Newbie-Recording Without A Mixer

[swatsds]

Hello.

I'm new to the world of recording. And cheap. Right now all I want to do is record some guitar on my computer. I have a 410 Delta M Audio soundcard. I was hoping to use one of the analog cables hooked up directly to the guitar line, so I wouldn't need to buy an actual mixer.

They are RCA cable sized, so would I be able to just put the guitar line into it without screwing anything up? I'm not sure on the size, but isn't a guitar line 1/8 of an inch? Would I need a converter to RCA size?

Thanks.

 

[lakemonitor]

I'm no expert but..

Hi,
I've been recording on a similarly cheap (rather inadequate) set-up as yourself for a few months as i'm poor and saving for a mixer/preamp. Is there not analog (1/4" inputs) on that soundcard? I'm afraid that putting the guitar straight into the soundcard from the guitar input will sound atrocious. It will be barely audible and sound like a cat farting.

What I've been doing is putting a mic into one of the 1/4 inch inputs of the sound card and recording performance through an amp. This still comes out fairly low in volume, but I've got (reasonably) good results from just amplifying the recorded sound with software and performing simple mastering effects - using the equalisers and de-hissers etc.

Eventually, you will need to buy more equipment if you want to achieve good quality recordings - entry level essentials seem to be either a good pre-amp and or a mixer. Other more enlightened individuals could advise you further on that one.

Having said all that bulls*&t, if you're just interested in messing around for a while and getting to know how to use the software, you can use a mic and some imagination.

 

[Adam B]

Hey guys,

I am sort of in the same boat. I am recording on the cheap...sort of.

I started out the same way, hooking the output of my acoustic (which has a built in pre-amp) to a 1/4in to 1/8in converter and straight into the mic input on my pc.

Sounded horrible... there was no way to control the recording volume, and it was just not working.

Turns out it has something to do with output and input frequencies and resistances, and a bunch of audio tech stuff... which I knew nothing about, but am learning as I go.

I investigated my options which seemed to be:

1. Buy either an external sound rig for guitar, like something from M-Audio, or one of the products aimed at guitarists looking to record to their pc. Problem here is cost (200-300 bucks), and the very few recording options you get for that amount.

2. Buy a mixer and hook it to a sound card. Sound cards range in price and features, but I really only needed something basic (full duplex, with stereo input and output).

I picked up a cheap berhinger analog mixer (UB1204fx) for 100 bucks on ebay that gives me many more recording options than the products marketed strictly towards guitarists, plus it was a cheaper to boot.

I run the mixer tape in/out to a RCA to 1/8 stereo converter into my soundcard input (which is integrated to my motherboard) and the 1/8 stereo output of the sound card back to the mixer tape in. This seems to be working without any problems.

Only limitation at the moment is that while the rig allows me to record multiple inputs at once (anyone/anything plugged into a mixer channel), but those are all in one feed coming into the computer.

Therefore everything comes in on one track. If I want to digitally record drums on a track, rhythm guitar on a track, and lead on a track, I have to record each one seperately.

If I had a sound card with multiple inputs I could run each mixer channel output to individual channel inputs on the sound card and record simultaniously to multiple tracks.

This suits my purposes just fine though, and as soon as I figure out Cool Edit Pro or Cubase, I will finally be done with my 4 track.

 

[grn]

The best mixer you have available to you is something I like to call "air". Get a good sound at the source and place your microphones carefully.

 

[Adam B]

True, you could do mic'ing also. But you may run into the tone/volume dilema.

But a condenser mic could cost the same as a cheap mixer.

I run my drum machine through the mixer, and also use it to record jam sessions.

Hard to do those things with one mic unless the "drums" are coming from software on your pc and you have one ambient mic placed in the room.

All I am saying is for like 100-120 bucks you have some viable options.