preamp question

[Emperor !!!]

Since I bought a Mac a month ago I’ve wanted to homerecord myself, since I live in an apartment I cannot mic my amp, so I thought of an amp modeler to simulate it.

I'd like to know if my idea would work, this is what I have in mind:

Guitar=>pedalboard=>amp modeler=>tube preamp=>digital audio interface=>computer

Guitar is a Gibson SG
Pedalboard
Amp modeler, haven't decided yet, not to be discussed on this thread, please.
The preamp is a Presonus tubepre
Audio interface is FCA202 borrowed from a friend
If useful, I can borrowed a little 5 input mixer
I’ll be using garageband

 

[moonand6]

That sounds like a good plan to me. I've had a good experience using this:

guitar -> POD -> tube preamp -> audio interface -> computer

Pretty much exactly what you said! But I used the FX in the POD.

Have you tried using the amp simulator in GarageBand? It's not very sophisticated, but it could save you a few bucks.

Good luck!

 

[noisewreck]

Depending on the amp modeler (hardware vs. software, output of the hardware, etc) you may or may not need the "tube" preamp... BTW while in general the Presonus products are pretty decent, don't be mislead by the Tube in their "tube" preamp.

 

[SonicAlbert]

You probably don't need the preamp, because the amp modeler will be outputting a line level signal appropriate for going straight into your DAW.

The Line 6 Pod XT (and probably Pod Pro too) have a USB connector built in, so I think you could go directly from a Pod to the computer.

 

[Emperor !!!]

the thing is that I've heard so much about the sterile nature of digital recording that I thought of a tube preamp to warm things a little bit, and I'll be needing the phantom power for a condenser mic anyway, so i said to myself "maybe I can use it to record my guitar or bass guitar (bass without modeler) too!!"
I know the modeler(hardware) will give me a line level signal, and that's what made me wonder if it would work.

So this is what I'm thinking now,
Guitar=>pedalboard(I insist on using pedals instead of the built in effects of any modeler)=>modeler=>interface=>computer
Is there any way I can warm my signal? Is the modeler alone enough for what I’m trying to emulate? tube preamp still comes to my mind, if I'm going in the wrong direction, help me go in the right direction, thanks in advance.

One more thing, I'll be using the preamp to go direct with my bass guitar, and the mics for the vox, into the interface, there's nothing wrong with that I hope, right?

Hey Moonand6, where is that amp simulator? I'll try it for sure.

If I go the software modeler road then I'll benefit my signal with the preamp to get a line level signal into the interface, right?

 

[Farview]

Let go of the notion that digital recording is 'cold'. It has nothing to do with digital recording, it has to do with cheap equipment. Putting a cheap tube anything in the chain will not 'warm' anything up.

You need to get warm sounds to record, not try to find a way to 'warm up' a cold, sterile sound.

 

[NL5]

Boo !

 

[Emperor !!!]

Let go of the notion that digital recording is 'cold'. It has nothing to do with digital recording, it has to do with cheap equipment. Putting a cheap tube anything in the chain will not 'warm' anything up.

You need to get warm sounds to record, not try to find a way to 'warm up' a cold, sterile sound.

Just what I thought in the first place, guess I read too much into everybodies opinion on this subject all over the web.

 

[noisewreck]

Just what I thought in the first place, guess I read too much into everybodies opinion on this subject all over the web.

Those opinions are mostly hangups from early days of digital back in the 80s, where there were no good DACs and they'd be lucky to get 14bit resolution out of their recordings. Things have changed quite a bit now. The Presonus TubePre isn't really going to improve things, in fact it may screw things up more than fix anything. if you want some kind of a "warmifyier" you really need to look a lot higher in the price range, something like Thermionic Culture Vulture.

 

[SonicAlbert]

The Presonus TubePRE is actually kind of a clean preamp. For cheap, the ART tube preamps give more of that mud you are talking about. Great tube gear is actually very clean and clear.

The lowest priced tube pre that I could recommend is the Groove Tubes BRICK.

 

[moonand6]

To get to the amp simulation in GarageBand:

• Create a new "real" instrument track
• on the right side, under "track info" at the bottom click on "details"
• from the dropdown menu under "compressor" choose "amp simulation" or "bass amp"
• click on the pencil icon to the right of the dropdown to get to the editor.

I'm not sure about monitoring through GarageBand, there may be a considerable amount of latency (depends on your interface). Still worth a try.

I would recommend a tube preamp (even a cheap one like the ART mentioned above) to smooth out electric guitars. It's true they don't sound great, and I don't recommend recording vocals with one. But it might be just what you want for guitar.

I hope you find something that works for you.