Recording Car Audio That Actually Sounds Good! PART 1: Cheap & Easy

[@tougenights2824]

I was smiling so hard! Was filming the entire day with my Turbo Miata and struggled to geht the Turbine sounds dialed in. Cam back, turned on your video and guess what. You take the miata

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Ha, perfect!

[@somethingpickles5575]

This channel seems disgustingly underrated, where are all your subs?!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

I dunno, did you subscribe? Haha. So far I'm on the "make videos whenever I feel like it" schedule so maybe that's not the greatest for growth, but I'm mainly in it for fun.

[@somethingpickles5575]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff Sure did! Keep it up, doing better than me lol to be fair the one thing I see in common with popular channels are a shit ton of 0 view videos at first. So maybe your well on your way

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

@@somethingpickles5575 Hah, well thanks, I appreciate it! Funny that my 1st video has been the most successful. I do plan on doing more car audio recordings with a variety of interesting cars, I think those will get some good views whenever I actually get around to it.

[@remij.9951]

Simple and effective tutorial ! So much better than the 100k+ sub channels you can find on YT. Love the 'progressive approach', starting simple then upgrading bit by bit. Keep up the great work, you clearly deserve much more views !

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks very much! I hope to record some cool cars with these methods soon, we'll see!

[@Jonjs99]

Exactly

[@paxtonsweet5561]

Dude this video is literally a God send I would've never thought about just regular foam for the mic rather than a crazy expensive sock or "deadcat" much appreciated

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

I was very surprised at how good it works the first time I used it. Literally just as good as those hairy deadcats in most situations, as far as I can tell.

[@daedelus_]

The expensive sock / deadcat is also replaceable by a fluffy pillow case.

[@toyosuba]

Just wanna say thank you for making this series, makes it simple for someone like me to upgrade their pov driving setup.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Glad you found it helpful!

[@usernamepleasehere]

Best video on this topic by far. It's so simple at the end, but hearing that difference with both mics really got me!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thank you!

[@johneisele6264]

Man, I was literally just searching for this a week or two ago. Never found anything u was really happy with. Thanks for making this

[@CanadaLuke]

Saw this on /r/cars, great video man, thanks for the tips!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Much appreciated! I'm editing Part 2 now, which features my '68 Cougar and 4 mics. A bit more involved but still fun. I'm still learning new things as I go, so after this series I might just go around asking people with nice cars if I can record them, haha.

[@jumpferjoy1st]

Total respect for the Opel Manta. Thanks for the simple sound capture explanation.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks! I've got a bunch of videos with the Manta, and not the Miata, ironically.

[@jumpferjoy1st]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff When I first passed my driving test, I was going to get a 1974 Opel Manta. Mechanic persuaded me to get a Mk1 Golf instead. Golf blew up a few weeks later and yet I kept seeing the Manta around town for years. Have never listened to a mechanic since and successfully used MY judgement. I recently got a older BMW with a straight six, so looking at ways of recording the exhaust, that doesn't break the bank. thanks again.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

@@jumpferjoy1st Bummer about the Golf! I will admit that VW parts availability is way better than Opel parts in the US. But it's got the "unique" factor in spades. BMW straight 6 is a good choice. Happy recording! If you haven't already seen it, I did a recording of a Euro E36 M3, which sounds pretty glorious.

[@jumpferjoy1st]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff Thanks mate. I am now going to be looking for an action camera with an external microphone. Some on Amazon for £40, so about $50.

[@MasterCarsReview]

Loved this Andrew, super chill and helpful video. Thanks a ton buddy, keep creating!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thank you! Looks like you are doing some great work!

[@jimross5838]

Have watched this a number of times over the years, thank you

[@petebodde3899]

This is a great tutorial. I've been assembling a rig to audio/video my TR6 with emphasis on the engine sound. Was thinking along the lines of Rycotes, blimps, etc. to eliminate wind noise. Expensive stuff. It never occurred to me to use open-cell foam from the hardware store. Brilliant, and worthy of the ultimate compliment: "why didn't I think of that?" Thanks for this!

[@管苏尉]

Love it! so helpful! Easy, cost so little! I’m from China and want to make car videos. Not so many people pays attention to sound recording when making car videos yet it’s so important to make the video alive! Thank you for sharing! Love your taste of cars and the diecast Merc so beautiful!!!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks, I'm glad you found it helpful! And of course I agree, the sound is very important for car videos. Good luck with yours!

[@GoSeanKeane]

As someone who wants to make some casual car videos for myself with my own car, this was an awesome tutorial, can't wait to go try this out for myself!

[@Dillon1791]

Best video I've found for in-car sound capture and editing. Thank you!

[@qz.vision]

Best tutorial out there for recording car audio! Really appreciate the video, keep up the good work !

[@Veltior]

I really liked your tutorial. It's a great and cost efficient way for dabbling into making car videos. Love your energy as well. Good stuff.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks!

[@aos-archive]

That parametric EQ is a massive game changer for this sound newb. I recently did a recording of my new muffler with a cardioid mic.... the only "real" microphone I have, I realize it's not really ideal for outdoor use, but I only had it stationed on the ground so I was limited to drive-by recordings at best. Thanks for this, Andrew.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Glad it was helpful!

[@alekseyzhuravlov]

Awesome tutorial! Didn't think such a budget setup could sound great.

[@legacychannel7550]

Thanks for the great tutorial. Exactly what I was looking for, and entertaining to boot.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it & found it useful!

[@RowdyGT]

This is exactly what I was looking for because I want to record my supercharger and exhaust sounds simultaneously

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Sweet! Hope that turns out well.

[@grzegorzgiba4995]

Dude I watched full vid and after that I realised you have only 312 subs where tf are at least 3 more zeros this tutorial is amazing

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Haha, I appreciate that! Maybe one day!

[@drivingdaily582]

Really cool, Thanks for bringing this kind of value, you've answered a lot of questions that i had going on in my head, and went the extra mile to put everything to the test, I'm enjoying the videos, nice cars btw.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks, glad you found it helpful! I need to do more car sound vids 🧐

[@BillNyeX69]

I was just trying to find out the best way to do some POV vids of my car. Was really only looking for mic suggestions that would work with my phone. But this was a great video.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@AutoOffTopic]

Just used these tips for setting up my GoPro for a track day, worked awesome and sounds so much better. Thanks

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Sweet, glad to hear it!

[@BBTV56k]

Really great video, been looking for videos explaining how to get good Audi recordings for my M3 track car for ages, most involve expensive microphones and recording equipment and complicated setups, this video is nice and simple to follow and looks like good results can be had with minimal budget, can’t wait to try this out thanks again man 👍

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Glad it was helpful! I'm a fan of simplicity.

[@USM3C]

So... Did you try it? I just did on my nearly straight-pipe M3 and the sound was too much for the little mic.

[@BBTV56k]

@@USM3C Yes I tried the same and it just distorted unfortunately.

[@code0662]

@@BBTV56k maybe try an audio recorder that allows you complete control over your gain settings? I have a g37 with a custom exhaust and a zoom h1 and a lav mic is all I needed to record great audio

[@alexburgoa4759]

This is perfect since I also have an NA 1.6 miata

[@McQueen_Media]

Great video man! Very simple yet effective method. Miata looks great too.

[@Jonjs99]

Thanks bro, Your mic Idea helped me so much!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Glad to hear, thanks!

[@MrRalo90]

That was very informative and entertaining, thanks! Looking forward to future videos.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@SchlechteBewertung]

you made my life so much easier! Im just doing car edits as a hobby and this is a game braker ! i dont need it to be extremely professional. this is more than enough for instagram and tiktok! thanks for saving my budget :D

[@brenoleon7869]

You have some simple, but elegant solutions, and the result is really good! Thanks for the video! I'm Subscribed!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

I appreciate it! Part 2 is in progress :)

[@juhakivekas2175]

Tyre noise has a spectrum to over 30 000 Hz according to studies. The half wave length high up comes from grooves. But the 1000 Hz certainly cut a lot. I have a problem recording my 996. The standard exhaust is so quiet and engine bay gives some whine from the auxilliary belt. It is running generator (old), compresssor (old), power steering (old) and water pump (new). The tensioners are both new. I also added an extra oil scavenger which certainly will give some unwanted noise. Thanks.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Engine bay noises can certainly be disappointing and not what we expect. The best place on a fuel injected car is as close as possible to the intake tract and away from other accessories. I've heard of people putting a mic inside the airbox but haven't been brave/dumb enough to try that yet. Exhaust is usually the best sounding thing. You can get decent sound from inside the cabin as well, if you mix it with other sources. Definitely takes some experimentation on every different car, and I'm still learning as I go.

[@HenOnWheels]

Brilliant video vid....I didn't actual come here to learn this but I'm subscribing!

[@nickslosubi690]

great info man! I'm just now starting to get more technical with video production and this helped a ton! very under-rated video, well done.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks, glad it helped!

[@toomanyprojectz]

Thanks dude I need this for my car videos! Also is your dad Leo from that 70s show?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Hey man, let me know if you see another Photo Hut around here somewhere.

[@yacluck8343]

For the engine noise, is it possible to use this setup, but instead placing the mic in the engine and having a connector to a phone?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

I've never tried using a phone to record audio like this. It might be possible if you can find the right adapter. You have to be careful to note which kind of plug is being used and make sure your mic is compatible. For example, there are a bunch of adapters that are designed for mics with a TRRS plug, which won't work if you have regular TRS mics like what I have in this video. Something like this would supposedly work, but I don't have direct experience with it. amzn.to/3JwWSIR

[@touhoutouge2788]

That Manta A is beautiful man.I didn't know there are some in the US...

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks! They did sell the Manta A here in the states, but most people here seem to have forgotten them. Not many around. I've got several videos of mine, I'm currently rebuilding the suspension!

[@dannovic]

Thanks a lot man! Been struggling and testing a bunch of things over the years, since i could never find a good video about this subject. I also tried to mics with one of those splitter cables, but I might have the wrong one. Anyway, thanks a lot, and I'll check out part 2 now

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thank you! Glad you found it helpful. I'm strategizing on part 3 now, it should be a fun one.

[@bencze465]

A really cool video. I want to try record a bit of car gopro footage with sound just for some fun and the closest the budget is to 0 the better. People keep recommending 1000$ setups, fml. I now just have to find some places where to stick stuff to my car that is secure and easy to remove when needed. Again, great video, really appreciate it! The results sound great, sounds perfect or what I need it.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks! For a simple setup it works quite well.

[@WilsonYangAU]

Absolutely amazing tutorial, exactly what I was looking for, thank you so much. Also love your glorious hair, voting no on the haircut.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Yay! Thank you! I can say at this point that it will still be there in part 2 :)

[@VLOGISGARAGE]

thank you man

[@brennersydney]

Definitely helpful thanks for going all the way to editing mode !

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Glad you found that helpful, I wasn't sure how many people would have the attention span to get to that part :D

[@davidkris]

This is terrific. I learned a ton and look forward to what else you have to share - love your approach and subscribing on my first viewing of your stuff. (love that SB scenery!)

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks! And good eye on the location.

[@emixmim]

Nice video dude! Haircut is a must! Subscribed!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Haha, thanks! It hasn't happened yet, but maybe one day when I get tired of not being able to see where I'm going.

[@davidsantosf7]

Amazing video, True value thank you!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@GoadedGoblin]

Awesome work, thanks for sharing!

[@Driven2Review]

So I did this as shown in the video, but ny mic setup is a dual lapelle mic cable. It’s a stereo TRS cable that has 2 lapelles on it. But when I record with the GoPro, it records both mics as both LR (no separation. Into hero12 with media mod

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

If you want seperate tracks, you have to do what I did. Two separate mono mics and a stereo breakout cable as shown (not a headphone splitter).

[@_dvstn_]

this was very helpful man thank you!

[@scmclane]

I came to learn the audio, stayed for the Manta.

[@JosephDAndrea0121]

I subscribed for the kazoo, I watched for the info.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Note to self: more kazoo-related content. I appreciate it :D

[@NaiquiCool]

Excellent video,Thanks that's a great tuto

[@Exoticsgarage]

Honesty, best video i have ever seen! And great car! Just one question though. What is the best way to keep everything on track when recording with two cameras. For example how do you link up the audio and video from another camera without being confused on when you recorded the sound or the video. Is there a way to know which audio clip is for which video footage and exact millisecond. Thanks.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks for that! So I go into this a bit more in parts 2 and 3, but to make a long story short, it helps to start recording on all your devices at roughly the same time, then make an obvious sound that all the cameras and mics will pick up. Ideally it's a very sudden and sharp sound like slamming a door, or a loud hand clap. Then you can do the same towards the end before you stop recording just as a secondary line-up point. Then when you go into your video editing software, layer all your clips on top of each other, label them, and then look for that big peak in the audio tracks when you slammed the door or clapped. Drag your clips around until that peak lines up as closely as possible on all tracks, and you should be golden.

[@PokySan]

You do mention the name of the software, however it's hard to here exactly what it is, also how do you edid the video clips and stuff like this. I feel like it would be interesting to See a video on the film capturing and editing from my new favourit car geek. 😂

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Adobe Premiere Pro! It would be hard to summarize how to edit videos, it's definitely a long process. At least it is for me.

[@Subawuu4090]

Very informative video. Thank you Sir!

[@ToddMorrow]

Question, when recording the audio using a breakout cable, and feeding both left and right into your GoPro, How did both Engine and Exhaust not get compressed into a single track? Great tutorial BTW, thank you

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Hi! It does record a single file, but it's a stereo file, meaning left and right are totally separate (thanks to the breakout cable). That way you can split it afterwards in the edit as shown in the later part of the vid.

[@bigdreamer1219]

Hi man, I’m test recording with zoom h4 and with XLR cable attached to rode m5 even is still minus 12-6 range at the peak but it still sounds blown out at 6-7rpm with my miata ? Is just mic placement. Need to run more test its just day 1 for me.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Looking at the specs of that mic, it looks like it should be able to handle the volume / SPL. So it could be placement, or not enough protection from the wind. Keep experimenting, that's what it's all about! I would say your input level could be too high but it sounds like that's not it.

[@modspeed]

Very helpful, thanks! I don’t have a GoPro though, what would be an alternate device to record the sound? Would an iPhone work?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Pretty much any camera or audio recorder with a mic input would work! There are adaptors you can get for the iphone, but I haven't tried that personally. The official Apple Lightning-to-TRRS adaptor supposedly works with a TRRS mic. If you have a TRS mic you would need a TRS to TRRS adaptor to use it with the iphone.

[@TomKaszuba]

Fantastic tutorial. Thank you very much.

[@bertelsenmedia2nd]

Amazing work!

[@bosseul6462]

Good stuff !!!! Much appreciated !!!!!

[@auspuffgerausche7182]

nice work

[@worldviewsuperstar]

Great tips, learned a lot.

[@JS_Lounge]

Extremely useful tutorial :) thanks

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Glad it was helpful!

[@danielblasi2488]

Great Video, I just didn’t notice where you said what Programm you’re using to edit the audio. Can anyone help ?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Adobe Premiere Pro. You can achieve the same thing in other video editing programs, just might be a little different process.

[@amineghostdog]

curious, what kind of settings are your running the gopro: I know you said standard mic was fine: still ok when you used the splitter? also, how about wind settings?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Yep, standard setting was still fine with the splitter. Leave the GoPro wind settings turned off - it's way better to physically shield your mics than to let software mess up your recording.

[@slow_n_stock_328]

Great video! You mentioned that the microphones might not be good enough for a louder car. Do you have recommendations for a louder car? I have a straight piped 340i for reference if that helps, thanks in advance!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks! One of the key things to look for when looking at mics is whether they have a listed maximum SPL (sound pressure level) in the specs. I've picked up a couple that are rated for about 120-130 dB which should be enough for most loud cars. If that info isn't listed, then I'd avoid them. It can be tough to find lavalier mics that can handle that much. Also you can try using a decibel meter app on your phone to determine how loud your car is, and then try to find mics that can handle at least that much. Worst case, you can mount the mics further away from the exhaust or wrap them in extra padding to bring the level down.

[@slow_n_stock_328]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff could you tell my by chance what the 120-130dB microphones were? Please take your time, I appreciate the time you given me. Just looking to make better pov driving videos, I didn’t like just the go pro audio on mine.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

@@slow_n_stock_328 I can tell you, but they aren't available anymore. Also they are XLR mics that I use with a separate recorder (shown in the next vid), so you couldn't plug them straight in to a camera. In any case, they are Synco LAV-S6R. Later I bought another set, but they were rebranded as Moman MA6R, which also appear to not be available anymore. If you're wanting to use the GoPro adapter like I did in this video, something like the Sennheiser ME 2 (or ME 2-II) would be ideal as it can handle up to 130 dB. But it's expensive. Other than that, all you can really do is sift through and look for the parameters you need: TRS plug, omnidirectional, and high max SPL rating. There are tons of options out there and they change often (particularly the cheaper off-brand stuff). It's hard to find lav mics that can handle the noise, as they really aren't intended for this.

[@slow_n_stock_328]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff thanks! Super appreciate your time and responses. Keep up the good work

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

@@slow_n_stock_328 Something like the Sony ECMLV1 could be pretty fun. Small stereo mic that you could stash in different places, or put on your GoPro for a real POV experience. Though I can't find any SPL rating for it.

[@alexandercharalambous6598]

Is there any free editing software that allows you to play around with the EQ levels like this? I’ve been using CapCut but can only find a general noise reduction?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

I'm not sure but I've heard a lot of people like DaVinci Resolve. Haven't used it myself but they have a free version.

[@germanzocker6884]

I don't need the best audio quality, but I want it simple and cheap. That's why I wanted to go with a wireless lavalier, which plugs right into the smartphone. But it sounds just wrong. I think there is some kind of build in noise reduction that messes everything up, but I don't really know. Does anybody know how I can fix this or if there is a different but similiar easy and cheap solution?

[@klegraefe]

Very informative thanks man!! Whats ur thought on wireless mics?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks! I think wireless mics would be great in theory, but I haven't tried that yet. I love the idea of not messing with wires, BUT wires give you the most reliable signal. Wireless mics always have the chance of radio / electronic interference causing problems, and they are a little bigger, so not as easy to find mounting places, and you have to make sure batteries are charged, etc. Would be fun to try though!

[@klegraefe]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff absolutely man i agreee, i do a lot of video work in the shop and when i talk. Usually the voice quality isnt the best so im hoping this will help. I actually just went to the camera store. I bought a saramonic blink 500 wireless kit. Worth the try i suppose. We shall see 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

@@klegraefe Oh yeah, for any kind of talking stuff, a wireless lav mic is key. I use a Rode Wireless Go. Just haven't tried taping it to my car yet, hah!

[@fleetmanagement7303]

Hey man, are you in Santa Barbara? I wanted to thank you for this video. It’s inspired me, but I need help, I’m very new to this.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

(See reply to your other comment) - glad the video was helpful!

[@humzarahman1288]

0:25 is why I subbed 😂

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Haha! Thanks, I'll try to leave some humor in my videos :D

[@humzarahman1288]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff nice! In all serious tho, great video! Just watched the full thing now. I’m a videographer who recently started my own own production company and I want to up my sound design, especially for automotive stuff and you pretty covered everything I was wanting to know about in the one video 😎 I was dreading the hours of research but I think I’ve got what I needed now, so thanks for that.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

@@humzarahman1288 That's great, glad it was helpful! Part 2 goes more in depth into using a separate recorder to capture more than 2 sources at once. I'm planning to do a part 3 where I'll put together a cool cinematic sequence and how to deal with the audio, including some drivebys with a stereo mic to get a realistic left-to-right (or vice versa) effect. I'm still kinda experimenting and learning as I go, but it's fun stuff!

[@jamesroth6251]

kazoo bit had be dying haha

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

I'm just glad I finally had a use for it :D

[@Baldo_Oleo]

Hi, I'm guessing those cheap mics are condenser? Would a dynamic microphone be better? Thanks

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Yes, in theory dynamic mics should be better at handling the high SPL than condenser mics. Though when I was looking, there aren't many small lav mics that are dynamic. The ones that do exist are on the pricier side, like the Shure SM11, and in that case you have to deal with the XLR plug.

[@rre9518]

What wireless recording devices do you recommend? Figure I put one on a suction cup next to the exhaust, and one in the engine bay.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

I haven't used wireless mics for this application, so I'm not sure how well they'd work, but I would try something like Rode Wireless Go II, or DJI mics. They are small enough that you could wrap up the mics/transmitters in open cell foam (for wind shielding) and mount them where you want on the vehicle. Then you can sit inside and plug the receiver in to your audio recorder (or camera). Seems like it should work fine, I just wonder if the signal would be reliable. Those mics can handle about 100 db so they should work ok on vehicles that aren't super loud.

[@rre9518]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff Yes, that's what I've been looking at! Thanks I enjoy your videos, you're a funny guy :)

[@gixxerstig]

What editing software are you using?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Adobe Premiere Pro!

[@LauAM80]

2:21 Do you still know the name of this track ? It's amazing. By the way, I'm a train sound geek and didn't know there were car sound geeks 🙂

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

It's just some free music from the KZbin audio library, it's called "Feels" by Patrick Patrikios. I didn't know there were train sound geeks! I hope to do some more recordings of different cars in the future.

[@mouniswar7]

I have a plan to make vehicle simulation game. For my game, I need to record bus exterior engine sounds while it’s moving , how can I record them

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Same methods should work, just going to need the cooperation of the bus driver and some long wires! The challenge is going to be where to mount the mic(s) and have enough shielding from wind. Check out part 2 for a better setup using a dedicated audio recorder.

[@mouniswar7]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff the problem is those buses are AC buses and have rear engine, how can we connect long wires in this scenario

[@USM3C]

Hey man, great video. I bought everything that you linked on this video, then I tried it on my car. I'm running nearly straight pipes, so the exhaust sound is too loud for the little mic and the sound is all distorted. Is there an easy or inexpensive work around this problem? I also tried it in the engine bay and same result - just too loud.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Dang, sorry it's not working out for you! It's true that these little mics can only handle so much. It's hard to find good small mics that can handle high SPL and they often don't even tell you in the specs how much they can take. I've since been using some better ones along with an audio recorder, that can supposedly handle up to 120db (I use them in part 2). Anyway if moving the mics further away from the sound source isn't enough, try some more aggressive shielding around the mics to help bring the level down. One thing I thought of trying (but haven't yet) is to put a rubber vacuum cap over the mic.

[@USM3C]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff I'll definitely try that. Do you think the Zoom thing is a solution since it has gain control?

[@Joshtera]

Which breakout cable works with the gopro? There's 3 different options.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

It's the 3.5mm TRS to Dual 3.5mm TSF version. Keep in mind that you also need the GoPro mic adapter as shown in the vid.

[@Joshtera]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff thanks!

[@redslate]

Party On, Garth!

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Excellent.

[@LiamGAMES-mz7xw]

Is it a problem necessarily if it's a TRRS?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Maybe not, but you could use a TRRS to TRS adapter to make sure the signals are going to the right place. Always preferable to match the input to the device.

[@definingslawek4731]

Thank you!

[@andyfreestail]

What recorder did you used? Kind regards

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

In this video, I just plugged the mics directly into the camera (GoPro 9 with the mic adapter). If you watch part 2, in that one I use a Tascam DR-70D which can record 4 tracks at once. kzbin.info/www/bejne/m4XEh6V7Z7uGo68

[@jasoncherry2508]

At 12:54 you mention the road noise always being around 1000 Hz, as an audio engineer, I can tell you that this is simply not true. Noise as the name would state is a wide range of frequencies and not simply a "tone" which is a single frequency or very narrow bandwidth of frequencies. "Noise" is much more difficult to isolate and I suggest a moment in the car drive when you are moving at a decent typical rate of speed (and preferably slightly downhill), that you put the car in neutral and coast with the engine at an idle so that you can get a chunk of recorded audio that is JUST road noise so that you can later have a more advanced "noise reducer" function in an audio editor be able to better isolate the profile of frequencies of the road noise to be able to take out more precisely. Also, road nose from tires will tend to move up and down in center frequency based upon the speed at which you are moving because the noise is caused by the surface of the tire hitting the small surface artifacts in the road and the tires hits more little bumps faster as you move faster and that results in a higher frequency as you move faster. The idea of putting the lavalier mic in a large block of open cell foam is great. I might suggest an extra step for trying to capture a more true to accurate sound profile when doing so is to make an EQ adjustment profile for each mic when using the foam as the foam will tend to roll off the higher frequencies more than lower frequencies and can make the recorded audio sound more "muffled" than without the foam. You can easily correct for this if you have two recordings (especially if you have two of the identical mics to record at the same time and play a sine sweep through decent speakers and record the same sweep with the two mics side by side (at the same time) and compare the frequencies captured so that you can add in an audio EQ adjustment in the editor to account for the different levels of the frequencies being captured through the mic with foam verses no foam. Also, at 16:30 you talk about the "clipping" of the GoPro audio. Unfortunately, the clipping is locked in the recording and there is really no way to get back the additional audio information that was cut off by the fact that the mic was recorded with too much sensitivity during the drive. I did however see in the very beginning of the video that you have a Tascam DR-701D (excellent field recorder, I have one too). This is a much better choice for recording up to 4 mics independently as well as the stereo channels of a camera or other device. Because the Tascam gives you the ability to adjust the input gain structure of the analog mics directly, this is a MUCH better way to see the loudest levels during a TEST drive (before your main car recording event) to be able to properly set the mic levels so that you don't clip in the first place which then you have all the audio goodness to edit to your liking later. Overall great content and really good recommendations for mic placement and some ideas to help content creators with understanding some of the things that they should be thinking about when trying to capture the content as there is WAY more to think about other than just "Slapping a GoPro on a car and ripping around". I hope that this information finds someone that is willing to read through some nerdiness and try to understand the reason behind why this can make such a huge difference.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks for this very in-depth comment! Lots of good points. If you make it further in this series (parts 2 and 3) you'll see me delve into using the Tascam and manually setting levels, etc for the same reasons you brought up. This first video was an attempt at showing the simplest way possible to improve audio capture. As for the noise reduction, that's a good idea to get a sample of the road noise. Although in my experience, using software noise reduction tends to mess up the primary sound I want to preserve too much. Maybe it's time I tried that again. Anyway I agree that there's no exact rule for road noise being the same frequency all the time, but reducing that general frequency range seems to help. It's a balancing act as you don't want to lose too much of the engine sound if it falls in that same range. Anyway thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@vally6853]

YUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!

[@johnathonlevesque3784]

Yeah I dont have a problem with those tones on my car, its the low frequency noise. It sounds like I got a subwoofer going nuts on cold starts let alone high load situations I think I need a different type of mic. My car causes my mic to peak even on my lowest gain.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Interesting, yeah every car has different challenges, and some mics can't handle the noise. You could try moving them further away from the sound source and/or wrapping them in more foam. Could also be resonance throughout the whole car, in which case there's not much you can do, if that's just how it sounds in real life.

[@johnathonlevesque3784]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff I have tried all that for my car lol. Unfortunately or fortunately my car sounds like I have a subwoofer going crazy when I cold start my car. I think a drum mic will work but problem will be powering it.

[@FrankieStaerk]

Hey how long of an aux extension cord do you use? :)

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

I forget, probably something like 12 ft.

[@skystink]

You have a nice Opel there. Sweeet.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks, I have plans to use it in a Part 3 video, the goal is to put together a more complete "cinematic" sequence. It'll be a fun challenge, whenever I get around to it.

[@donrush5690]

I miss this guy...

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

You too Don! This was a good reminder of how well prepared you were as a host in the WCCC videos. While shooting this I would stop, think of something else I should have mentioned, shoot again later, etc. I think I have to work on being more charismatic too, I'm too mellow at times. But you know I'm going to keep dropping in bits of humor as always. The Cougar will make an appearance here at some point and you'll get a shoutout!

[@armeniaes503]

Great video

[@TAYOTAS]

Thanks alot man!

[@CorporateGrunt]

Have you ever tried Spec Miata with NASA or anything like that?

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Not yet! I am a racing virgin still. Maybe one day.

[@skystink]

Great video in general and nicely explained. I like especially the editing part. But... the sound is too good for the car. The car never sounds like that when you really drive it. As for me I want to shoot a rather realistic POV in my Miata but I never hear the exhaust nor the engine like that. I am testing a mic position behind the seat with unsatisfying results. Another KZbinr does binaural sound recording where the mic is attached to his ears but gee that seems a bit exaggerated as well.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Thanks! And you're right, if you wanted a more realistic driver's perspective sound, you'd want to put mics in the cabin. Try somewhere in the open, rather than tucked behind the seat. That's probably too blocked off and muffled. Anyway, the way I did it was to capture the sounds at their source, which tends to be more exciting, even if it's louder than reality.

[@ladislavboxan1121]

good vid

[@TomKaszuba]

Andrew. I wonder if this foam set up would work for ambient sound outside the vehicle which is what I would like to record. I do driving videos with a GoPro attached to the front hood of my car and record drives. I would like to capture audio outside the vehicle without wind noise. I was thinking of stuffing this foam with a mic in it into the area between the bottom of the windshield and the top of the hood. There is a gap there. Ambient sound outside of the vehicle is something I would love to record on a separate unit and then synch that sound with the GoPro after deleting the GoPro audio itself. I usually synch by beeping the horn a few times and then use Final Cut to take care of the editing. I’ll try it but I was wondering if you had any ideas on recording wind noise free ambient sound outside a moving vehicle. The way this guy captures ambient sound outside the car is what I’m looking for. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXnEe3Sogql-nas Thank you very much.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Interesting question! I think this type of foam would work fine for what you're doing, especially at low to medium speeds. You can also try "dead cats" which use long faux 'hairs' to absorb the wind. If you just want ambient noise and want to avoid the sound of your own car, maybe further away from the engine would be wise, like on the roof or something. It does help to physically shield them from the wind, however, as wind still makes a rushing sound at higher speed, whether it's actually getting into the mics or not. If using a separate audio recorder, be sure to set the sample rate to 48k as that will match up with your video. 44.1k is usually the default (for music recording) and will go out of sync with the video, especially on longer clips. Even with the correct sample rate, sometimes two devices will interpret time a little differently, and they might still go a little out of sync on a long clip. So running the mics into the camera might be a good idea for your application. I know the GoPro adapter setup is pretty annoying though. I'm getting close to finishing Part 2, in which I use a recorder and show how to sync things up.

[@TomKaszuba]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff Thank you very much Andrew. Very helpful advice. I look forward to volume 2 of this series. Volume 1 is one the best explanations of this technique on KZbin.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

@@TomKaszuba Thanks, I appreciate that!

[@BenjaminKarslund]

Now put it in a racing game?

[@joell439]

👍👍😎👍👍 kazoo eliminated 🤣. Thanks 🙏

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

If I'm ever forced into getting an electric car, I might have to drive around with a kazoo, just so there's some kind of sound

[@joell439]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff- now that’s thinking ahead 😂

[@ilyasguner2267]

my engine sound is peaking all the time :((

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

Some possible reasons: -Input settings are incorrect or input level is too high on your camera or recorder -Mic can't handle high SPL, check that rating online or in the manual if possible -Mic placed too close to engine I'm still learning as I go too, not all lav mics can handle the loudness of engines and exhaust.

[@ilyasguner2267]

@@AndrewDoesCarStuff i think reason might be me not using a dedicated recorder, im using my camera to change gain

[@kriswyche]

me personally, i just hear an extreme amount of wind and interference. It doesn't sound crisp at all.

[@AndrewDoesCarStuff]

If you're talking about the first few seconds of the video with examples of bad audio, I agree!