How To Get Good Audio For YouTube Videos (plus a plugin walk-through)

[@TheRecordist]

My apologies to everyone. On the day that this video aired, Waves (without notice or warning) cancelled the ability to buy any plugin, and instead switched to a subscription-only model. In the video I recommended Waves Clarity Vx and said it’s usually on sale for $29. This is no longer the case. I’ll be boycotting Waves now, and I’ll try to find a better alternative for you. My apologies again.

[@MsQwerasdf1234]

seems like Waves have backtracked huh?

[@TheRecordist]

@@MsQwerasdf1234 they sure have! But it's not enough. I see them losing a lot of market share. But, for the purposes of this video, it;s good news! Cheers!

[@OdinsMaiden]

Thank you so much for showing the way you treated your basement area with moving blankets. I found that extremely helpful (and oddly encouraging) to actually SEE what you did. Best motivational quote ever: "Remember, shart in. Shart out. You can polish poop, but it'll just be shiny poop." I might have to turn that into a poster and put it up in my classroom, lol.

[@TheRecordist]

Hahahaha. That’s great! You’re very welcome! I’m the king of finding cheap or free ways of doing expensive things. Hahaha. Shart in. Shart out! Hahaha

[@OdinsMaiden]

@ Man, I hope KZbin’s sense of time is off. It’s 7:40AM where I am and it’s telling me you replied to my comment four hours ago. You’re either across the pond at the moment or you’re battling insomnia, lol. Totally changing topic. I’m shopping for a one time purchase DAW to replace Audition (which I really like but can’t sustain their month subscription price). I have Pro Tools Intro a try and quickly came to hate it (longish story; don’t ask). I just downloaded Reaper to give it a try. Liking it a lot more than Pro Tools but am still running into a few issues I haven’t been able to research through to a solution independently. Wondering if you might know of any solid tutorials (or even paid courses) that I might find useful. You should know that my secret superpower is the ability to accidentally break software as I attempt to use it. The Avengers would have just needed to put me in the same room as Ultron for twenty minutes and I’d have accidentally induced a catastrophic system failure while conversing with it. Anyway, sorry for the ridiculously long response. Hope you’re having a great day.

[@audio.paisajes]

The way you express is fantastic! Besides knowledge you've got simplicity and honesty... I tell you because english isn't my native language. Thanks and greetings from Argentina

[@TheRecordist]

Hi there. Thanks so much! I appreciate your wonderful comment! Cheers from Canada! 🇨🇦

[@daggerman-dcgk]

Excelllent video as always! Including your thoughtful message on the true meaning of putting other people down - tailor made, it appears , for the incoming president. Love your work!

[@TheRecordist]

Thanks very much! Yes, putting people down or punching down is always a bad look. Thanks for watching!

[@billesposito2112]

Capturing the audio at the start is by far the most important thing. I agree 100 percent and the room too. Harbor freight has moving blankets for 5$ for a 8 ft x 6 ft. Perfect for a vocal booth. Also a ceiling cloud is very important. Very easy to do with the sheetrock hooks they make for hanging pictures.

[@TheRecordist]

Yep. I’d rather a Røde NT1 in a treated room than a Neumann U87 in an untreated room.

[@CaptainMoto]

Mr. Justaguy, Excellent! I’ll be rewatching and sharing ❤ Thanks

[@TheRecordist]

Woo hoo! Thanks!

[@CaptainMoto]

FYI: I've been using Auralex MoPAD-XL Monitor Speaker Isolation Pads on my desk to reduce vocal reflections,

[@VELVET462]

Yep, I agree with everyone else! You have the charisma, the information, and the great quality we’re all looking for! Thanks, bro! Love your videos! And im still happy with my AMS NEEVE 1073SPX + Sennheiser MKH 50

[@TheRecordist]

Oh wow! Thanks so much! What a wonderful compliment! I really appreciate that, my friend! And you’ve got a killer setup, man! Woo hoo!

[@VELVET462]

@@TheRecordist Thanks! Yea just oredered the MKH50 after you recommended it to me a few months ago. At first with a very bad preamp i was realy not happy, so i buyed the NEEVE and booom. I never thought a preamp could play such a significant role in achieving great audio quality-I was completely wrong. Thanks for your advice Sir!

[@FreshOldSchool]

"That's the game, man" Preach.

[@TheRecordist]

Haha. Cheers!

[@vampula12]

Hoho, new portion of knowledge!

[@TheRecordist]

Woo hoo!

[@Rounder-One]

Great video (again). Thanks you for your clear and understandable tutorial. Now, about Waves... Ughh! I bought Waves Clarity ($29) and a few other plugins from them before this subscription nonsense. So now, if you want one of the best noise reduction tools, you must pay $14.95 a freakin' month in perpetuity. Oh yeah, you also get to use 110 other plugins. Oh joy! But if you only want a couple plugins (do you use 110 plugins from the same vendor?)... Let me add this up... $14.95 a month... How long before you are paying more than $29? Hold on, this is a difficult math problem. This is why I dumped Photoshop as my photo editing software.

[@ClarasMakeupDiary]

I know right? 😅 I loathe subscription models. Ditto on photoshop, I use gimp - but I don't do much anyway. There was a similar reaction to basic functions suddenly being only available via subscription on an e-ink note-taker/reader (Remarkable). Apparently the reasoning behind it was to keep investors because profit margins could be projected more reliably. I'd make a terrible business person so I'm just regurgitating what I heard. I wonder if the rise in software subscription models has to do with cracked versions hurting profit/or companies being able to continuously fund development and retain developers? Or something else entirely? Heaven forbid DaVinci Resolve starts employing a subscription model. There are only so many subscriptions one can keep each month...video streaming, music streaming, secure email gaaaa...it just keeps growing. Especially now the banks are slowly imploding. 🤯 Pardon me while I slip into another existential crisis...

[@TheRecordist]

Oh man. I have a lot of distaste in my mouth for Waves. That was entirely unnecessary for them to do. They probably expected the backlash to happen and are instead banking on people eventually forgetting or new users coming of age and buying a subscription. They’ll not get getting a penny more from me. Luckily for me, I’m invested in the UAD ecosystem and can do without any of what Waves has, but there are so many people who are going to suffer from this. I hope they not only learn a huge lesson but teach that lesson to other companies who are watching closely.

[@Rounder-One]

@@TheRecordist Waves has just reversed their policy and will be offering both subscriptions and the perpetual license. From a Waves email: "After respectfully listening to your concerns, I want to share with you that we are bringing back the perpetual plugin license model, side-by-side with the new subscriptions. You will again be able to get plugins as perpetual licenses, just as before. " So, they listened. That's pretty good.

[@davidpikedesigns]

Great video! Very helpful, especially the PSA in the beginning. Thanks!

[@TheRecordist]

You’re very welcome! Cheers!

[@Rounder-One]

Waves has just reversed their policy and will be offering both subscriptions and the perpetual license. From a Waves email: "After respectfully listening to your concerns, I want to share with you that we are bringing back the perpetual plugin license model, side-by-side with the new subscriptions. You will again be able to get plugins as perpetual licenses, just as before. " So, they listened. That's pretty good.

[@TheRecordist]

Yep. As I suspected they would. Last night I posted something to that effect in my community tab here on KZbin. There was no other way. They were in deep crap. Even still, I think they went to far and won’t be able to recover from this.

[@natureismyjam]

Preach, brother!! Thankful for the PSA and really enjoyed learning about your audio processing workflow too. Thank you! - Darrin

[@TheRecordist]

Thanks, Darrin! Hope it helps! Cheers!

[@tybrady4598]

Another awesome video! Definitely subscribed after this one, my second video. Huh, so I don’t need to purchase a separate DAW, the free DaVinci does the audio too? (I understand some plugins will cost money.) Thanks for the videos!

[@TheRecordist]

Hey thanks! And yes, you can do most, if not all, audio work right inside Davinci in the Fairlight page.

[@ClarasMakeupDiary]

Thanks for the anti-bullying PSA - forums of any kind are bound to have one or two puffed up parrots trying to squawk the loudest.

[@TheRecordist]

Oh no worries. I agree. I hate to see it. The more we encourage beginners, the more our crafts will evolve and innovate and get even better. There’s no room for jerks.

[@DBoom70]

Awesome video. Thank you for the fund delivery as well as the weather of knowledge.

[@TheRecordist]

You’re very welcome! Cheers!

[@madeiraislander]

21:49 lmao xD Very informative video, thank you!

[@TheRecordist]

Hahahahaha. Cheers!

[@theshaggyhistorian845]

Douche-craft carriers! I'm adding that to my repertoire! Brilliant and informative video.

[@TheRecordist]

Woo hoo! It’s a good one! Thanks so much! Cheers!

[@PeetSneekes]

Ooh, Soothe sounds sweeet 😊

[@TheRecordist]

It’s an awesome plugin!

[@christopherbrissini5722]

Great advice here. Best advice given. Another great video.

[@TheRecordist]

Hey thanks, man!

[@SmokeDaJitt]

I use both mac and build pcs. I love them both for their respective category use cases. I'm goin through old videos waiting for new ones 😂😅

[@TheRecordist]

Haha. New ones every Monday! Thanks for watching!

[@WaltervanDusen]

Another GREAT video. I was about to try out WAVES but saw they are charging a monthly fee. I'm watching this video again to implement what you taught in my current video edit. QUESTAIN PLEASE? Do you have a suggestion for a substitute for WAVES so I can add noise reduction per your first step suggestion? Also, I never knew about -14 LUFs setting so I did that in Adobe Premeire. I'm on my audio learning journey and your channel is extremely helpful in my journey.

[@TheRecordist]

Glad to hear it! I don’t personally use Clarity Vx because I opt for Universal Audio’s C-Suite C-Vox, however, you’ll be happy to know that my prediction came true and Waves walked back their decision to go full subscription. They announced today. So, within a few days, you should be able to get Clarity Vx again to own. Also, Davinci Resolve (free version) has built in a noise reduction plugin. I’ve never tried it but I plan to this week and see how it works.

[@RadianFilms64]

Another great video! Thanks for sharing! Would love to see something like this, editing dialog, but using the tools that Davinci has and not using expensive plugins. Trying to trust my ears, but some tips and tricks would really help, Haha!

[@TheRecordist]

That’s a great idea! I’ll be sure to do a video about that as soon as I get through this pile of mics! Cheers!

[@RadianFilms64]

@@TheRecordist Wow! That would be great! Thank you for the reply, I do appreciate you taking the time to answer comments on older videos. In the meantime I do have a playlist I want to watch from your channel. 😀👍

[@JavArButt]

You are a gem, thank you a lot for your hard work

[@TheRecordist]

Hey thanks! Cheers!

[@JavArButt]

​@@TheRecordist Besides the knowledge you share, your humor really makes these videos great. I discovered your channel today and ended up not only watching multiple videos but also taking notes.

[@TheRecordist]

@@JavArButt oh thanks so much! I really appreciate the kind words!

[@AnonymerSchmock]

With your recommendaitons, you video still sits as -4.3db under the LUF recommendation from KZbin (if you right click the vid and check stats for nerds, you can see it). Which steps would you take to bridge the gap here? Crank the limiter more or normalize input audio to more reliably hit the goal LUFs between projects?

[@TheRecordist]

Hey there. Indeed, I shoot for -3 with my target set to -14. I do this because I did dozens of tests to find the best audio where KZbin didn’t change it. This was my favorite approach. But yes, you can increase the limiter, perhaps instead of the limiter set to -2dB you set it to -1 and if it’s peaking still, follow that with another limiter set at -1.

[@AnonymerSchmock]

@@TheRecordist Ahhhh I see. Thank you so much for clarifying, I got it now!

[@TheRecordist]

@@AnonymerSchmock no worries! Cheers!

[@AnonymerSchmock]

@@TheRecordist I am on the Soothe 2 trial right now, going through the vocal presets and my ears are too exhausted to figure out, what it's actually doing. Will need some more investigasting in the following days

[@UriRa]

You are the nicest talking head on KZbin!) The voice acting is good and does not cause irritation, but the 416 is apparently very demanding on the room; it seems easier to work with the s-mic 2. Question. Will we make the recording worse if we record it in 32 bits and 192 kHz? Such records do not take up much memory...

[@TheRecordist]

Hey thanks! The 416 and the S-Mic 2 both have an interference tube and thus aren’t the best for small areas where sound reflections are expected. 32 bits is always great because there’s no chance of clipping ever. But 192kHz is overkill unless you plan on slowing it down for sound design or something. Playing back 192kHz on any computer is quite taxing, and needlessly so. You will not be able to tell the difference between 48kHz and 192kHz. They sound the exact same. So unless you plan on manipulating the sounds, it is not recommended. Hope this helps!

[@UriRa]

I understand that it is redundant, but it does not complicate recording and processing at all. I just recently started writing in Tascam x8 and am enjoying its power). 416 is similar to s-mic 2, but the latter is noticeably more modern and its beam is not so narrowly directed, so it is easier to use indoors... and not only there). I understand that this may not be objective, but you have both and you can easily check. I remain a fan of your videos, with a pleasant and unique presentation!

[@TheRecordist]

@@UriRa thanks again! Yes. The pickup beam of the 416 is much more narrow. This is correct. But the 2kHz squawk on the S-Mic 2 bothers me. But that’s my personal opinion. Yours may differ and that’s ok! When I started recording digitally (I began recording using tape, by the way) I wanted to record at the highest possible sample rate, but I soon learned that recording that high is useless unless I planned on manipulating the sound. I always record at 48kHz these days. When I said 192kHz can be taxing on any computer, I was referring to multiple tracks. But if you’re recording just one stereo track, I’m sure it’s fine. Just wasted storage space is all. Cheers!

[@UriRa]

I have no doubt that you are right about the frequency of recording. I just set this parameter for all recording types, not just voice. I paint nature, including birds and noises with these parameters and do not experience any difficulties with either the volume or performance of the laptop - not Apple technology). s-mic 2 does not produce any whistles for me, but I perceive it as more voluminous and velvety at the bottom, unlike 416, which can be a little clearer there, but also flatter. Unfortunately, the sound when listening in Tascam and then the same on KZbin are two big differences. I think this is a big problem for those who choose a microphone. In addition to the wider Deity diagram, high ceilings in the room help me, this is a difference specifically from your room. Or maybe I'm just wrong!) I have a question: when doing voice-over, will switching to a 34mm vocal microphone capsule give an increase in volume and detail of the voice? Or will the difference with speech 416 - s-mic 2 be lost on KZbin?

[@TheRecordist]

@@UriRa hey there! To each, their own! As far as your question, the larger the diaphragm, the smoother the transients (percussive elements to sound). So your speech will be more gentle and rounded on a 34mm capsule. KZbin definitely compresses audio, which can be heard in the very high and very low frequencies. But most people won’t be able to tell the difference.

[@mikeblevins5534]

Really helpful. Thanks.

[@TheRecordist]

No problem! Cheers!

[@re-member]

Awesome! Thank you.

[@TheRecordist]

You’re very welcome!

[@davidpikedesigns]

One question - I didn't see a compressor in the chain or is that Soothe2? I thought it was the EQ. Or does it do both? If not, why don't you use a compressor or is it not really necessary? Thanks for your help! Watching this convinced me to transition from Premiere Pro to Davinci, which has made editing audio much more streamlined for me.

[@TheRecordist]

Hey thanks! I often don’t use a compressor with dialogue. It comes across as a bit processed when I’m trying to keep it natural. That’s not to say I NEVER use a compressor. It really just depends on the audio I’m editing. However, yes, soothe 2 compresses only the sharty resonances in a fast and transparent way. Like an 1176 without distortion and only targeting the bad frequencies. It’s really a fantastic plugin. The ProQ 3 also has a built in multiband compressor that works in a similar way. I hope this helps!

[@davidpikedesigns]

@@TheRecordist Thanks for your help!

[@TheRecordist]

@@davidpikedesigns cheers!

[@shanekrause100]

Terrific as always! Curious as to why you moved away from Studio One?

[@TheRecordist]

Hey Shane! You message came in just when I was checking. Great timing! Thanks for the compliment! I was a subscriber to Presonus Sphere for a few years now. While the software is fantastic, the stock plugins were a little cheap. Not that I used those much. But ultimately it came down to removing a monthly subscription charge and adding Atmos mixing. The Logic plugins are much better, as it turns out, as are the instruments. I just wanted to own it and just stay somewhere for a while. So I went with Logic. So I’m learning that now too. It’ll take me a good month or so to get proficient at it, but I do like it. Mostly I mix in Luna. Even with owning Logic. I think Luna will be the future one day. I’m very comfortable using it and it sounds superb. Cheers!

[@shanekrause100]

@@TheRecordist Appreciate the time it takes you to answer these questions. I ask because I'm trying to decide on a DAW for music. I also need an audio interface and there's a Presonus one for a decent price that comes with a license for their Studio One artist version. But Logic looks damn great so I might totally rip you off and investigate. Thanks mate!

[@TheRecordist]

@@shanekrause100 oh. Then I fully recommend Logic because it comes with pretty much everything you’ll need. Studio One Artist does NOT allow you to use ANY third party plugins. So not something I’d recommend. As a company, Presonus stuff is rather cheaply made. Logic is a much higher quality for less. As for interfaces, the Universal Audio Volt is nice to get into that ecosystem. Apollos are where it’s at though, if you ask me. Alternatively, any of the Audient interfaces are fantastic for a lower cost. Hope this helps!

[@shanekrause100]

@@TheRecordist Helps indeed! Logic it is and checking out Universal Audio Volt as soon as I finish typing this sentence. Thanks again

[@TheRecordist]

@@shanekrause100 excellent! It’s a great way of getting into the UA ecosystem. The only thing is that it has no DSP and so you can’t use UAD2 plugins inside, nor use Luna. An Apollo will get you all that. Just food for thought. Cheers!

[@calebr]

Hey there Nate, I'm late to the game on this video but I was wondering if there was software, a technique I'm unaware of , or maybe another plugin that just gives you the integrated value without having to go through the whole video?

[@TheRecordist]

Hey Caleb. That’s a great question. Unfortunately I do not know of any accurate way of checking this instantly in an unrendered project. Perhaps I’m wrong but I have yet to find that option in Davinci Resolve. I don’t even know of any plugins that might do that. There are ways of doing that with a rendered (finished or flattened) audio file, but not one currently being worked on. If you do find something like that, do let me know! Sorry I couldn’t be of more help.

[@Tewahedo]

Hi again 😊 I am thinking of buying soothe 2 plugin. I do talking head youtube videos, a podcast and sometimes long form narrations. My question is how do you use soothe 2 on spoken word and podcasts and long form narrations? I tried to search it on youtube but almost all explain how to use it on music, not on spoken word. Can you please help me? Thank you!

[@TheRecordist]

Hey there! Well Soothe2 is a resonance suppressor. This means it hunts out troublesome (fatiguing) frequencies and helps to subtly tame them using a form of multiband compression. For VO and spoken word this can really come in handy - especially for sibilance. When in doubt, use the Vocal preset called DE-HARSHING THE VOCALS (version 1 or 2). Then use the big knob to turn up or down the effect until you like how it sounds. Just use it sparingly. It’s easy to overdo. I’ll definitely be doing a review of soothe2 and a tutorial very soon as it pertains to spoken word along with other applications. It’s probably my favorite plugin of all time. Hope this helps!

[@Tewahedo]

@@TheRecordist Thank you very much! It helps a lot!

[@TheRecordist]

@@Tewahedo excellent! Cheers!

[@Tewahedo]

Does it make a difference on the quality if I process my audio in Audition or dedicated daw versus if I do it in Davinci Resolve fairlight? Thanks!

[@TheRecordist]

Hey there. Great question! No difference at all. More like, ease of use. It’s easier to work with audio in a dedicated DAW than Fairlight. But the quality is the exact same. It’s all just 1s and 0s. Cheers!

[@Tewahedo]

@TheRecordist Thank you!

[@acpirola]

Just AAAAWESOME!!!!!!!!!

[@TheRecordist]

Haha. Thanks so much!

[@ClarasMakeupDiary]

Ouf, I just checked out some of the plugins mentioned and apparently Clarity VX is as of Mar 26 2023 only available via a subscription model. 😩 MISSED BY A HAIR!

[@TheRecordist]

Literally! I’m so sorry! I filmed this video about a month ago and no one had any idea this was coming. Most people are pissed behind belief. I don’t know what’s going to happen but they just lost thousands of loyal customers. I’ll try to find you another one today.

[@ClarasMakeupDiary]

No worries, I've got alot to get in order before I start purchasing plugins anyway! 😆

[@ClarasMakeupDiary]

​@@TheRecordist Also thanks for the preliminary steps in Davinci. I never knew about the LUFS and other levels. My understanding was always red = bad. 😅

[@By_Rant_Or_Ruin]

A Green Horn! I love it man. I haven't heard that reference for at least two decades. I had a guy tell me there was no way I could tell what frequencies I was hearing... I said no not exactly but anyone who plays an instrument or records audio can in fact know. Then I pointed out that EQ's exist. And then pointed him to some links explaining ear training and recording help videos that got me started. I didn't give him shit directly like calling him names, but I must admit I was kind of a dick. It is a personal failing. I work on it daily. And shame on you WAVES audio - SUBSCRIBE THIS YOU cretins.

[@TheRecordist]

Hahaha. I know what you mean!