Couple of three questions and hopefully you can help regarding how to plug an electric guitar into a PC sound card, record the output, tinker with the sound, play output through the PC speakers and loud.
Is a simple plug swap on the guitar cable enough?
Is some sort of preamp or attenuator required?
What PC application is required to process the guitar output and to record?
Any recomendations what would be a good starting point?
Is it possible to install some plugin that will do what a stomp box does?
Any recomended plugins that do delay/reverb/overdrive etc?
Has someone already answered these and similar questions in a quick how to guide?
Thanks Ajs
Electric Guitar to PC Sound Card
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- KVRist
- 78 posts since 7 Jan, 2007
Hi,
You might find these useful
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=175999
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=177528
I am the main character btw
You might find these useful
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=175999
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=177528
I am the main character btw
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- KVRAF
- 6937 posts since 4 Jun, 2004 from Utrecht, Holland
On some audio cards it's enough to plug in the guitar into the line input, and let the audio card amplify it by 15 to 20 dB. However this is sub-optimal because of the impedance mismatch you might lose some of the high frequencies. There are loads of sound cards with a special "Hi-Z" guitar input. Most of the cheaper ones are USB.ajsajs wrote:Is a simple plug swap on the guitar cable enough?
Is some sort of preamp or attenuator required?
A nice soundcard choosing helper: http://www.recordingreview.com/soundcar ... wizard.php
We call that a Host, and there is plenty to chose from: http://www.kvraudio.com/get.phpajsajs wrote:What PC application is required to process the guitar output and to record?
Start with free stuff, and work your way up if that doesn't do the job. Reaper is a nice host to start with. In demo mode it runs virtually forever.ajsajs wrote:Any recomendations what would be a good starting point?
Yes.ajsajs wrote:Is it possible to install some plugin that will do what a stomp box does?
http://www.kvraudio.com/get.phpajsajs wrote:Any recomended plugins that do delay/reverb/overdrive etc?
Start with free stuff, and work your way up if that doesn't do the job
Enjoy!!
My MusicCalc is temporary offline.
We are the KVR collective. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
We are the KVR collective. Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.
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- KVRer
- Topic Starter
- 2 posts since 15 Aug, 2007 from Ecosse
Not seen Reaper before before, and by coincidence v1.885 was released August 14 2007.
Apart from that, it looks like I may have several hours of reading to work out what bits will do the trick.
Thanks.
Ajs
Apart from that, it looks like I may have several hours of reading to work out what bits will do the trick.
Thanks.
Ajs
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- KVRAF
- 5703 posts since 6 Dec, 2003 from Mission Control
You can start with free stuff if you like but these days I think it may be better for a guitar player to go ahead and pick up a line6 toneport gx.
When you start looking at the $200-$400 Amplitube and GuitarRig the GX is so unbelievably inexpensive for what you get. For example the IK stealth plug is $99 bucks by itself. These guys better paying attention to Line6's GX pricing or they are quickly going to be in major trouble.
You get the audio interface + headphone monitor + gearbox (effects & host soft-PodXT) for way cheap... I think like the UX1 and UX2 there is even a free copy of Live-LE in the box for sequencing. One stop shopping for under $70 bucks.. If you've got more cash and want more inputs/outputs look at the UX1 or UX2.
Line6 Toneport GX $69.00
http://www.zzounds.com/item--LINTONEPORTGX
When you start looking at the $200-$400 Amplitube and GuitarRig the GX is so unbelievably inexpensive for what you get. For example the IK stealth plug is $99 bucks by itself. These guys better paying attention to Line6's GX pricing or they are quickly going to be in major trouble.
You get the audio interface + headphone monitor + gearbox (effects & host soft-PodXT) for way cheap... I think like the UX1 and UX2 there is even a free copy of Live-LE in the box for sequencing. One stop shopping for under $70 bucks.. If you've got more cash and want more inputs/outputs look at the UX1 or UX2.
Line6 Toneport GX $69.00
http://www.zzounds.com/item--LINTONEPORTGX
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- KVRAF
- 5703 posts since 6 Dec, 2003 from Mission Control
Ohhh... If you want foot control look at the fcb1010. For only $150 bucks it works great with Line6's Gearbox.
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHFCB1010
http://www.zzounds.com/item--BEHFCB1010
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- KVRAF
- 5703 posts since 6 Dec, 2003 from Mission Control
Sorry, I just looked and Live-LE is not included with the GX.tomg wrote:I think like the UX1 and UX2 there is even a free copy of Live-LE in the box for sequencing.
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frequency_algorithm frequency_algorithm https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=126760
- Banned
- 566 posts since 2 Nov, 2006
Computer soundcards and guitars work at different impedances and levels. You need a special device called a "direct box" so that your computer soundcard can get a nice clean tone from your guitar. Direct boxes are very affordable and will make your guitar sound very good, if you use a good one, such as JD Radial.
If you don't use a direct box your guitar tone will sound very crappy and there will be a lot of hiss in your recording. You will basically be recording a very shitty guitar sound.
You cannot simply use an adapter because it will affect your sound quality and you will lose a lot of your phat guitar tone.
Passive Direct boxes (which require no power) are your best bet, because they are cheaper and they sound great. Active direct boxes that are really expensive can sound better (IF they are really good ones) but seeing as you don't even know what a direct box is, I suggest going with a passive direct box, which will do everything you need it to do and more.
JD radial.
These guys should pay me.
oops I forgoot to add that someone mentioned a guitar port-that's a very good direct box and stomp effector thingy. I've used them and they are great if you don't have a set of guitar pedals.
If you don't use a direct box your guitar tone will sound very crappy and there will be a lot of hiss in your recording. You will basically be recording a very shitty guitar sound.
You cannot simply use an adapter because it will affect your sound quality and you will lose a lot of your phat guitar tone.
Passive Direct boxes (which require no power) are your best bet, because they are cheaper and they sound great. Active direct boxes that are really expensive can sound better (IF they are really good ones) but seeing as you don't even know what a direct box is, I suggest going with a passive direct box, which will do everything you need it to do and more.
JD radial.
These guys should pay me.
oops I forgoot to add that someone mentioned a guitar port-that's a very good direct box and stomp effector thingy. I've used them and they are great if you don't have a set of guitar pedals.
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- KVRAF
- 9528 posts since 6 Oct, 2004
The Toneport advice is fine, but the Stealthplug is bundled with
Traction2.1 daw
Amplitube2 Live guitar fx software
T-RackS mastering EQ software
SampleTank2 LE (64 sounds, 5 fx per sound, and 32 nice easy access fx to choose from)
530 megs of loops to jam/record with
plus its usb guitar/bass/line-in-instrument input
Sounds are topnotch, got mine last week.
The hardware does require its own asio driver, the software
is free to roam, and has upgrade path. Nice compliment to the also nice Toneport units. Traction is a nice recording/sequencing setup,
so that is a consideration. Sampletank has some nice guitar sounds included, with its own multi-fx, and Amplitube at the far end, it's pretty tough to beat.
$170 for both? Flash that plastic!
Traction2.1 daw
Amplitube2 Live guitar fx software
T-RackS mastering EQ software
SampleTank2 LE (64 sounds, 5 fx per sound, and 32 nice easy access fx to choose from)
530 megs of loops to jam/record with
plus its usb guitar/bass/line-in-instrument input
Sounds are topnotch, got mine last week.
The hardware does require its own asio driver, the software
is free to roam, and has upgrade path. Nice compliment to the also nice Toneport units. Traction is a nice recording/sequencing setup,
so that is a consideration. Sampletank has some nice guitar sounds included, with its own multi-fx, and Amplitube at the far end, it's pretty tough to beat.
$170 for both? Flash that plastic!