Help with sound quality

[sdallen24]

I've got an Audio Buddy going into a Audoiphile 2496. When I record elec gtr by plugging into the AB, the sound quality has much to be desired. It's almost like listening to the elec gtr played acoustically. Very flat. Am I doing something wrong?

Also, I'm using Quartz Audio to record. I have a few options for effects; Reverb, Chorus, Delay. Also Hi, Mid, and Lo EQ settings. Any help on tweaking guitar and vocals using effects and EQ would be appreciated.

Shaen

 

[AlChuck]

That's what pure guitar pickup signals sound like, alas. The Audio Buddy is just a preamp. It's nothing like running your guitar through a good amp, which is the other half of the equation in a good guitar sound.

There are a few things you can do with plug-ins, if you have a VST or DirectX-capable recording application. I would guess Quartz Audio is not...

Best is to get a nice sound down in the first place... if nothing else, it makes it easier to feel excited while you're playing, which often translates to better playing! If you have a guitar amp you like, you can put an Shure SM-57 or somesuch mic in front of it and run the mic through the Audio Buddy. There are tons of tips on these boards for mic placement, etc.

 

[Gidge]

Al is right....

going direct with a guitar is the easiest way to record one...its also the easiest way to get a flat sound, with that type of preamp....ive heard decent results going into a good TUBE preamp, but nothing like micing an amp...if thats too frustrating, you can go with an amp modeling unit like the Pod or j-station.....j-stations go for $149 now and you can get a very usable sound out of it for guitar and bass.......

As far as tweaking with effects and eq, every situation is different because you have to go to the original source, the dry track...listen to it a few times...note what you like about it and what you dont like about it....accentuate what you like, and do what it takes to tame down what you dont like....for the vocals, the right reverb and not too much is the key, also the right compression.....

about the best advice other than that is to record a sample, post it in the mp3 mixing clinic with a good encoder at a good bitrate...the guys here (not me) know their poo poo, and will definitely steer you in the right place.......