M
matt301273
New member
Hello All,
I have recently started learning about home recording, and by god have I got a long way to go. Still - The Greatest Journey Starts..and all that... I have Windows XP, 3GB ram, Dual Core Processor. Don't know how fast my hard drive is (how to check?) but it's a new computer (I stuck XP on it because some programs I had didn't work with vista). I bought an Alesis I/O 2 interface to record electric guitar and vocals with. Enough to get a decent sound right?
First problem is latency. They say that cubase (I have the LE4 version which came with the interface) has 'automatic delay compensation' so that the 5ms or so of latency is not audible during playback. But when I record along with a drum track, I could swear that there IS a tiny, tiny delay on the guitar track when I listen back. Tiny, but audible. Am I imagining things? If it is true about the 'automatic delay compensation', then adjusting the buffer size and number of buffers wouldn't make a difference to the syncing of the two tracks when listening to them back, would it? It would only make a difference to the monitoring, right? And I can monitor direct anyway. I've done all the tweaks to XP (switched of anti-virus etc etc). I can't be doing with any frigging delays on my recorded tracks when I listen to them even if it's a hundreth of a microsecond! Surely to christ, it is possible to achieve this with my set-up? I mean I can't be the only musician unwilling to tolerate discernible latency. Apparently, Cubase can 'ping' my audio hardware to calculate the latency and eliminate it.
Second problem is the guitar sound. I am going for a warm, bright tone. I am using a Behringer V-amp 2 which my brother lent me (because I need a pre-amp right? I mean I can't just plug the guitar straight into the audio interface can I?) and no matter what the equalisation or amp settings, the guitar sounds flat, clinical and muddy on playback. It sounds ok'ish when monitoring whilst recording but the recorded track in Cubase sound totally dull and lacklustre. It's improved a bit by equalisation in Cubase but it doesn't get to the root of the problem. I mean you can't polish a turd right? I know the best sound is to be gotten by micing up the 'pushed air' from my amp but that's another experiment.
Guitar Rig 3 looks pretty impressive. If Dweezil Zappa likes it, I'm sold. But how would it work with my set-up? I absolutely have to be able to listen to the guitar with the effects whilst recording and I can't be doing with any delay either when monitoring or when playing back. Would this dream be achievable with my set up?
Any advice would be well appreciated and I promise to share any newly gained knowledge on these forums in future. I'm pissed off at the moment because when inspiration strikes I want to be able to go to a system and get it down and sounding good without wasting the evening faffing about with annoying technical issues. Know what I mean?
Best
Matt
I have recently started learning about home recording, and by god have I got a long way to go. Still - The Greatest Journey Starts..and all that... I have Windows XP, 3GB ram, Dual Core Processor. Don't know how fast my hard drive is (how to check?) but it's a new computer (I stuck XP on it because some programs I had didn't work with vista). I bought an Alesis I/O 2 interface to record electric guitar and vocals with. Enough to get a decent sound right?
First problem is latency. They say that cubase (I have the LE4 version which came with the interface) has 'automatic delay compensation' so that the 5ms or so of latency is not audible during playback. But when I record along with a drum track, I could swear that there IS a tiny, tiny delay on the guitar track when I listen back. Tiny, but audible. Am I imagining things? If it is true about the 'automatic delay compensation', then adjusting the buffer size and number of buffers wouldn't make a difference to the syncing of the two tracks when listening to them back, would it? It would only make a difference to the monitoring, right? And I can monitor direct anyway. I've done all the tweaks to XP (switched of anti-virus etc etc). I can't be doing with any frigging delays on my recorded tracks when I listen to them even if it's a hundreth of a microsecond! Surely to christ, it is possible to achieve this with my set-up? I mean I can't be the only musician unwilling to tolerate discernible latency. Apparently, Cubase can 'ping' my audio hardware to calculate the latency and eliminate it.
Second problem is the guitar sound. I am going for a warm, bright tone. I am using a Behringer V-amp 2 which my brother lent me (because I need a pre-amp right? I mean I can't just plug the guitar straight into the audio interface can I?) and no matter what the equalisation or amp settings, the guitar sounds flat, clinical and muddy on playback. It sounds ok'ish when monitoring whilst recording but the recorded track in Cubase sound totally dull and lacklustre. It's improved a bit by equalisation in Cubase but it doesn't get to the root of the problem. I mean you can't polish a turd right? I know the best sound is to be gotten by micing up the 'pushed air' from my amp but that's another experiment.
Guitar Rig 3 looks pretty impressive. If Dweezil Zappa likes it, I'm sold. But how would it work with my set-up? I absolutely have to be able to listen to the guitar with the effects whilst recording and I can't be doing with any delay either when monitoring or when playing back. Would this dream be achievable with my set up?
Any advice would be well appreciated and I promise to share any newly gained knowledge on these forums in future. I'm pissed off at the moment because when inspiration strikes I want to be able to go to a system and get it down and sounding good without wasting the evening faffing about with annoying technical issues. Know what I mean?
Best
Matt