Recording Onto A Laptop

  • Thread starter Thread starter pearljammin'
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pearljammin'

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Hi, I'm very new to recording, and I'm not even sure if this is the right place to post so sorry for any mistake.

Well to start off, I think my sound card is the Avance AC97 Audio.
I'm looking to record bass, and eventually guitar parks, and even drums if everything goes well.

But starting on bass, can I just plug into my amp as usual with pedals etc. and take a lead off from the headphone socket on my amp and then plug it into the mic input on my laptop by using an adapter for the 1/4 guitar lead, to the standard size input (not sure what size)?

I'm not sure if this will work as I heard you need a different soundcard or some sort of USB or Firewire interface. Is this true?

Thanks for any help! And sorry for the newbie question!
 
The built in soundcards are moastly crappy and there mic preamps are specially designed for computer mics and are even crappyer. You should best go with an usb or firewire "soundcard". (http://www.zzounds.com/a--2676837/cat--Audio-Interfaces--2418) as you can't install a pci card in a laptop.
You'll also need an external preamp or a mixer, if you're going to record drums, you'll probably need a mixer (and maybe a multiple input soundcard) otherwise, go with a dual channel preamp like the dmp3 or audiobuddy.
Also, a headphone amp output is waaayyy to load for a mic input. You could try using a DI box, but i guess a preamp will suite for that use asswell.

Try to read as much as you can on this board, there surely is a bunch of information you can find here.

-fazil
 
Thanks, so if I tried it as I've said above, am I in any danger of damaging anything? Or would it just not sound too good?
 
Hey pearljammin! I'm a noob as well, so take this for what it's worth, but I was in your exact same position a few weeks ago. Here's my take:

I think that standard laptop soundcard quaility is poor for recording. I also would be concerned about the load if you try to record anything other than an acoustic direct to the laptop soundcard. I have a friend who does this and he gets OK results, but not great. I did not want to take the risk with my electric basses and guitars, especially those with active elex, so I went a different route. Oh, and you're likely to have problems monitoring a track and recording a new track, hearing both, without some kind of additional hardware.

I bought the Audiophile USB unit. It is essentially an outboard soundcard (about $200). This, combined with a cheapo ($75) Behringer UB1202 mixer has started to give me great results using N-track (about $70 for the 24 bit registered version). I know, that's almost $350, but it works great so far.

Took me 2 tries to load the Audiophile, but I think it was operator error and not the unit. I always set a restore point in XP before installing anything, so the 2nd time no problem. N-track is fantastic for my purposes and a great deal. I do not do any real multi-tracking yet, just me one track at a time. I plug into the Behringer, the Behringer main out 1/4" jacks go to the 1/4" inputs of the Audiophile. To monitor, I ran the RCA out from the Audiophile to the Tape In inputs of the Behringer, and it has a button to activate "tape to mix". I plug the 'phones into the Behringer. Now I can hear both what I've already recorded and what I'm playing, so that's cool.

I'm sure there are other ways, maybe better, to do this, but this method seems to work for my very amateur needs. Hope that helps.

Starcat
 
Thanks for your help, much appreciated.
I'll look around for the equipment!
I have so far being using the built-in mic. on my amp so as long as it sounds better than that I will be happy!
For anyone in the UK.....Does anyone know where the best place is to get USB outboard soundcards?
Also, would it be safer to start off recording an accoustic bass guitar which needs a 9v battery? Is this less likley to cause damage? Thanks
 
Ya know, I'm not positive that any kind of input will actually damage a laptop soundcard. I guess I just assumed that those aux or cd in inputs were not really meant for that function so were probably not particularly suited for it..... and opted for discretion. Seemed prudent, if not factually-based. It probably wouldn't hurt to try with your acoustic bass, as long as you start at low volume levels. Good luck.

p.s. If you do, I hope you don't, but if you do blow out your laptop soundcard, we will then have empirical proof of the theory. Small consolation to you, but a victory for the science of computer recording! (kidding, mate.)
 
lol, thanks for the encouragment!
I don't know if I'll give it a try or not, it really depends how much I'm pressured by my band to record.
Anyway I have insurance! lol
If I do give it a try I'll report how well it went, I'll either be really depressed or feeling indesctible so I warn you in advance....lol
 
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