Want to see behind the scenes of exactly how I film my YouTube videos?
Iām going to take you on a tour of my office aka recording studioā¦
Weāll talk about all my favorite equipment, Iāll give you my best tips to help you create your own at-home studioā¦
And I even put together a free equipment guide for you to get started.
Hey, Posse! Whatās up? Itās Alex.
Ever since my tutorial where I talked about tips for getting started on YouTube, I have had tons of people asking me for links and details to my favorite recording equipment.
So in this blog, thatās exactly what weāre going to talk about.
But first ā if youāre new to the crew ā welcome!
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Now before we get into the list of my favorite equipmentā¦
I just want to say: this what Iām currently using. But that doesnāt mean what Iām using right now is the BEST or the ONLY options.
Iāve been doing this for 3 ā going on 4 ā years now and I have changed my equipment many timesā¦
And Iām sure Iāll continue to change and upgrade as I continue to grow and learn more.
Iām by no means a tech or AV expert so please do not take this as a ābest ofā list ā this is just what I use and have found to produce really great results.
Also I donāt want you to think you HAVE to have a setup like mine in order to get started ā I certainly didnāt at first.
Whatās more important than having the perfect equipment is just starting.
So donāt let that hold you back.
Now with that saidā¦
Letās get into my studio setup.
YouTube Audio + Video
Okay, first thing firstā¦
I use the Canon EOSR to record all of my YouTube content. Yes, this is an expensive camera.
But if youāre just getting started you donāt have to spend this much ā in fact, I would highly recommend that you donāt splurge on any fancy equipment until you have some progress and momentum.
When I first started my YouTube channel, I used a Canon Rebel ā a very basic, and more affordable, SLR. Sony Alpha a6000 is another less expensive option.
And there are plenty of even more affordable options out there that still create excellent video quality.
You can even find some really great used ones on places like Facebook Marketplace.
And if you absolutely canāt afford a professional camera ā no worries.
You can get started on your phone and transition to a DSL camera later.
In order to get the best quality possible from your phone, here are a couple tips:
- Use the camera on the back of your phone. The front cameraās quality is not as good on most phones.
- Use a tripod like this one to get nice and steady video at eye level. Trust me you do WANT a tripod. Thereās nothing worse than shaky footage or dealing with the frustration of a DIY, book stack prop gone wrong.Ā
- Record in landscape mode. This will give you footage that looks good on YT.
- Step back a bit so you have some space. This will make it so you can easily crop for vertical short form video. If youāre standing to close to your camera you wonāt be able to crop for vertical video.
Alright, next upā¦
Because no one likes to watch a video where the audio doesnāt match up with the speakerā¦
I take extra precautions to ensure my video and audio are perfectly synced.
For this, I connect my SLR camera to the Rode Wireless GO II single-channel wireless microphone system (Transmitter + Lavalier microphone).Ā
Now hereās how you set it all up: Mount your camera on a tripod ā honestly any tripod will work so long as itās stable and level. And again, just adjust the height of your tripod so itās perfectly eye-level to where youāll be sitting/standing.
And hereās a pro tip for youā¦
Once youāve got your tripod set, use masking tape to mark its position on the floor so that next time, you know exactly where to put it.
And you ALSO want to mark the floor where you sit/stand.
This is going to ensure that every video you create has a consistent frame ā without you spending a ton of time trying to create the set up each time.
Now⦠one last note on audioā¦
My studio is carpeted ā which means I donāt have to worry about echo.
But if youāre recording in a location with a lot of hard surfaces (like tile, hardwood floors, windows, etc.), then I would definitely recommend adding sound panels to absorb and diffuse the echo.
Okay now that we have the audio and video set upā¦
Itās time to talk about the most important element of great videoā¦
LIGHTING!
YouTube Lighting Setup
I truly believe that having great lighting can make or break your video quality. And there are so many affordable lighting options out there that you really shouldnāt skip this step.
In my studio, I face a large window, so I get a lot of natural light.
Natural lighting is always going to be better than artificial, plus itās free! So if you can film in front of a window ā do it!
I also use two additional Softbox Lights on either side of the window and angled towards me.
If Iām filming at night, I use an additional set of lights to backlight the wall behind me.
If you donāt have a lot of natural lighting, I recommend getting two of these lighting kits to create nice, even lighting and backlighting.
Now while natural lighting is GREAT…
It can also be a little too much and create harsh shadows. So do your best to film in the morning or evening, when the light is softest.
But sometimes, you just wonāt be able to avoid those bright & sunny daysā¦
So a hack you can do is to hang a white sheet over the window. Something thin that will diffuse the light and help you avoid overexposure without completely blocking out the light altogether.
Alright, the next thing in my YouTube setup isā¦
Teleprompter Kit
I have had so many people ask me how I remember my script ā or if I even use a script at all.
And the answer is YES ā I do use a script when Iām filming. Especially for more educational and structured content where I have very specific points I need to make sure I touch on.
And for less structured, more free-flowing, content I might not use a word-for-word script⦠but I DO still read off an outline.
This just keeps everything tight and helps keep me on track in case I lose my train of thought ā or you know⦠begin to ramble.
If you guys want a tutorial detailing exactly HOW I write my YouTube scripts ā from how to make them compelling, to the key elements I always include, how I structure them, how I format & optimize them for reading⦠comment below and let me know.
So yes I use scriptsā¦.
And I read them off a teleprompter!
This Parrot Teleprompter Kit is lightweight and fits onto any SLR camera.Ā
It requires the use of a smartphone with a teleprompter app.
You just copy and paste your script into the app, adjust the speed and make sure the remote control is connected via Bluetooth.
Your smartphone slides into the teleprompter device and mirrors the script back at you.
Now you will probably need to practice a few times before youāll find the speed that matches your normal cadence of speaking.
OH! And pro tipā¦
Order extra batteries for the remote!
Once the battery starts to die, the remote doesnāt work very well. Having extra handy will ensure you donāt get stuck with no remote on recording day.
Alright, so thatās the equipment side of thingsā¦
Now letās talk a little bit about the studio set up on filming day.
YouTube Filming Setup
Everyoneās favorite topic⦠BACKGROUND.
I donāt know why, but this seems to be the number one thing that holds most people up from starting their YouTube channels (me included! haha)
We stress over having āthe perfect backgroundā.
But honestly, just a solid color wall is totally fine!
You donāt have to have a perfectly curated shelving unit, special mood lighting, or a plant placed just soā¦
Seriously, no one else is thinking about your background as much as you are.
Seriously! Trust me!
As long you can avoid a messy, cluttered, or distracting background ā youāll be just fine.
Oh and one other thing you definitely DONāT want in your background is a mirror.
Weird I know, but you donāt want that awkward reflection of yourself in the video frame.
So hereās how I set up the studio on recording dayā¦
Iāll have my tripod and teleprompter in front of the window, with the two box lights on either side pointed toward me, Iāll be standing or sitting in the middle of the room and if needed, Iāll have the two additional box lights pointing at the background.
In my hand, Iām holding the remote for the prompter.
And thatās it!

Ready to record and send to my team to be edited and published.
I hope you found this super helpful. If you want links to all the equipment I talked about today, you can grab a copy of my free YouTube Studio Setup Guide for the extra details.Ā
Happy content creating!
Until next time, Iām Alex ā Ciao for now!