won't record

[picker523]

My computer wont record my guitar. i plugged my guitar into my microphone port. I tried to record with Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 and all i could hear is static. Then i tried using my guitar amp as an amplifire. So i ran my guitar to my amp and then my amp to my computer. I made sure that i was plugging everything where it goes. I tried to record and i could hear a faint sound of my guitar but still there was alot of static. What should i do.

[Rock Star 87]

first off, when you record what is your soundcard set to record. it should be just the microphone, and try plugging it in line. i saw a slight difference with my recordings when i did that.

[moskus]

Originally Posted by picker523

What should i do.

Never use the mic. input on a cheap soundcard if you don't have to. The soundquality for a line-level source is like night and day. Amplifier simulator is the way to go...

Have you turned up the recording-volume in the Windows Mixer?

[AlChuck]

So i ran my guitar to my amp and then my amp to my computer.

Just to be sure, I hope that you mean that your amplifier has a Line Out from the preamps stage (often labeled "Direct Out" or "Recording Out"), and that you were not plugging a cable from the speaker output to the soundcard input...

[James Argo]

Originally Posted by picker523

My computer wont record my guitar.

Did anyone play the guitar? Or maybe your computer tried to tell you to become keyboard player instead... KIDDIN'

Originally Posted by picker523

i plugged my guitar into my microphone port.

What moskus said You'll get ALOT better sound if you use Line-in instead of Microphone in. I knew, the signal of your guitar would be too low, which means you need to pre-amp'd the guitar prior to Line in. If you have small mixer or regular multieffect unit (Line6, V-Amp, Zoom, Boss, etc), then they usualy could act as pre-amp. So... guitar --> Pre-amp --> Line in. Make sure you select Line-in as recording source in Windows' mixer, and adjust it's recording level propherly.

Originally Posted by picker523

I tried to record with Cakewalk Pro Audio 9 and all i could hear is static. Then i tried using my guitar amp as an amplifire. So i ran my guitar to my amp and then my amp to my computer. I made sure that i was plugging everything where it goes. I tried to record and i could hear a faint sound of my guitar but still there was alot of static. What should i do.

Noise static could occur for many reasons. First place to check is your cable's quality. Make sure it's good solder'd cable with propher connector. Next one is where did you sit when playing/recording guitar. Avoid sitting in front of your monitor (PC), as your guitar might pick up monitor's radiation, specialy if you use regular CRT monitor (not LCD or plasma). As AlChuck mentioned, if you run your guitar to amplifier before Line in, then MAKE SURE you connect from amp's direct out (or recording out) and not speaker out. It will blow your soundcard easily if you connect speaker out to PC's Line-in.


Jaymz