hi, I'm new and need help

[kagure]

Hi, I’m new at this and I need all the help I can get! I have absolutely no idea how to record into my computer. OK, maybe a bit. What should connect to what? What I have done so far is, I have welded a stereo cable with a jack on one side that goes out of my amplifier at the headphone jack and the other side goes into my computer at the line in jack. And of course, my guitar is hooked up to the amp. And everything is on maximum volume, but I can’t hear a thing!
Now I’m using N-track, version 3.1.8 (10/19/2002), but for some reason its super faint! I thought that it might be my amplifier coz it’s only 19 watts output, so maybe I have to get a bigger one, but then gain I don’t think so. So maybe it’s my connections that are wrong! I’m so stuck; someone has got to help me please!!!
Another thing is this annoying buzzing that I thought was just from the speakers but it got recorded too! It kinda sounds like power surges!!
I’m soooooo begging anyone who knows more than me (and there have to be lots of you!!), to please help me. I just want to record my songs! Oh and also, if you know how to record voice coz that’s also been giving me hell!!!
Kagure.

 

[David Katauskas]

First, I'm assumming this is not a joke.

Secondly, you probably 'soldered' your cable. 'Welding' it would be like squishing an ant with an 18 wheel truck. Assuming that you did that correctly...

I sure hope your amplifier has a 'line out'. If you're using an external speaker out, then you've probably fried your soundcard.

If all of the above is 'ok'...lemme know and I'll continue.

 

[TimOBrien]

My obligatory standard reply that I keep in Wordpad:

Immediately get a good beginner recording book (spend $20 before spending thousand$) that shows you what you need to get started and how to hook everything up in your studio:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/07...ce&n=283155&n=507846&s=books&v=glance

Good Newbie guide:
http://www.tweakheadz.com/guide.htm

Other recording books:
http://musicbooksplus.com/home-recording-c-31.html

 

[IronFlippy]

You're going to want a pre-amp of some sort (mixer, DI box/POD) if you don't have a line-out on your amp. I'm still not sure what you "welded", but I sure hope you knew what you were doing. And check out those books Tim suggested. I have the "for dummies" one and it was an excellent primer, probably one of the best "for dummies" books I've read.

 

[kagure]

Yeah I'm serious, and yeah I mean solder not weld, and as much as that little mistake may make me look like a complete amateur, I do know a little bit about electronics. I soldered a stereo cable. Please do continue...
Oh and I live in Kenya, so if you have any advice pertaining to areas where you live (like specific stores and books), please try remember that I may not have access to some of the things you'll mention.
Thank you.

 

[David Katauskas]

Ok...just checking.

Here are some things NOT to do:
- plug your guitar amp into your soundcard
- plug anything into your 'mic-in' on the soundcard


Here are some things that you CAN do (not all are actually recommended):
- plug into the 'line-in' on your soundcard
- put a microphone in front of your amp (recommended)
- OR, run the cable from your guitar directly to your soundcard
- check the 'line-in' level in the Windows volume control

If those things don't work...check back. But, you may have already ruined your card.

 

[altiris]

well you said it comes out of the headphone jack from your amp. so your card is fine. thats if you did not try to use any other connection on your amp. you may want to double click the speaker icon on the bottom or your screen and go options then properties and click recording. make sure that line-in is checked off.

 

[kagure]

OK, how do I plug the cable straight from the guitar into the 'line in'? That means that I'd have to look for another cable, a mono cable and fix it straight from my guitar into the computers line-in. Is that right? I checked the recording level and made sure that line-in is the only one selected as the mode of capture, and I think the sound card is still OK, so now I just need to know if I need to fix a mono cable. And the microphone I have is also recording at a really low level, and I've checked the volume levels, and line in and mic levels too, so I'm thinkin that it's an internal problem or all my equipment is bogus!
So please do get back to me about the cable.
Thanks,
Kagure.

 

[David Katauskas]

well you said it comes out of the headphone jack from your amp. so your card is fine.

Ah...yes. I mis-read that part.

 

[kagure]

I finally got the sound to work in windows 98, but I'm using roxio sound stream/cool, which are ancient and not working! So does anyone have any advice? Thanks for all your help.