How do I record guitars via USB multi-effects pedal?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Growler_Rob
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Growler_Rob

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HI, total noob here.

I'm trying to record electric guitar and bass to Cakewalk by Bandlab via a Digitech RP500 but seem to have hit a wall.

I realise that this is probably not the ideal way to record guitars, but I don't have the funds to buy a USB interface such as a Focusrite or similar, so was wondering if anyone out there has relevant experience of recording via a USB multi-effects unit straight into Cakewalk; I can't find anything helpful online and have been searching for hours.

I go to Preferences > Audio > Devices and the RP500 is greyed out, so I can't do anything there, whereas in the MIDI section, I can check and uncheck the RP500 (it's on its own in the Inputs section) and there are options for both that, and MS GS Wavetable Synth in the outputs section but I haven't the foggiest idea what I should be doing.

I apologise for my ignorance, but this is all new to me and it's getting to the point where I'm considering selling some gear and buying an old Minidisc eight-track and just using a DAW for bouncing audio.

Can anybody please help me?
 
Id get an interface before getting a MiniDisc.

Yes, the Pedal would work best into a interface....you might have to fine a cheap used one and get it on. Maybe someone has a free one you can have...
 
Have you installed all the relative drivers and software for the Digitech on your system? Plugged it directly into the computer with a known, working USB cable?

It should work as a source device in any DAW, at least according to the manual. (I recorded my L6 HD floorboard that way several times, both on Windows and Mac.)

You may also need to only have one application trying to attach to the Digitech at the same time, so I'd make sure the editor software is not running. Just a thought - Windows can be funny about audio device/application routing.
 
I use an older Digitech pedal. I don't record through the USB interface on it, but it does show up in the interface list in Cubase. You need to confirm you have the ASIO drivers installed. I am pretty sure the latest driver is Win10 compatible if that is applicable.

I don't think there is anything you need to do with the pedal, but maybe use X-Edit to check the USB parameters.

Recording through the pedal may not be "ideal", but it is a valid means to recording guitar. You don't need another interface.

Don't forget to read the manual for the pedal and he manual for cakewalk. :RTFM: :D
 
It sounds like the audio drivers you have installed are not either installed fully, or the right ones. To record from the device via USB should be possible

I note the web site says this
To keep your system working normally with the affected products, DigiTech strongly recommends waiting before upgrading your operating system to Windows 10 until full software testing and verification has been completed.
Click to expand...

What version of Windows are you using? It's quite old, so they haven't written new drivers for it. They're 32 bit, and designed for XP/Vista/7 & 8. Last update was a very long time ago.

If you are running Windows 10, I expect you just cannot record over USB. Unless I am being a bit thick - the unit doesn't HAVE A MIDI socket or MIDI mentioned in the manual, so that's a dead duck.
 
What Windows? 7 ? 8? 10? 32 or 64 bit?

I have Digitech RP355 , and can easily record audio (guitar) through it using ASIO driver bundled. I'm in Win7 x64 running latest Cakewalk by Bandlab.
 
Don't buy outmoded standalone recorders. In the long run it is money down the drain. You can get an interface cheap.
 
Sweetwater show that FX unit as disconned so maybe there are no drivers for W10 if that is what you are on? Even so I would think W7 drivers would work, at least well enough to tell you you should start saving for an AI!.

I bought Cakewalk some years ago for my son, never got on with it. As told buy others. First make sure you have the drivers downloaded (stick them on the desktop. DO NOT PLUG IN THE USB CABLE. Run the drivers and follow the instruction TO THE LETTER. Very often you are told at some point to plug in the USB cable, sometimes more than once and sometimes the software runs twice or more times. Quite often nothing seems to happen until you diss' the box, shut down, re boot and plug in again.

You could K.I.S.Sir and try Audacity. Pretty easy to setup and almost anyone here can walk you through it. Push comes to it, record in Audacity and "export as .wav" then stuff that into Cakewalk if you like.

Dave.
 
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