midi vs line out vs usb

[GuitardedMark]

I have a couple questions. I have a Peavey Vypyr 120 head (I LOVE IT) and it has both line out and a usb out for recording. Could someone please explain the pros and cons of each?

Also I want to buy a keyboard to record with. Most come with usb but I'm going to be buying a e-mu 0404 interface which has midi in/out. What would be the difference between midi and usb for recording the keyboard? Again, pros and cons would be great! Thanks!

 

[ocnor]

As far as I know there are no "pros" to using a line out or usb for recording a guitar. Either way sounds like ass. Use a microphone.

You can't send an audio signal through midi. It's only used to send and receive controller information.

 

[GuitardedMark]

Yeah i've had trouble recording by micing because I live with my girlfriend in an apartment. Shes not a huge fan of thundering guitar in the wee hours of the night

I didnt know I couldnt record via Midi though. Thats good to know! Thanks!

 

[GuitardedMark]

So if I want to use the keyboard as a midi controller as well as to record the onbourd sounds I would have to get a keyboard with midi and a usb?

 

[dintymoore]

So if I want to use the keyboard as a midi controller as well as to record the onbourd sounds I would have to get a keyboard with midi and a usb?

MIDI is code that can be sent through a USB or a MIDI cable. You do not have to have MIDI cables to record, use or do anything else with MIDI if you have USB.

The only time you need MIDI cables is to hook up old gear that came out before USB "took over" about 10 years ago. The computer doesn't know or care if the MIDI code it records comes through a MIDI cable or a USB cable.

In short: if your keyboard has USB, use that and forget about MIDI cables, the USB jack will send and receive MIDI code.

 

[miroslav]

Shes not a huge fan of thundering guitar in the wee hours of the night

That's just a typical female reaction. The sound of guitar playing isn't what bothers them...it's just that when you are playing guitar and recording…
…it's not about THEM! They become jealous of any activity that you do that doesn't center around THEM!

Either you need a new GF...or give her a mic and make her feel like she's part of it (of course, don't plug the mic in, unless she can sing).

But then...I gotta ask...if you're living with her, shouldn't you be playing something else instead your guitar during the wee hours of the night???

 

[miroslav]

As far as I know there are no "pros" to using a line out or usb for recording a guitar. Either way sounds like ass. Use a microphone.

And then there's this ^^^^^ to consider.

Record when you CAN use a mic.

 

[GuitardedMark]

That's just a typical female reaction. The sound of guitar playing isn't what bothers them...it's just that when you are playing guitar and recording…
…it's not about THEM! They become jealous of any activity that you do that doesn't center around THEM!

Either you need a new GF...or give her a mic and make her feel like she's part of it (of course, don't plug the mic in, unless she can sing).

But then...I gotta ask...if you're living with her, shouldn't you be playing something else instead your guitar during the wee hours of the night???

LOL!!!! She's pretty understanding of me recording in the day but I like to do a lot of stuff after 10 pm and neighbors and girl trying to sleep just does not work I've gotten some decent tones out of the line in though. The usb has always lagged real bad.

 

[GuitardedMark]

MIDI is code that can be sent through a USB or a MIDI cable. You do not have to have MIDI cables to record, use or do anything else with MIDI if you have USB.

The only time you need MIDI cables is to hook up old gear that came out before USB "took over" about 10 years ago. The computer doesn't know or care if the MIDI code it records comes through a MIDI cable or a USB cable.

In short: if your keyboard has USB, use that and forget about MIDI cables, the USB jack will send and receive MIDI code.

Good stuff! Thanks a lot!

I guess its really not that important that I get MIDI. I would like to use it with my interface but I guess it wont be a big deal going straight in with USB... right?

 

[dintymoore]

... I guess its really not that important that I get MIDI...

Since you have USB, you do have "MIDI", because you can send the same MIDI code through the USB cable as you send through MIDI, except USB is two-way and you need two MIDI cables to accomplish that.

... I would like to use it with my interface but I guess it wont be a big deal going straight in with USB... right?

It's exactly the same. It would be same difference as sending a package via UPS versus FedEX. Same package, same contents but a slightly different way of getting there. But in the end identical.

 

[GuitardedMark]

Thank you for your help Dinty

 

[GuitardedMark]

I tried give reputation but it said I had to spread it around some more