What do you actually use to record with.

Shure MV5 USB microphone
Not the highest rated USB mic, but not the worst either. I am content. It comes with USB and lightening cable for connecting.

Used to be connected to my PC, recording with Audacity.
Now I usually record on an 8" Lenovo android tablet, connected through an "on the go" adapter.
On android I use the Audio Evolution app.

Video I record on my Olympus Pen Mini digital camera, placed on a stand. Then I synchronize audio and video in Windows movie maker.

Makeshift last minute recordings:
Sometimes I just plug the Shure MV5 into my tablet, place it on a table, resting against something and record video with the selfie cam. I believe this gets the audio from the microphone. The video is horrible though.
 
Shure MV88 plugged to my iPhone 7 Plus then airdrop to my iMac to adjust volume lighting if needed and add title using iMovie
I wish I know how to edit then I don't need to record so many times
For audio I use Shure app either plugged to iPad or iPhone then use auditciy to trim unwanted beginning of the recording and reduce unwanted noise.
 
Have you upgraded your gear?

I use either my Canon HFG10 video camera or my GoPro. The microphones on the former are quite good, but living on a busy street, there's so much background noise, for the audio I use a Yeti "Blue" USB microphone plugged into the laptop running Fruit Loops Studio 12. Final video editing done with Pinnacle Studio.
 
Not yet - but I did buy in a couple of cheap mics to try out - one of which was a 'lapel' type, the other was a 'standard' USB type.
(Neither was particularly good, so you get what you pay for.)

However, I did discover that my O/S sound system software, which had been upgraded, has now got a USB mixer, under sound cards.

Experimenting with that gave me better sound - but then I forgot about it when I recorded my last video. :eek:ld:
 
I use a Studio Projects condenser mic for most stuff, a Macbook and Logic/iMovie. Generally I record the audio in Logic with my webcam capturing the video, I label the video files "Uke take 1" or whatever so I can sync them up with the audio take I end up using.
 
I use an MXL 910 condenser mic into a Scarlett 2i2 interface connected to my iPad mini via powered usb hub and camera connection kit. I record into GarageBand. For my lyrics videos I have been creating slides in keynote , taking screenshots of them, then importing them into iMovie. I import the music mix from GarageBand and sync the slides .
 
Not yet - but I did buy in a couple of cheap mics to try out - one of which was a 'lapel' type, the other was a 'standard' USB type.
(Neither was particularly good, so you get what you pay for.)

However, I did discover that my O/S sound system software, which had been upgraded, has now got a USB mixer, under sound cards.

Experimenting with that gave me better sound - but then I forgot about it when I recorded my last video. :eek:ld:

I found out the hard way that you just waste you money getting cheap mics. Even more so than buying cheap ukuleles. It's worth paying the bit extra for a decent quality mic. If you want to record into your computer get a proper interface with low latency, especially if you want to multi track. I went along the road of standalone multi track recorders and haven't regretted it but that's a personal choice and isn't for everyone. The one thing that you can get for free or at least at low cost if you record into your computer is a decent DAW. Audacity makes a good start and is fairly basic but with a relatively shallow learning curve. There are other free and low cost DAWs available. A lot of people swear by Reaper which you can try for free and the free trial version has all the features, it just has a nag screen on start up. Buying it is relatively inexpensive, though.
 
Re the cheap mics, the usb one is pretty good for recording my 'harps, as it so happens, (I think it cost £27), so not a total loss money wise. :)

When recording videos, I was using guvcview, (it comes as part of my Linux distro), which does a pretty good job, when I remember to use the right input, as does audacity, when I record my 'harps, (which I am getting better at, but still a long way too go). ;)

I can certainly get a lot more volume from my ukes if I use a pick, but not comfortable with using one yet, or if I really want to.
 
USB mics tend to suffer from latency. Mine certainly does which is why I don't use and it's stored away. You are still better off with a separate mic and an audio interface. You can get pretty reasonable inexpensive mics from Samson or Behringer, though I would still recommend going for one from a "better" brand such as Shure or Sennheiser.

With a decent mic and proper interface you will get more volume as the interface input controls will give sufficient gain to supply a decent signal to the DAW. If you're using Audacity, you can use the Amplify Effect to get your volume up, though with a cheap mic, you are likely to have a noisier signal and when you amplify your recording, you will also amplify the noise. A decent mic and interface will give a much lower noise floor which then gives you more scope to amplify the signal without the noise being a problem. I've recorded from a USB mic into Audacity and the input signal was pretty noisy so trying to get the level up also increases the noise. You can use the noise reduction effect but that will degrade the signal and so degrade the output quality.

For my video, I use Open Shot video editor in Linux but I don't record into it directly from a webcam. In fact I've never used the webcam built into my computer, the record quality is generally crap on webcams. In fact you get better audio and video from a tablet or phone than you do from a webcam. I record on a video camera which records to SD card and copy the video into the computer from the SD card.
 
I guess the real problem is the way I play, as I mainly use the fleshy part of my thumb to pick out the melodies - which is loud enough for me at home, but not for recording.

Strumming, when I do, which is not often, I can get plenty of sound, which makes me think that ukes are actually crafted to be strummed rather than to pick individual strings, & that being the biggest difference between them & guitars.

(I used to use my camera to record, which gave quite good sound, but was a bit of a hassle, keeping on removing & re inserting the SDHC card wasn't a good idea though.)

That new I-rig may be what I need - but I'll persevere with what I have for the time being, I think. :)
 
I use different things.

The Shure MV88 is a mic for iPhones that has a great stereo sound and is very small/portable.

I also use a Shure Beta 57A (XLR dynamic mic) with a Focusrite Scarlett 18i8 (USB audio interface).

Lastly, sometimes I use an Audio-Technica Pro 70 (XLR clip-on condenser) through the same audio interface or a Zoom H6.

Why so many? Different applications. The iPhone mic is great for video (with iPhone) or carrying less gear.

The Beta 57A gives a great sound for voice and ukes and is mostly used for gigs (voice) and podcast recording.

The clip-on mic is for live situations or other times when I want to close-mic the instrument without using a pickup. I like the sound of it vs pickups, but it can be tricky to use since it picks up so much sound.
 
Forgotten I had posted on this. Just changed my setup. Bought a Samson go mic for 40$. USB so it goes via the lightning to usb connector into my iPad mini. Still using GarageBand but don’t need the powered usb hub or audio interface anymore. Much more portable now.

This little mic is versatile and using the -10db setting background noise is almost nonexistent. You have to get close. Much easier to do takes in my car or an out of the way room at work on my lunch breaks. I am going to get more recording done with this little set up. A happy camper with this little usb mic!
 
I bought a Blue Snowball mic some time ago and use it occasionally. It works really well just plugged straight into my iPhone or iPad. But I haven't had a place to set it up, so I've had to move stuff around to use it. Until now. We're repurposing a couple of rooms and I'm planning to make one an office/music space. There's a closet that might work as a small studio. If so, I'll have a regular spot for the Snowball and I'll still use my phone or tablet to record. Quick Time straight to YouTube. I don't even mess with iMovie anymore, though that may change if I have a regular setup.

Sometimes I record in the car, just propping up the phone on a door handle. As Wim said, the built-in Apple mics work pretty well.
 
Funny how an old thread is brought to live by a post which is apparently a consealed advertisement.

Since last I posted here, I upgraded my shure mv5 to a blue yeti. Worth it!
The longer cable also means that I record with my desktop more and my tablet less.
 
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