Best way to record with the magnet without having to import each video to mac

Gear
#1

Ive got a magnet, iPhone, mac.

I want to be able to use iPhone camera and the sound from my helix .
Ive got iMovie and final cut.
Both of these programs do not you use your iPhone as a camera device only the built in FaceTime cam on the mac. This sucks

It would be nice not to have to import every video recorded on my iPhone from the iPhone to the mac then into iMovie.
it is a bit of a pain messing with the magnet to get the phone in and out and there is the added down side that i can only use the iPhones native audio.
The only way i can see it working it to record my helix into logic pro, film the video on my iPhone and then sync them both up later in iMovie/final cut.

Its amazing that we can even do this but it seems like more steps than needed.

I know i can use quicktime to get close to what i want and record iPhones camera even route the audio from the helix but the down side is that on the video you get the record button from the iPhone camera app/any auto focus info such as the yellow box and the running time of the video.
Also im not sure if im actually still capturing at 240 frames when i do this or not?

Does anyone know a way to get it all done at once?

Set up magnet, record video from the mac and audio from helix?

Perhaps i could try OBS? but again i think the onscreen information from the iPhones native camera app will get recorded as its basically screen mirroring isn’t it?

Any help would be great thanks.

@Troy
@Adam

1 Like
#2

Short answer: The pro way, and the way we do it in the studio, is to film your phone clips and sync up later in your video editor — FCP in our case.

Longer answer: My guess is that you are almost certainly not capturing high fps video when using the phone as a webcam. The bandwidth and/or processing power needed to record high frame rate video in real time while streaming the video from your phone, to your computer, and directly to your computer’s disk, all while previewing live in the FCP viewer, probably just isn’t present. Your phone has specialized encoding / decoding hardware for handling these types of video tasks to reduce load on the main processor. Plus, it’s recording directly to phone local storage, which is going to be faster than trying to stream it, even over a high-speed wired connection.

1 Like
#3

Thanks for the reply Troy.
I assumed this would be the case. Tonight I’ve been doing it all on my phone straight into the iPhone iMovie app. There is an option to retain the pitch of slowed down video. Although I don’t get the best sound it’s perfectly useable and it means I can record a bunch of stuff at once then edit it all in my phone. It also means I have the videos with me and can study them whenever I want.

Mate I’ve only had 3/4 goes of the magnet and I’ve already found a bunch of issues with my picking that I didn’t even know were there! I was horrified to discover I was hitting completely the wrong string in one etude!!
Very excited to finally iron out the creases :+1:t3:

#4

If you’re just using the Magnet to spot check your playing, why do you need editing, i.e. why can’t you just record a short section of something and watch it in the normal photo library? The built-in video player has sliders for slow motion and normal speed. That’s all you really need.

Personally, I don’t record long sections of anything, and I don’t even turn the sound on — I already know what I’m playing, I just want to look at the motions. 5-10 seconds of something short is all I ever need.

2 Likes
#5

To be honest, if it sounds good it’s good even if you are not always avoiding unintended strings. I would only worry if the mistake causes very audible problems.

#6

I’ve just found a way to record audio and video simultaneously from an Iphone/Ipad. I used a little accessory called iRig 2 which give you a “guitar in” input so I just connected the line output of my Torpedo Cab M (which should work the same as a Helix in this context) And I am satisfied with the results:

Also, here’s the littlw gadget I use to connect to the iPhone.

image
image1920Ă—2560 180 KB

Finally, it’s important to note that even though the iRig 2 has a headphones and amp outputs, it is easier to monitor yourself from your Helix side.

2 Likes
#7

Thanks mate i’ll give it a whirl

#8

Using Your iPhone as a Camera with Helix Audio

Understanding the Challenge

You’re facing a common hurdle when trying to use your iPhone as a camera with external audio. The main issue is that most video editing software, including iMovie and Final Cut Pro, prioritize the built-in FaceTime camera on the Mac.

Proposed Solution: OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a powerful open-source software that can capture video and audio from multiple sources simultaneously. This is exactly what you need. Here’s a basic setup:

  1. Install OBS Studio: Download and install OBS Studio on your Mac.
  2. Set Up Sources:
  • Video: Add your iPhone as a video capture device. You might need to install additional drivers or software provided by Apple for this.
  • Audio: Add your Helix as an audio input device.
  1. Configure Settings:
  • Resolution and Frame Rate: Set the resolution and frame rate to match your desired output (e.g., 1080p at 24fps).
  • Audio Settings: Adjust audio levels and settings as needed.
  1. Start Recording: When you’re ready, start recording in OBS Studio.
#9

QuickTime Player on the Mac itself. Open it, click “new movie recording” and select your phone. You can preview what you’re filming on your monitor and record on the Mac instead of the phone. I do that while recording the guitar signal in Logic Pro from the Fractal. The only annoying part is having to import the movie and line up the audio, but if you “slate” it only takes a few seconds. There is probably an easier way, but I only record short snippets and don’t mind it so much.