how to setup

[Feeeeg]

Complete and total newbie to homerecording.

What we have is a tascam us1641, going into a pc loaded with 2g ram, two dedicated hdd's 1 120g with winxp os 32 bit, cubase le4, and other minimal software just to make the machine run. the other is 250g empty as storage for audio files only both hdds are on separate ide cables.

we are utilizing a new line6 cab and head with buiilt in effects, a couple year old hartke cab and head with a boss multi effects pedal, and a peavy bass amp combo. the drum mics are 7pc cad set.

I will preface this question by saying I am the drummer, while I am very technically inclined with computers, my music dealings with amps and what not is less than stellar as my playing has always been acoustic drums.

That being said, my main guitarist wants to mic the amps for guitars and bass. I want to go direct into the tascam for a clean sound.

1. What is the preferred method and why.
2. I have been told that we should not route in this order, (guitar-effects
pedal-interface-amp) as it may adversly effect the amps life. We are at
the point where our budget is blown, and cannot afford monitor
speakers for listening live while recording. So in order to go direct into
the tascam what do we need to get the sound into the tascam, but
still be able to hear the guitars through the amps? I know that I can
utilize one side of the effects pedal into the tascam, and I can utilize the
preamp out on the bass combo, but the line6 only has a right speaker out


I tried the right speaker out into the tascam, and it is totally distorted as the level is too loud.

Any Ideas? Especially to question 1.

We can use the drum mics to mic the amps if need be, but we noticed that we still have some resident drum noise in the background. Are my mics not close enough to amps? Do I maybe have the gains too high?

 

[ez_willis]

mic the guitar amps and go direct in with the bass.

 

[mattr]

If you want to take a clean DI signal in case you want to use amp modelling or reamp later on, then use a DI box with a through/bypass output to connect to the amp and record from the main output. Mic the amp as well, and then you have all your options covered.

 

[Feeeeg]

why would I want to mic the guitars but still go direct with the bass?

And not sure what a di box is?

 

[Feeeeg]

and also if I am micing the amps, how do I reduce the noise of the drums, do I need to build a shield around them?

 

[Zeppe]

why would I want to mic the guitars but still go direct with the bass?

And not sure what a di box is?

Many people prefer the sound of the amp over any guitar plug-ins or amp emulators.

A DI box converts a high impedance, unbalanced signal to a low impedance, balanced microphone level signal.

Many DI boxes have a parallel output that you can take to your amp.
My typical set up is: Guitar to DI, Parallel out of DI box to amplifier. XLR output of DI box to interface/mixer. Then I mic the guitar amp. This setup will always give you a clean track to work with and allow you to re-amp later on if you end up not liking the guitar tone or whatever.

You can mic the bass amp. I have miked some real nice amps in the past and it was worth it but most the time you'll get a better sound by going into a DI box and then direct to your mixer/interface.

 

[Zeppe]

and also if I am micing the amps, how do I reduce the noise of the drums, do I need to build a shield around them?

Record drums first to a click and then overdub guitars and the rest of the instruments.

 

[Feeeeg]

Ok I guess my main concern then becomes, how do we get the dirty sound from this new line6 amp, and he uses no effects pedal, only a switch pedal to control the head which has the built in effects.

If I go guitar to di to interface, then I cut out any effects no?

 

[Zeppe]

1. What is the preferred method and why.
2. I have been told that we should not route in this order, (guitar-effects
pedal-interface-amp) as it may adversly effect the amps life. We are at
the point where our budget is blown, and cannot afford monitor
speakers for listening live while recording. So in order to go direct into
the tascam what do we need to get the sound into the tascam, but
still be able to hear the guitars through the amps? I know that I can
utilize one side of the effects pedal into the tascam, and I can utilize the
preamp out on the bass combo, but the line6 only has a right speaker out


We can use the drum mics to mic the amps if need be, but we noticed that we still have some resident drum noise in the background. Are my mics not close enough to amps? Do I maybe have the gains too high?

Your interface has an unbalanced line out. If your record the guitar clean and dry you can the take that signal from the line out to your FX then on to the amp. Then place a mic infront of the amp and hit record. This is called re-amping. It wont damage the amplifier this way

Dry Guitar--->DI---> Interface IN-->DAW/software---> Interface unbalanced Line Out---> FX Pedal---> Amplifier--->Mic Interface IN

The problem here is latency. but it won't hurt your amp and if your overdubbing guitars anyway latency can be minimized.

 

[Feeeeg]

holy cow,,,, now we are getting intricate!!!

I assume by checking online that I could include the di between his head (with built in effects) and speaker cab, and then the other out to the interface.

By guitar directly into interface, and then out to effects and into amp,, then mic the amp,,, I would assume then that I would need to merge the multiple tracks of the same guitar, (cut and splice) when we switch from normal to dirty sound within the same song?

 

[Zeppe]

Ok I guess my main concern then becomes, how do we get the dirty sound from this new line6 amp, and he uses no effects pedal, only a switch pedal to control the head which has the built in effects.

If I go guitar to di to interface, then I cut out any effects no?

DI:

Out ---> Interface
Parallel Out(copy of guitar signal)---> Guitar Amp then mic the amp

 

[Zeppe]

holy cow,,,, now we are getting intricate!!!

I assume by checking online that I could include the di between his head (with built in effects) and speaker cab, and then the other out to the interface.

By guitar directly into interface, and then out to effects and into amp,, then mic the amp,,, I would assume then that I would need to merge the multiple tracks of the same guitar, (cut and splice) when we switch from normal to dirty sound within the same song?

There is no need for a DI between Head and CAB. The need for the DI is between the guitar and interface. You don't need to merge any tracks the track with the clean signal can the be made inactive or muted.

The switch between dirty and clean should be done with pedals no?

 

[Feeeeg]

The switch between dirty and clean should be done with pedals no?

Thank you you are being very helpful,,,

Yes the switch should be made with pedals, but by your routing I am eliminating the pedal from recording direct into the interface except for the mic of the amp... I guess in my original post i was not clear when I said a clean recording.

What I meant was all background noise would be completely eliminated if the signal from effects could be routed directly to interface. We were told that we would damage the amps if using the outputs on the back of the interface to hear our sound as being played.

My original routing was guitar----------->effects----->interface---------> output to amp head. that was what we were told would damage the amps.

I apologize if I am being thick.......

and I was told my drums would be the hardest to record (i have found that easy so far)

 

[Feeeeg]

Record drums first to a click and then overdub guitars and the rest of the instruments.

damn, I cant do that yet

I have only been playing drums again for about 10 months.... really need the guitars playing to do the drumming properly (call me self taught)

I suppose we could run our set with plain mics running and recording all of us,,, then overdub on my tracks and record drums clean while listening on headphones and then go back over and dub in guitars Yeah thats an idea

 

[Zeppe]

Thank you you are being very helpful,,,

Yes the switch should be made with pedals, but by your routing I am eliminating the pedal from recording direct into the interface except for the mic of the amp... I guess in my original post i was not clear when I said a clean recording.

What I meant was all background noise would be completely eliminated if the signal from effects could be routed directly to interface. We were told that we would damage the amps if using the outputs on the back of the interface to hear our sound as being played.

My original routing was guitar----------->effects----->interface---------> output to amp head. that was what we were told would damage the amps.

I apologize if I am being thick.......

and I was told my drums would be the hardest to record (i have found that easy so far)

You shouldn't be eliminating the pedal or FX head.

Just change your original to routing to guitar----> DI----> Effects--->Output to amp head.

The DI will create a copy of the input. To get a dry signal send that to parallel output to your interface if you don't want or need a dry signal then just mic the amp and be done with it.

 

[Zeppe]

damn, I cant do that yet

I have only been playing drums again for about 10 months.... really need the guitars playing to do the drumming properly (call me self taught)

I suppose we could run our set with plain mics running and recording all of us,,, then overdub on my tracks and record drums clean while listening on headphones and then go back over and dub in guitars Yeah thats an idea

Have your guitar player record a scratch track to a click or you drumming. Then just put headphones on and play drums to the recorded guitar track. Once you have the drums down then delete the scratch guitar track and play guitar again over your drumming with the guitar player wearing headphones. Then you can mic the amp and not have to worry about bleed.

 

[Feeeeg]

Yeah, thanks for all the info, I guess I was just hoping that I could get the signal right from the effects into the interface, and not worry about micing the amps,,, it just does not sound right to me, I think the signal straight into the interface sounds better.

But like I said the guy just had to go out and have this line6 amp and ruin the whole Idea that I had, since his effects are controlled by his head, and the head is too hot for the interface...

Looks like we will just be using mics on the amps..

 

[Wilbur]

Complete and total newbie to homerecording

https://homerecording.com/bbs/forumdisplay.php?f=3

 

[Feeeeg]

Thanks wilbur saw the newbie section,, poked around for a few hours, and was not finding what I was lookin for.