How do I record dry?

  • Thread starter Thread starter mates90
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mates90

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Hello all and sorry if this is a stupid question, but I'm new to recording at home and it's something I've always wanted to do.

I purchased Cubase 5 and I've heard that recording a dry signal should be better in case I want to reamp it later with other effects (I've got a Pod X3 live to record my guitar).

The question is, how do I do it? I just see a bunch of buttons for now :confused:

I hope I'm welcome in these forums :D Thank you.
 
Hey mates90! Everyone's always welcome in these forums!

I think what they mean by "dry signal" is to record the guitar without any effects on it; to record it with a clean tone so you can freely alter it later without being stuck with the effect you chose to record it with.
 
So you're not using an interface? Just the X3 USB? IF so I think you need to just turn off all of the effects on the X3. If you have an interface just plug your guitar into an instrument input.

here's a thread with a few suggestions if you're using the X3....
http://es.line6.com/supportarchive/thread/37412
 
Well thank you very much for the welcome :)

I thought recording dry was something else than just recording a clean tone.. well that's not hard at all :P Can I add the effects using my X3 later on? Or do I have to use the effects within the software I'm using (Cubase in this case)

And hmm.. I have the X3 plugged into my computer via the USB yes, and the guitar plugged to the X3 obviously, but that's it, no other interface or hardware involved (what else could I need tho? :confused:)
 
mates90 said:
Can I add the effects using my X3 later on? Or do I have to use the effects within the software I'm using (Cubase in this case)
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You would have to send the audio back out to your X3 to add effects after recording. That would require more DA and AD conversions. It's called reamping. If all you have is your X3, then you might not be able to do this... You can add your effects in Cubase, you would need a Guitar Amp VST. There's a bunch of free ones on the internet. Or you could shop around. Check out the Guitar and Bass forums for ideas on which one to get. I think this would be easier and better to do. I use an outboard amp sim and I dial up the tone I want and record it with all effects. I don't record dry and try to add effects later. I pretty much know what tone I want, so I'll record it that way. The one problem is if the tone of the guitar eventually doesn't match the rest of the tracks, I have to go back and retrack that part. Not a big deal.

And hmm.. I have the X3 plugged into my computer via the USB yes, and the guitar plugged to the X3 obviously, but that's it, no other interface or hardware involved (what else could I need tho? :confused:)
Click to expand...

I don't know the X3 or what it is capable of doing, but if you're only recording your guitar, then, yes, that's all you need. If you want to record full songs, then you'll be looking at a lot more. What is it you're doing?
 
Chili said:
You would have to send the audio back out to your X3 to add effects after recording. That would require more DA and AD conversions. It's called reamping. If all you have is your X3, then you might not be able to do this...
Click to expand...

I might be wrong, but he may be able to do this by playing the clean recording through the headphone output of the X3 and using a patch cable to route the out of the headphone jack to the guitar input of the X3. He could then mess with all the effects on the X3 in a send and return loop, as long as he wasn't direct monitoring the input.
 
Chili said:
You would have to send the audio back out to your X3 to add effects after recording. That would require more DA and AD conversions. It's called reamping. If all you have is your X3, then you might not be able to do this... You can add your effects in Cubase, you would need a Guitar Amp VST. There's a bunch of free ones on the internet. Or you could shop around. Check out the Guitar and Bass forums for ideas on which one to get. I think this would be easier and better to do. I use an outboard amp sim and I dial up the tone I want and record it with all effects. I don't record dry and try to add effects later. I pretty much know what tone I want, so I'll record it that way. The one problem is if the tone of the guitar eventually doesn't match the rest of the tracks, I have to go back and retrack that part. Not a big deal.



I don't know the X3 or what it is capable of doing, but if you're only recording your guitar, then, yes, that's all you need. If you want to record full songs, then you'll be looking at a lot more. What is it you're doing?
Click to expand...

If I wont be able to use the effects on the X3 later on then I'll most likely record the guitar with effects and stuff.. It'll most likely sound better comming out of hardware equipment than from software stuff.. after all that's why I bought it.

I'm mostly covering songs and stuff for now. I've got some song projects written down and maybe I record the guitar for them in case I join a band, etc. Just personal stuff for the most of it.
 
mates90 said:
If I wont be able to use the effects on the X3 later on then I'll most likely record the guitar with effects and stuff.. It'll most likely sound better comming out of hardware equipment than from software stuff.. after all that's why I bought it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's kind of what I think, too. You paid for it, use it. I have the digitech rp150. I forgot to mention that, although my amp sim has a usb connection, I still use the analog out going into my interface. Makes life easier with my setup.
 
mates90 said:
If I wont be able to use the effects on the X3 later on then I'll most likely record the guitar with effects and stuff.. It'll most likely sound better comming out of hardware equipment than from software stuff.. after all that's why I bought it.

I'm mostly covering songs and stuff for now. I've got some song projects written down and maybe I record the guitar for them in case I join a band, etc. Just personal stuff for the most of it.
Click to expand...

If you think you have the settings on your X3 perfect and you don't have any reason for altering them later, then go ahead and record with effects. I don't see a problem with it. Some people prefer to record clean, some people don't. When I do demos I use effect plugins just for the flexibility they offer, but when I do final studio recordings I usually use my pedalboard. It's all personal choice :)
 
The X3 comes with pod farm which is a VST plugin that has all the same FX as your X3. The X3 needs to be plugged in to use it.
 
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