Electric Guitar Into PC?

[radiorabies]

OK, I need to know if it's OK to plug an electric guitar into my PC. (I mean, instead of plugging it into an amp first, straight into a PC) I've downloaded this 'preamp' thing that emulates different amps etc. A friend of mine says that it's not a good idea... I can't see the risk...

 

[apl]

OK, I need to know if it's OK to plug an electric guitar into my PC. (I mean, instead of plugging it into an amp first, straight into a PC) I've downloaded this 'preamp' thing that emulates different amps etc. A friend of mine says that it's not a good idea... I can't see the risk...

You won't hurt it; the voltages generated by guitars are quite small. Usually though, you'd run the guitar through a direct box and preamp to bring the level up to what the computer's expecting. You might be able to use a small mixer for that if it's available. The impedance of a line-in is usually a bit high for the guitar, affecting the tone. It may be livable, though.

 

[drpfeffer]

try it out, usually theres no problem in doing the guitar directly into the soundcard, but as already said, a di-box or preamp might help the sound a little..

oh, and here's some links to play around with for amps/effects:

http://www.simulanalog.org/guitarsuite.htm
http://www.dsound1.com/download/dform_en.php?app=rtpexp&platform=win&type=oem&ver=
http://www.amplitube.com/MainPhp.html?NewsDisplay.php&Id=398

 

[radiorabies]

Thanks! Cool plug-ins... And to think, I thought what I was doing (guitar into PC) was going to blow up my PC (That's whay my friend reckons)

 

[travelin travis]

neither will blow up. get a di box though. the sound will be alot better.

when i was a kid, i did ruin a line in on a home stereo, running a guitar thru a distortion pedal into it.

 

[SnakeDog5050]

I can't complain at all about the sound quality I'm getting with a cheap guitar plugged into a cheap preamp into my computer with amplitube installed The preamp really improved the weaker signal going into the computer too.

Here, take a quick listen if you're interested:
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=2836986&q=hi

Here's the preamp I use for bass/guitar instruments ($50)
http://ssl3.adhost.com/americanmusic/merchant.cfm?step=4&pid=34841

 

[travelin travis]

I can't complain at all about the sound quality I'm getting with a cheap guitar plugged into a cheap preamp into my computer with amplitube installed The preamp really improved the weaker signal going into the computer too.

Here, take a quick listen if you're interested:
http://www.soundclick.com/util/getplayer.m3u?id=2836986&q=hi

Here's the preamp I use for bass/guitar instruments ($50)
http://ssl3.adhost.com/americanmusic/merchant.cfm?step=4&pid=34841

That sounds pretty damned good. How are you getting the feedback.

 

[SnakeDog5050]

That sounds pretty damned good. How are you getting the feedback.

Hey thanks. The feedback like sound just depends on which amp you pick in amplitube, some of the heavier ones do it if you hold the strings a certain way/some of them don't.