Recording my electric on my computer.

[robjwallace]

How can I go about recording my electric guitar on my computer? I have a decent recording program and my sound card has a line input. I have a DOD JuiceIT 100w amp. I am using an external pedal for my distortion. I dont think my amp has a line output, it just has a jack in the back for "external speaker" i.e. a cabinet. I just want to be able to record my distorted guitar without having it all muddled and messed up sounding by the time it gets to my computer. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[TimOBrien]

Basic guide:

http://www.tweakheadz.com/guitarists..._recording.htm

[Oancient1]

Originally Posted by robjwallace

How can I go about recording my electric guitar on my computer? I have a decent recording program and my sound card has a line input. I have a DOD JuiceIT 100w amp. I am using an external pedal for my distortion. I dont think my amp has a line output, it just has a jack in the back for "external speaker" i.e. a cabinet. I just want to be able to record my distorted guitar without having it all muddled and messed up sounding by the time it gets to my computer. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Some will say that the way to do it is to play through an amp and mike the amp. Using a smaller amp is popular to get that "turned all the way up" distortion as opposed to using a master volume function on a bigger amp. The argument for miking is that the sound is a real recording of a "played live" sounding electric guitar e.g.through an amp. People who use this approach can help you with mic type and preamp needs.

Others (myself included) prefer to go "direct in", either into the recorder and using internal or looped effects there to get the "distorted" sound, or (as I do) connect effects pedal(s) between the guitar and the input of the recorder. I personally us a digitech multi effects pedal, which is probably costs me a lot in terms of effect quality compared to analog effects, but is easier on my budget. My pedal has a lpreamplified ine out function that lets me use line in on the recorder, giving me better results than using the lower level "amp" setting on the pedal and going into the recorders guitar input. In the case of a computer, I think going into line in is a necessity as it would been a pretty significant impedance mismatch going into Mic in.

So I think it is a tradeoff. When miking, it is tricky getting the correct audible amp level to allow you to play along when multi-tracking, and the correct input level when recording, the payoff being a more realistic sounding guitar. On the other side, contolling levels is simpler when going staight in with defects, but it is a challenge to get your guitar to have that "live" sound. Of course, the proximity of intolerant neigbors may make the direct in method manditory.

Tom

[COOLCAT]

Originally Posted by robjwallace

How can I go about recording my electric guitar on my computer? I have a decent recording program and my sound card has a line input. I have a DOD JuiceIT 100w amp. I am using an external pedal for my distortion. I dont think my amp has a line output, it just has a jack in the back for "external speaker" i.e. a cabinet. I just want to be able to record my distorted guitar without having it all muddled and messed up sounding by the time it gets to my computer. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

with your setup, I'd mic it...

you have the amp and pedal, you have the recording software and audio card.

your audio interface maybe a trick point,

because you don't have a "1/4 or XLR microphone" input on your audio card, you'll need to convert this to your line input (1/8" jack)..

this is why many users just buy those cheapo MAudio Fast-2 channel boxes, or a little mixer...or some kind of gender changer for the cable from XLR MIC, or 1/4" MIC to your little 1/8" Line In....to get this into your pc.

My son has a Yamaha mixer into his soundcard....but he only uses one input.

If your going to be recording, I'd really recommend going to the Free Ad's and finding a PC interface, their great and decent converters(electronics).

good luck...what kind of mic...SM57