The Mobile Broadcasting Revolution: Recording Audio/Video on iOS
I just got back from a presentation in NY for a HIGHLY reputable broadcasting network (If you live in the USA, you know its one of the big four for news -not including CNN). I stood in front of around 25 people all asking the same question: how can we make it easier for our field reporters to get the audio/video back to the station so we can edit faster? Well, till now, there hasn’t been a way for field reporters to work easily with handheld recorders that have wifi/phone capability to record video/audio and upload it to a central database so the tech teams can start editing and production can send it on-air. Solution? IK Multimedia’s iRig products and iOS software.
Let’s start with the first question: What kind of hardware do I use to record the audio into my iPhone or iPad for broadcasting/podcasting? Well, right now, you have tons of choices for microphones. Easy to use & Affordable? iRig Mic ($59 US) or iRig Mic Cast ($39.99 US) plug directly into your iOS mobile device (Android too). Have your own microphone? iRig PRE allows you to connect it to your iOS mobile device (Android included again). Want more connections in one device, maybe you have a microphone that works with XLR and another that’s a line in? iRig PRO (has XLR, 1/4 inch and MIDI, pretty sweet!).
Now, I have the gear, but what software do I use to record the broadcast/podcast with and send it directly to the studio? iRig Recorder (works on both iOS and Android), and the full version has the capability to export directly to an FTP if you want to. iRig Recorder is basically, “check levels, hit record, review, and send to studio”. Easy peasy. Want something with more studio service capability inside the app? VocaLive for iPad and iPhone has tons of effects like Reverb, Parametric EQ, Pitch fix, etc, to make your podcast sound more interesting/natural (insert creativity here). Both apps are available from the iTunes App Store as free versions, but you might as well go ahead and pay for the full versions, since they’re the ones you need to access all the goodies.
Here is a video for iRig Mic Cast in action:
Soon, most apps will be compatible with IOS 7 compatibility. This means that certain IOS apps will have the ability to work inside other apps (or in tandem) so you can get the best sound, while working simultaneously with another app. An example of this would be, opening Apple’s GarageBand and then opening VocaLive or AmpliTube inside it and using them together. It’s called Inter-App Audio. This would be the same for video apps having the ability for inter-app audio, an example of this would be (insert video app here) and using VocaLive or iRig Recorder with it to capture sound. In the past, you would have to spend hundreds of dollars on each piece of software to be able to do this…now, you can get apps from the App Store for $20 and under…making the podcasting/broadcasting for mobile devices the most affordable option (now being considered by VERY LARGE NEWS networks for their reporters to use). Professionals and newbies are paying the same price for the gear and the software…. tis the start of the Mobile Broadcasting Revolution…and exploring IK Multimedia products are a great starting point.
Starr Ackerman's Music Production Blog & PR/AR 