Webcam with good audio for recording a piano?

[Eric J in MN]

I'd like to use a webcam as a convenient way to make videos of myself playing piano.

I tried the Microsoft Lifecam VX-6000 webcam and it added audio-static which ruined what was otherwise was a convenient approach. I returned it.

Are there other webcams which don't make audio-static?

[Poiuyt]

1. The key to getting a good recording is microphone placement

You'll never get a good recording with an on-camera mike

[Eric J in MN]

2. I'm not looking for ideal sound. I just want sound without static.

Half-decent sound and convenience.

[Poiuyt]

3. Usually you get audio static from a bad connection, but that wouldn't happen

with a web cam where everything is built in. Is the static constant, or do you hear it more during the louder passages? I'm wondering if you are getting overload distortion.

[Eric J in MN]

4. It occured when the piano was louder.

But when I turned down the volume of the built-in microphone all the way, it still produced static when the piano was louder.

[Poiuyt]

5. Doesn't your camera have an audio limiter or auto volume control?

[Eric J in MN]

6. It didn't have a volume control on the device.

The software ostensibly lets one adjust microphone volume, but the audio static occurred even with that turned down all the way.

Is a microphone volume control in software the same as an "audio limiter or auto volume control"?

[Poiuyt]

7. It sounds like the software adjusts the volume after it's in the computer instead

of as it's being recorded. A limiter will prevent an audio signal from exceeding a set level before it gets recorded.

I'm afraid I'm not much help here. My guess is that webcam is just not the right tool for this job. You could try moving the computer as far away from the piano as possible and then zoom in with the camera. That way the audio will be minimized.