DI Box??? can anyone give a little advice??

  • Thread starter Thread starter rockironwebb
  • Start date Start date
R

rockironwebb

senior newbie caveman
Hello, I am a drummer. I recently bought a mixer(behringer x2222usb) and some basic mics just to see if I would enjoy getting into recording. I found that I really like playing with the toys of the mixer and my recording software(acidpro 7, mixcraft 5). I have a couple of guitar players that I jam with and I am wanting to be able to jam together but only record the guitar so I can go back later and pull out riffs that I like. My drums completely bleed into the track when micing the amps. I have looked at DI boxes but am a little lost on the technical details. Is it possible with a DI box to reord from the amp to the mixer to my PC and be able to pick up any amp/pedal effects changes going into the mixer? I know it may sound simple, and it probably is, but while the internet is full of great information, it is also full of millions of various opinions as well as people that can't help but complicating a simple answer with technical details. I am just a simple drummer, please help.
 
That gadget that's generally referred to as a "DI Box" is used to take the signal from an instrument (not an amp) and connect it to a mixer. You could put ordinary guitar effect pedals between the guitar and the DI, but not an amp.

Some options for recording from the amp:
- Many amps have a line out jack on the back somewhere. Most of these don't actually sound that great, though. What you hear when you stand in front of the speaker cabinet sounds different (often totally different) for at least two reasons: (i) the effect of the power amp getting the signal up to speaker level and (ii) the effect of the cab itself.
- Some attenuator boxes (like the THD Hotplate) have a line out that's post-power-amp. At least in my experience, these don't sound so great either.
- Keep micing the amp, but move it (with or without the guitarist) farther away from the drums (and closer to the mic, if that's even possible). Like ... maybe into another room.

The third is the solution I'd use, I think.

Other options, which you probably have already rejected.
- Instead of the amp, use a modeller (like a Pod).
- Instead of the amp, record the dry sound and use a software modeller (like Amplitube).
 
Thanx for the response. Finally an answer tha tmakes sense to me. My guitar player is buying a new effects pedal board so if I understand correctly I would be able to connect-guitar-effects pedal-di box-mixer-PC. Is this correct. Unfortunately the space we use would not allow the amp to be placed anywhere where a mic would not bleed. Just to clarify. after hooking up like above, I would run from the DI box output to the amp input and the amp will play what is being recorded?
 
sjjohnston said:
That gadget that's generally referred to as a "DI Box" is used to take the signal from an instrument (not an amp) and connect it to a mixer. You could put ordinary guitar effect pedals between the guitar and the DI, but not an amp.
Click to expand...

Actually, many DIs have sufficient padding to record right from the amplifier's output. But that will still miss much of the guitar's sound that comes from the speaker itself. There are DIs that also have cabinet emulation built in to approximate the sound of a speaker, so the guitarists can have a real amp in the room without getting any bleed into the recording (except guitar into drums). Another option is to use one of the various amplifier emulator stomp boxes like the Line 6 POD. Most of those also act as the DI.
 
rockironwebb said:
Just to clarify. after hooking up like above, I would run from the DI box output to the amp input and the amp will play what is being recorded?
Click to expand...

You would run the output of the pedal board to the DI "in", the DI's "thru" to the amp and the DI's XLR out to the board. Whatever the person was playing would come out the amp while also going to the mixer.
 
Record the drums first - then record the guitar after. Viola, no bleed!
 
We do that anyway, I would also like to just have doin a freestyle jam recording just guitar, then go back later to pull out any riffs that I like.
 
Another question. One guy I play with has an effects board so using the "in","thru", and "xlr to mixer will work great. The other guitar guy I play with has a dinosaur 5150 and only uses the stock remote pedal that came with it. He claims that this is the only sound he likes, but I really think he is cheap and doesn't want to buy anything except crown royal. But anyway, he is a good guitar player. Would I be able to connect a DI box to the effects send/return on the back of the head? Or would I connect it in between the head and the cabinet---or would that be too much juice going into the di box?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top