USB Mixer Help -Again-

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Rudajie

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Hello, thank you for taking the time to read this and hopefully help me out! I posted a thread before about having troubles USB mixer recording directly to my PC. My acoustic electric guitar sounds great, but just electric is very muffled. Below I have photos of what I use and can use:

Alesis Multimix8 USB FX Mixer
Starcaster Electric Guitar
Boss Metal Zone MT-2
Fender SP-10 AMP

The way I typically have the mixer setup is Line 2 plugs into my electric guitar, I click in the Guitar switch on the same channel, I have the volume on the electric guitar set to 6, tone switches to 8, I set the volume on the channel of the mixer to 12 o'clock, I adjust the gain on the same channel until the Peak light barely flashes at the loudest part of the song, the Main volume of the mixer is set to 2 o'clock, and I have the 2TRKS/USB To monitor AND Main To Monitor switches on the mixer pressed down so that it directly plays through the Headphones jack AND directly records to the PC. As far as EQ's go I usually leave them all at 12 o'clock because after all I'm just trying to get it not muffled.

What was suggested in the previous topic I made was that the guitar wasn't getting enough strength through the mixer and that's why it was muffled, I don't believe that's true since I can also plug the guitar to the pedal and the pedal to Line 2 and still it can be muffled, less muffled when playing with EQ but still not crisp at all. Also that's why channel 2 on the mixer has a Guitar switch that allows it to amplify guitar signal or something to that extent. Also once again my Acoustic Electric sounds great, if needed I can supply a picture of what that looks like too! Thank you so much for reading through this and I'm hoping I can get some good help! :)

OH And the reason I included a picture of my Amp is because I'm not entirely sure how to get the mixer to play through it or if that's even at all possible. On the last thread someone asked what Amp I was playing through because I guess they assumed I was recording with a microphone but it's just directly in through USB. Any help would be great thanks!
 
Starcasters are the bottom of the line quasi-Fender guitar - are you sure IT has a decent output by itself? When you plug it into the amp do you get the same volume/quality as when you plug the acoustic/elec into the amp?
 
Absolutely, I've never had one problem with this guitar through multiple amps and even a friends mixer.
 
No clue or suggestions in regards to volume settings spread out across so many devices? Is this one I need to just go to an actual music store and set up with someone?
 
Rudajie said:
[..The way I typically have the mixer setup is Line 2 plugs into my electric guitar, I click in the Guitar switch on the same channel, I have the volume on the electric guitar set to 6, tone switches to 8 ...
Click to expand...
I assume you mean guitar plugs into Line 2, and a couple questions-
What are the 'tone switches and what does setting 8 do?

My first thought is that while a lot of things straight in with out tone shaping sound pretty good, elec guitar can be pretty uninteresting sounding. Guitar amps (what we're used to hearing) are far from flat, the speakers roll off in the lows, boost in the highs, etc.

I'd expect if the mixer's guitar setting input is high enough impedance, and the strings aren't totally dead you should have some highs there to work with(?) Try low cut button in, add some mid somewhere around 2-6khz, cut some on the low knob maybe, and if by chance it sounds too fizzy' cut some on the 12khz high eq. (Try a big boost up there to check out that range. It's way higher than needed with most guitar tones.

If you had an inexpensive dynamic mic on the amp you'd have mid and high boosts from the mic and the amp/speaker with lots of tone options built in right there and, more just by moving the mic around a little.
See the attraction?

Rudajie said:
No clue or suggestions in regards to volume settings spread out across so many devices? ..
Click to expand...
Different question? I don't understand.
 
Thank you for the feed back! I followed your advice and it was still muffled BUT, get this I turned OFF both Lo Cut AND the Guitar switch, raised the gain and the volume and BAM it's clear now! What the hell is up with that, let me type the description of both switches in the manual and maybe someone can shed some light as to why this is:

Lo Cut Switch - When this button is depressed, the channel's high-pass filter will engage, reducing frequencies below 80 Hz to reduce any low-level noise.
Guitar Switch - When this switch is in the down position, Channel 2 will serve as a high-impedance input for connecting guitar or bass instruments. When the switch is in the up position, Channel 2 will accept mic or line-level signals.

Now riddle me both of those off makes the guitar clear? Could it be that when the switch is pressed in having the volume knobs up makes it muffled? If so how can that be, there is indeed a Clip light and I make sure it doesn't light up!
 
The Low Cut at 80 is 'thump, begins to roll off below low E on the guitar. Shouldn't have much tone effect, at least in the mud' region (150--250?)
The Guitar switch's higher impepance should improve the highs.
Tell you what though, just in case.. Make sure you're comparing them at the same volume.

Hey maybe Guitar' sw up-down is backwards..
Nah, long shot. :D
 
Are you plugging your guitar directly into a line-in channel on your mixer?
 
Yes, I believe so it's labeled Line 2. The mixer came with a quick start guide and it says to plug guitar into line 2, press guitar switch and enjoy!
 
have you tried recording through your amps headphone jack?

Guitar > Pedal > Amp > Alesis
 
Holy shit arcadeko you're a genius!! I didn't even think of doing that, I didn't even think I could do that!! I'm gonna test that as soon as I get home, will definietly update you on how that works out asap!
 
Holy shit arcadeko you're a genius!! I didn't even think of doing that, I didn't even think I could do that!! I'm gonna test that as soon as I get home, will definietly update you on how that works out asap!
Click to expand...

I think I found my new signature :laughings::laughings::laughings:
 
Your guitar doesn't put out a line-level signal. You need a DI box or a POD, or a headphones jack, something with a much stronger signal. A headphones jack will give you a stereo signal, so you'll need a TRS -> 2x TS, or a TRS -> 2x RCAs + the adapters, or something similar. Your mixer will think a TRS cable coming in is a balanced mono input.
 
Can you link me to a good DI box? And the medal pedal wouldn't count as a DI in any way?
 
Nope, guitar pedals output a signal the same level as your guitar. So you can plug it into a guitar amp. If you have a guitar amp with a line-out, that will work. I can't really recommend DI's, I have POD's for guitar and bass, both of which can output an amp level or line level signal. I used an Art tube MP for a bass DI before I had the bass pod, it works but nothing special. I'd google for 'guitar bi box' and check reviews.
 
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