Recording a Guitar for the first time

[David Benson]

Hello guitar players. I will be recording an electric guitar this evening for the first time on my 488MKII. It is a fun recording for an employee of mine. Do you just patch it into one of the 1/4" inputs and you get a signal on that track and ajust the signal accordingly? I don't want to Mic an amp if I don't have to. even if it's a dry sound, because this is just a fun thing for a buddy. What will I hear in the headphones? Will it have volume or will it sound like an electric guitar sounds when it strummed without an amp. Sorry if these seem like dumb questions but I am a trumpet player and I record with a Mic, though I do record CD backgrounds direct from a CD player, and I guess the guitar would be the same concept right? I also will be recording an acoustic guitar with an AKG Mic. I think it's a good one. It cost 800.00 some years ago. What about Mic placement for the acoustic guitar? Thanks DB

 

[A Reel Person]

Sure.

Electric guitar can be recorded through the 1/4" Line In jacks, but it will be a clean/dry sound.

You may also route the electric guitar through the preamps by using the proper 1/4"(F)-XLR(M) adapter, to give the electric guitar signal some boost.

Also, to complement the DI electric guitar, I always like to mix that with a close-mic'd "ambient" sound, of a mic on the guitar's body, enough to pick up some pick thwack and ambient vibes.

A guitar pedal may also be used (inline) for purposes of preamp, overdrive & effects, if you like. Pedals generally plug into the 1/4" jacks. As above, you can also use XLR inputs (with proper adaptors), but you'll have to be more careful about not driving the gain stage of the XLR input (preamp) too hard.

 

[David Benson]

Thanks. It went well. DB