It is now very easy to make professional studio quality recordings
using inexpensive computer interfaces.  For those curious check out
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/recording.  I have engineered
five major recording projects that range from piano solo to quartet to
70-voice choirs.  Protools is the best system.  I use the Digidesign
digirack002.  The whole system will set one back over $1,000, however
there are some great computer recording solutions for under $500.

Now the question to consider is how does one get the quality audio
on the video production.  Many consumer cameras today take great video
and sorry audio.  Here is one solution: use a DVD recording deck ($350
at Sam's Club) to do the recording.  Use a high quality home video
camera as the video source.  Use a small mixing console and at least
three microphones.  The mics are channeled through the mixing console
and panned in a stereo field with the third mic set many feet away and
mixed in to give some room ambiance if desired.  The output of the mixer
is used as the audio source for the DVD recorder.  Once everything is
set up and tested one will have good quality audio to go with the good
quality video.

The only drawback is most DVD recorders will not show an audio input
signal meter, so test and see that the audio signals are strong enough
but not overdriving.  Here is my solution: take an audio recording
device, such as a CD or tape deck, and input the mixer to this device
and set the mixer output using the audio meters on this device.  In
some cases there may be two outputs on the mixer, or simply use some
patch cables to send the mixer audio to the CD and DVD recorders
simultaneously.  This is that way I do my "important" DVD recordings of
instruments.  The benefit is one can monitor the audio signal and make
a DVD and CD at the same time.  The _massive_ drawback to this system
is it is not suitable for quick and easy portable recording.

There are a number of ways to get good audio on video.  Using consumer
grade video cameras is not one of them.  These devices are getting much
better but the audio quality lags behind the video quality.

Now, getting this good video & audio recording on the Web is another
question all together!  The data compression required compromises both
the video and audio quality.  To see an on-line clip utilizing the
recording method described above, follow this link:

http://www.pcmusicministry.embarqspace.com/#/musicalsawvideo/4530333710 

This is a recording of yours truly playing the "Musical Handsaw."
This is the only on-line example there is that illustrates the quality
of this recording method.

Sam Harris
Greenville, North Carolina