recording guitar direct?

M

Mutt21

New member
I'm currently using Vegas Pro (amongst other software) and can't seem to get a good guitar tone when recording direct. The only way I can get a decent guitar tone is by turning up the input on my soundcard and micing my amp (I don't have a mixer) I was wondering if even buying a distortion stomp box and taking the line out on it directly to the sound card would work and sound good? I haven't tried it yet since I don't use stomp boxes. The only processor I use is my multi-fx rack unit whch only has vocal distortion. I was looking at things like the line 6 pod which I am sure would do the trick but I'm on a tight budget. :(
Any suggestions?
 
You said you get a good tone by micing your amp...why not just do that? If it sounds good, it is good. Is it a volume issue? If that's not a problem just mic your amp.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CMiller:
You said you get a good tone by micing your amp...why not just do that? If it sounds good, it is good. Is it a volume issue? If that's not a problem just mic your amp.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Thanks for replying, but if you check my post I said I can get a decent guitar tone (a better one is desirable) and volume is definitely one issue. I have always heard the term recording direct by people who dislike micing amps. Direct would mean line in, I am just wondering if something as cheap as a stomp box would work... ?
 
Not if you're looking for a better sound. Micing is still probably your best bet if you can a) afford it and b) tolerate the noise.

Otherwise everyone seems to be in love with the POD from Line6. It is EXACTLY what you're looking for...and the best of the bunch. It runs over $300 which is a bit more than a "stomp box"...but a stomp box isn't what you're after.

Slackmaster 2000
 
Mutt21,
You're going to need a preamp going from guitar to the sound card . . ART or other.
That's $100 minimum. You'll need it to mic for vocals anyway. If you shop around you can find a POD for $250-$275. Then you'll want a better mic . . . a compressor . . . a mixer, then more mics . . a new sound card . . . Don't know how long you've been at this, but stick around, you'll be gear sluts like the rest of us in no time :D

Regards,
PAPicker
 
I was using my processor (no pre-amp)with the mic to boost the signal level up so it would at least register at a moderate volume with the computer.. the main problem is the tone is very weak doing it that way as I expected it to be, there is no dynamic to the sound just a thin distortion. I guess I'll look into something like the POD or I think Sansamp or something along those lines makes one similar.. but thanks, I got the answers I expected, I was just hoping for another alternative. I am new to the bbs so you will probably hear more from me frequently. Cheers.
 
Does you amp have any sort of direct out? Have you tried recording from that out and into the soundcard or are you just plugging straint in?

-jhe
 
Get the POD.

Slackmaster is right. It is exactly what you need.

I just got one a couple days ago. It's great, even better than I expected.
 
If the volume from the amp is disturbing significant others / neighbors then i guess you'll have to go direct... the pod's highly regarded, basically any DI (preferably something like the pod with amp modeling, effects, etc) will work, and the tone just varies from unit to unit... but from what i've read on here, the pod is the best for the buck...

on the other hand, if volume from the amp isn't the issue, why the hell do you want to record direct? okay okay, that's personal opinion on my being a guitar & amp junky kickin in... but seriously, for the recorded electric guitar you hear on the radio or on cd's professionally made, it's very common use a mic on the amp or, a combination of miking and going direct... if your serious about recording, as a hobby or a profession, your gunna have to learn about amp miking (i.e. amp settings, mic technique, what mic's to use, amp placement, mic placement, etc, etc...)... if your getting a decent sound out of your amp now, i'd reccommend buying a mic pre (cause it sounds like you are using an xlr -> 1/4" converter) and a '57 (if that's not what your using) and play around with settings, placement, eq and everything else you can think of... even if you don't figure out what you SHOULD do, you'll figure out what NOT to do, and that's worthy of something..
 
Hey Mutt21, I'm not a guitar player, but I handle the recording for my band...anyway...

The guitarist I work with uses A ZOOM 505 effect processor. It has a built-in speaker/amp simulator and you can edit the distortion parameters to your liking. It has a good amount of effects onboard.

Anyway, the ZOOM 505 is about $120, and if you don't care for the simulator onboard, you can hook it to the Zoom 503 amp simulator ($100) and get a much wider range of simulations. IMHO they sound pretty good, and offer a very tight sound, but if you let the distortion slack a bit on the amp itself, you can get a loose sound on the recording, it'll just sound a bit weird on the monitors at first.
www.themusicstoreonline.com/zoom.html <--you can find them both here.

We've thrown down a few songs with this set-ep and the sound is actually just about identical to what we hear coming from the amp when we're not recording. The only thing that we've had to do so far was give the guitars a bit more low end via the EQ on Sound Forge XP...but that was just a matter of taste.

So I guess it depends on what you are going for in terms of sound...good luck.
 
See, I don't have a $2000 guitar amplifier, so the tone isn't exactly to die for in the first place. I thought maybe I'd get even better tone using some direct recording device. On my analog recordings using my 4-track I just mic'ed my amp and had no problem, the tone is fine (I am not a guitar tone junky, but I once was)But I have tried the direct out on my amp (Peavey Bandit 112) and the tone was too thin and saturated with even a slight buzz in the back ground - that's a no go! Then plugging my mic into the soundcard directly using an adapter I got a low signal because I guess the 1/4" XLR converter I have on my mic sends a lower signal than most instruments do? I read something along those lines. But I am going to try cranking the volume on my amp and see what I can get. If not, I'll just look into something like the POD. Eventually I will need a mixer for other applications other than guitar, so I might just go that route.
 
One vote for the POD right here, that is, if you HAVE to go direct...you've gotta love the sound of an amp at 11 tho, can't replicate that with circuts. Again, have to go direct, go POD, it's the best bet.
 
Instead of a pod, buy an old tube amp with an 8" or a 10" speaker. Like a fender champ or someting from the Montgomery Wards catalog back in the day. Then you'd have GOOD tone.. like, the tone that the POD wants to be.....
youd still have to mic it though.
Unless you found a cheap 80s SuperChamp.
Or you could rig a brake out.

smiles
xoxo
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top