan (left and right) and EQ. I always play and record with my favorite Sennheiser Headphones so I can directly hear everything that is being recorded - they're pricey, but they're fantastic. This Behringer mixer has everything you need including digital reverb and effects.

So even after all of these years, I still record audio and video from the phone and upload to YouTube directly from the phone via the YouTube app and on Live Streams I use Streamlabs but I also stream from the phone. One thing I noticed though is that in order to stream in 1080p, I needed to hard wire to my modem via Ethernet and not rely on Wi-fi. For this I used an fabulous Ethernet to Lightning adapter which also allows the USB Interface from the mixer to also come into the phone at the same time using a Shielded USB Audio Interface Cable. I hold the phone over the keyboard with the help of a boom mic stand and phone clip that fits onto your mic stand. Once you have the video on your camera roll, it can be uploaded directly to YouTube using the YouTube app. No video editing required - unless you wish to.

I really hope this helps. Enjoy creating your own set up! It doesn't have to be an expensive studio. 

Neil.