Can't rid of guitar distortion

[Albertm]

Use Amplitube for a while now. Set to clean and still distorted. Strange. Tried again without Amplitube and plugged straight into Tascam 1082. Still distorted. So not Amplitube issue I think. Why would the signal distort? Volumes are under the red. I've been doing it this way for a couple of years, did I screw with setting somewhere. Also notice sound is delayed just a tad. Sure that is a buffer thing but wanted to rid of distortion first. Any ideas. thanks

Sonar 5 PE

[Myriad_Rocker]

Have you checked the gain on the input you're using?

The delay is called latency. You'll have to mess with the buffer settings in Sonar to minimize this.

[Albertm]

I have guitar straight into board. All levels in the green. So I think all gains are good.

Strange thing about buffer thing. All my midi stuff isn't delayed. Just analog guitar and vocal?

[deshead]

Originally Posted by Albertm

Why would the signal distort?

Dead battery? Faulty cable? Loose wire in the guitar?

Do you have an amp you can try the guitar through?

[psychedelicsoun]

turn your amp down HAHAHAHAHHAA

okay not that funny

[Whale Bone]

Have you tried monitoring your guitar with headphones directly on the Tascam 1082? Is the distortion there? If so, it would seem to point to the Tascam or the guitar. If not, it's something with your audio driver/config on the computer, or like suggested above, the trim on the Sonar channel you're using is way too high. Have you tried with a new, clean (not from a template) project in Sonar?

Have you tried a different channel on the Tascam? A different source, e.g. mic, CD audio, etc.? Are you using channel 8 with the guitar switch? If so, have you moved the switch recently, i.e. move the parts and possibly restablish a good connection between the contacts. Have you unplugged and replugged all the cables for the same reason?

If you're in channels 1 or 2, maybe the insert jacks have a bad connection. Try inserting/removing a 1/4" cable a few times.

I would assume that when you set a sample rate in Sonar, it changes it on the Tascam appropriately, but if not, do the sample rates agree? Do you have a clock option? Internal vs. external? My Echo Mia distorts if my dbx 386 isn't the clock source because I can't change the external gear in my case from the computer. Of course, here, my connection is S/PDIF, not Firewire or USB.