Hi. I'm quite a beginner in electric guitar as well as in recording, and english isn't my mother language, but anyway, I'll try to express my question clearly ! (I've taken some terms in other messages, I hope they will fit...
Well, I'm trying to record my jazz guitar (Hohner SE400) on my computer (PII350 with TurtleBeach Montego II sound card). The guitar is connected to my amp (Fender Acoustasonic Junior), connected through the 'master stereo FX send' to the 'line in' of my mixer (Inkel MX996S). The 'line out' of the mixer is connected to the 'line in' of the sound card (amazing!). The sound I get when listening directly with headphones on the mixer is good (not as good as from the amp's speakers, but it's OK for what I want to do), but when I record it on the computer, it distorts a lot, unless if I set the amp master, mixer output or record level very low. But then of course I get an awfull sound with lot of noise.
I've got no such problem with other sources (such as the line out of my keyboard or piano) which are clear and loud.
Someone in a music shop told me that "I would need either a better sound card with 20 or 24 bit digitizing, or a compressor, and if a compressor should seem too expensive, perhaps I could handle this with a software directX compressor".
So, here are my questions about how to get a clear, loud and not distorted sound ! :
- Is it true that 20 or 24 bit sound card instead of a 16 bit would solve my problem ? If yes, would 20 bit be enough (I'm interested in a Guillemot MaxiStudio ISIS), and what about the 32 bit of the SoundBlaster Live! ?
- Could a software compressor work or is it too late when the signal is already digitized ? (I've tried some Plug-ins but didn't get any result)
- Then, is a hardware compressor placed before the sound card the best (only?) solution ? If yes, could you advise me one (not too expensive!) ?
Thanks a lot to those who :
1. had the courage to read this long message !
2. have any advice to give to me ))
Christophe, Strasbourg (France)
christophe.erard@netcourrier.com
Well, I'm trying to record my jazz guitar (Hohner SE400) on my computer (PII350 with TurtleBeach Montego II sound card). The guitar is connected to my amp (Fender Acoustasonic Junior), connected through the 'master stereo FX send' to the 'line in' of my mixer (Inkel MX996S). The 'line out' of the mixer is connected to the 'line in' of the sound card (amazing!). The sound I get when listening directly with headphones on the mixer is good (not as good as from the amp's speakers, but it's OK for what I want to do), but when I record it on the computer, it distorts a lot, unless if I set the amp master, mixer output or record level very low. But then of course I get an awfull sound with lot of noise.
I've got no such problem with other sources (such as the line out of my keyboard or piano) which are clear and loud.
Someone in a music shop told me that "I would need either a better sound card with 20 or 24 bit digitizing, or a compressor, and if a compressor should seem too expensive, perhaps I could handle this with a software directX compressor".
So, here are my questions about how to get a clear, loud and not distorted sound ! :
- Is it true that 20 or 24 bit sound card instead of a 16 bit would solve my problem ? If yes, would 20 bit be enough (I'm interested in a Guillemot MaxiStudio ISIS), and what about the 32 bit of the SoundBlaster Live! ?
- Could a software compressor work or is it too late when the signal is already digitized ? (I've tried some Plug-ins but didn't get any result)
- Then, is a hardware compressor placed before the sound card the best (only?) solution ? If yes, could you advise me one (not too expensive!) ?
Thanks a lot to those who :
1. had the courage to read this long message !
2. have any advice to give to me ))
Christophe, Strasbourg (France)
christophe.erard@netcourrier.com