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Tools Needed to Make Tutorial Videos


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Gaussian

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So you want to make a video tutorial? We would love to help you do it. Here's a basic list of what you will need to get started.

1. Screen Recording Software
This is a program that will record exactly what you see on your computer monitor as a video that you can later edit and then upload.

The most commonly used and probably the most powerful screen recording software is Camtasia Studio from Techsmith. This is not a free program but it's fantastic because it is also a video editor. Camtasia is pretty much a complete package of everything you will need, but it's not cheap so I will list some alternatives.

A free screen recording program that is billed as "the free alternative to Camtasia" is CamStudio and although I have not personally used it, I hear good things about it. If someone has experience with the program please add a review :)

There's another little program from Techsmith (the makers of Camtasia) called Jing that is a lot cheaper than Camtasia. There's a free version and an inexpensive Pro version. I haven't used this program, but it looks liek it records short videos easily and might be perfect for quick tip and technique videos.

2. Microphone
If you want to have clear audio in your tutorial you will want to pick up a good microphone and make sure your computer has a sound card that you can plug it into. The market is flooded with cheap low quality microphones, but don't be fooled by the low end rubbish. No one wants to listen to crackling and hissing or other distorted audio when they are trying to hear your voice. Get the best mic you can afford. High quality PC mics may cost around $30-$50, or if you really want to go all out you can pick up a professional studio mic for around $100 but you need to be sure your sound card can make use of it. A lot of pro grade mics require phantom power and you need a special (expensive) USB or Firewire Audio Interface to use them typically costing $100 and up.

3. Sound Card
Make sure your computer has a sound card with a microphone input. Test out your mic with it, and if the sound is way too quiet then you might consider upgrading to a better sound card. If you went with a pro mic, you will probably need an external audio interface that has XLR inputs with phantom power, or even a preamp for the mic. that's a bit beyond this guide but if you need help just ask me.

4. Video Editing Software
If you have Camtasia, then this is included and you can edit your videos right after recording them. If you are using a different recording program then you will also want to get familiar with some basic video editing. Nearly all newer computers come with video editing software (Windows Movie Maker or Apple iMovie) and they are perfectly fine for this purpose. If you want to get fancy you can use Adobe Premiere Pro or After Effects, but that's overkill for a simple tutorial.

Now you should be ready to make a tutorial!

The process is usually done one of two ways.

First method is to record audio while you work. Just hook up your mic and record the tutorial live. Afterwards make your edits and then export the video.

The second method is to first record the video without any sound, then play it back while you record a voice over. This has the benefit of letting you focus more on the workflow while record the video and then you can focus more on the narration while doing the voice over.

I'll be adding to this post as I try out new software or think of additional things that might be helpful.

If you have any questions or feedback feel free to add to this thread.
 
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