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I want to record a drum cover. I have three input sources: a camera, the output of my electronic drum kit (computer registers it as a microphone), and an existing audio file (the song). I want to record myself playing along with the song, and have the resulting audio&video sync up exactly as I was playing it. I'm thinking I want to have a program where I import the song and put it as an audio track, then the program lets me record audio & video while playing back the existing project (namely the audio track).

What's a relatively cheap program that would allow me to do the above? As it is now I have to record the audio & video while I'm listening to the song, then edit the song file in a program to manually sync it with what I recorded, then import that modified song file into the program, which is too much of a pain.

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You are over thinking it. Edit a quick beep in before the audio starts on the song, play the song aloud while you are recording the drums. Hit one of your drums so that you can see and hear it quickly on the video as well. Record the audio direct from your drums and have a third track that is the microphone for the camera. The camera audio track will here both the drums and see the drum hit being used to sync. Then align the song and the drum track based on those markers in the video editor of your choice.

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  • +1 I do this all the time, but I use a clap so I get both a visual in the video and a spike in the audio so I can align them up.
    – DustinDavis
    Commented Dec 10, 2014 at 15:22
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There are a couple of software for sync audio and video files. Try out my freeware tool: http://auxmic.com

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  • Seems like a handy tool, but will it work when the audio doesn't match significantly? The camera will pick up both the thwacks on the drums (but not the actual sound they make since that is electronic) and the music, but it will then have to sync with the completely different sound from the electronic drum feed. Also, thanks for following the self-promotion guidelines.
    – AJ Henderson ♦
    Commented Oct 2, 2014 at 17:50
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Basically what you are doing is how you would film a low budget music video. 2/3 sources

sound = band / musician playing live camera = seeing the band playing live while recording sound all in camera CD track = from studio or live track

if you can get a sync point on all tracks it does help such as AJ Henderson said hit a drum that the camera can see

I normally use PluralEyes so in my editor (Normally Final cut pro x) put the live video, cd track and recorded track on 3 different tracks in the timeline

export the XML

import into PE and sync, if all goes well it will sync it all up to the tracks.

export back to the editor and remove which ever audio track you dont want or bring the volume down of the track your overlaying etc.

I hope that makes a bit of sense.

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