Need help dialing in a good tone on Cubase

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DethMetlZomb

New member
Hello! I'm new to the forum and home recording. I've played guitar for several years and finally decided to step things up by putting together a little home studio, which I'm finding out is an endless hobby, and I need a bigger desk now:facepalm:

Anyways, I'm having trouble getting the desired tone from my setup, and I think most of it has to do with my DAW configuration.

My gear is as follows:
  • Scarlett 2i4
  • An okay gaming pc, not a mac, so please don't tell me how to use Cubase on a mac it'll just confuse me.
  • An SX 8-String(very cheap and shitty but, it's going to have to do for now)
  • A red, Line 6 Spider 210 combo amp... Which I'm also replacing when able
  • A pair of Mackie Monitors
  • Shure SM 57 mic with stand
  • Cubase LE AL Elements 8

I can successfully record guitar, but it does not sound nearly as good as I had envisioned it would. I'm running my SM57 into my Scarlett 2i4 Input 1, and for reasons unknown to me, I can turn the gain on the interface all the way up without clipping(despite how loud the amps been cranked/having a gnarly 8 string metal tone) Matter of fact, the gain knob only shows its green ring led that my interface features when it's turned 3/4ths of the way up(The ring turns red if there's clipping). My interface is set to instrument on the input(48v button makes it sound slightly better but I have no idea what the purpose of that button is) The input/playback knob is set to input when recording and my monitor volume knob is all the way up. When I play back it sounds somewhat quiet but that balances out if I compress a recording into an audio file.

I think where I'm getting extremely lost and confused, is what I need to be leveling in Cubase, and the mhz/ghz/bit/khz nonsense that seems to apply to each piece of gear I have. I have no idea of its significance. If there is anyone who can guide me through Cubase ON A PC, about how to setup tone step by step/input capabilites/where the mic should go(I have it on a stand very close to my amp), I would be extremely appreciative! Right now it sounds just above the quality my phone or cheap webcam would record at and I'm kind of bummed because I'm at a dead end and I've put a bit of money into this.

***IF THIS INFORMATION IS SOMEWHERE ELSE*** Link me to it. It's tiring to deal with narcissistic attitudes on forums, and I will ignore every single word if I catch someones 'tude without a link.

I'll provide pictures if it helps!

Please and thank you in advance people!
 
I'm also now getting "audio drop out detected" and the volume slider on Cubase seems to be moving by itself while I record, and it's more annoying than it was before.
 
1) turn off 48v, (that is phantom power for condenser mics)

2) use an XLR to XLR cable to go from the mic to your interface

3) put the input/playback knob to the middle so you can hear both

4) if you are using a microphone, set your interface to use the mic input

5) point the mic at one of the amp's speakers
 
Strryder said:
1) turn off 48v, (that is phantom power for condenser mics)

2) use an XLR to XLR cable to go from the mic to your interface

3) put the input/playback knob to the middle so you can hear both

4) if you are using a microphone, set your interface to use the mic input

5) point the mic at one of the amp's speakers
Click to expand...

I'm using an XLR cable, and the interface has a "line" or "INST" switch. I figured because I'm recording a guitar with the mic to leave it on INST. So it does stay on "line" then? The inputs allow you to plug a guitar cable direct or an xlr cable, so you can do either or without having to pick the correct input. In Cubase, the input 1 that I have my mic plugged into via XLR, I have set to be read as a guitar. My input 2 says vocals because I set it that way but there is nothing plugged into the 2nd input on my interface. I also assumed since I can already hear my amp that there's not a need to center the input/playback knob but, I'll take your advice on it. I've tested the mic out a bit in different places and it seems to grip a good tone if I place it on the rim of the left speaker, very close compared to centering the mic into either one of the speakers.
 
DethMetlZomb said:
I'm using an XLR cable, and the interface has a "line" or "INST" switch. I figured because I'm recording a guitar with the mic to leave it on INST. So it does stay on "line" then?
Click to expand...

That switch is only in play if you have a TRS or TS cable plugged in. As you're using an XLR cable, the interface will be automatically detecting it. So, it makes no difference, in other words.

Manual - read it:

https://d3se566zfvnmhf.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/focusrite/downloads/8174/scarlett2i4-user-guide.pdf

Can't help you with Cubase. Generally, the obstacles to getting a good guitar sound are not the interface or the DAW, but the player, the room, the guitar, the amp and the microphone, or some combination thereof. And then there's the issue of knowing what a good recorded guitar tone actually sounds like. Playing guitar for years won't tell you that. Recording guitar will. It's a journey.

There's a whole "tone" thread in the Guitar forum - could be worth introducing yourself in there, posting a clip and letting the experts help.
 
Morning Deth' and welcome.

I am no recordist OR player but might be able to help with some of the jargon. I have 3 versions or Cubase but never liked it and rarely use it. Bit of a Samplitude fan.

However, the jargon!
Bits: You want 24 of them so set things up accordingly. 24bits gives you the lowest digital noise floor, should be around -100dBFS* with gains at zero and nothing plugged in.

Sample rate: 44.1kHz all the time (maybe 48kHx for video) . Despite what you might read there is very little advantage in using a higher sampling rate, even for "pros" and none at all for Home Recordists!

*dBFS stands for Full Scale and the absolute max is "0" dBFS, you never want to be close to that.
The "meat" or average level should ideally be at -18dBFS or even lower but Cubase handily does not give you a dB scale! (least, I never found one.) so shoot for average level about 1/2 way up the meters.

You could download the free Audacity (www,ninite.com)? Not ever so useful for general music track building but at least has decent, scaled meters. Also look into Cockos Reaper.

Yes, you can hear the amp via its speaker but that is not what the mic "hears" or gets recorded! Listen on headphones to the interface signal.

As Armistice says, getting a good guitar tone recorded is fraught and very subjective and very often does not ever sound quite right (so I am told!) until it is in a mix.

Dave.
 
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