Simultaneous recording on multiple devices - how to program?

Gear
#1

Hi All!

I’m trying to streamline as much as possible my recording process (for stuff that hopefully you will see soon :slight_smile: )

Ideally I’d like to program [insert appropriate device here] so that with a single click of a button the following 3 devices start recording (at roughly the same time):

  • The DAW on my macbook (Reaper)
  • Wide shot camera (Panasonic GH4 - it’s got Wifi)
  • Magnet camera (iphone SE, 2020 version)

Any ideas / suggestions welcome, TIA :slight_smile:

#2

You could probably set up some sort of master clock to sync all three, but I’ve always just started them all running and then did something like a quick muted strum to get a sharp transient in the audio, then zoom in on that to sync my files, then trim it out, replace the camera audio with DAW, etc. I assume you’re already doing something similar, but if somehow you’re not…

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#3

Correct, I do something similar :slight_smile:

What I want to avoid is to run around in between the various devices starting/ stopping for every take.

I want to make sure that a single button can start/stop all three so that

  • it’s quicker / less disrupting to start a new take
  • I can’t forget to turn on one of the devices while recording with the others (anyone was ever like: “hey that was a great take! Oh crap… I didn’t start the camera”)
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#4

Ah, in that case, I’m not sure either. :rofl: I’ve sometimrs just left the camera and DAW running for a few takes (or, if it’s with a backing track, put the track a couple times in a row into the DAW) so I can give it a few tries before I have to get up and evaluate. I’ll be watching this space too, I’ve only ever worked with a single camera but I am in for a magnet and I wouldn’t mind adding a second video source as well…

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#5

Leaving the devices running for several takes is also an alternative (which I often use too).

However, for CTC stuff we have to film stuff in 4K so the video files can get hefty pretty quickly, and scrolling through them in a video editing software can be pretty demanding even for a decent computer.

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#6

I record music before video, so that if I do an error I don’t have to record the whole thing again.
Worked good so far and in the end saved me a lot of time (even if it takes twice as much on paper).

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#7

I use an iOS app called CollabraCam that lets you sync video recording from multiple iOS devices. I use an iPhone SE and up to 3 iPod touches. You press one button on the master device and they all start rolling.

I’ve never found a good solution for integrating remote cameras with smartphone cameras to do this type of thing, so in the end I just bought some cheap iPods and gave in to the apple ecosystem for ease of use.

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#8

I don’t know what I’m talking about, but isn’t there something called the ‘airstrip’ that can be used to control many devices (PC key strokes/midi/switch jacks. It uses bluetooth I think - you can program it to do a lot of stuff as I recall…

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#9

Its bloody airstep, not airstrip lol

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