Recording Guitar straight to the computer...

JamesMarshallHendrix · 01-04-2005, 12:18 PM

Hey everybody,

Ive been working on home recording for a few months, and have been using a straight to computer connection, no mic. Using an adaptor I change the guitar chord plug to a headphone jack size plug, and plug that directly into the mic jack in the back of my computer. I usually run the guitar through wah and fuzz, then to the amp (Marshall, use it for reverb effects), then amp to the back of the computer. Its the cheap mans Guitar Port.

The problems Im having:
In recording, theres a 2 second lag, and I constantly have to reposition my guitar tracks to fit other tracks, and the timing goes all out of whack.
I cant hear from my amp, or computer speakers. So I record, then listen, then try again, then re record, then listen....If i plug into the Sound In jack instead of the mic jack I can hear, but i cant record.
The quality sucks. I sound like ass. I can never get the tone Im looking for.

I use a free software called Kristal Audio Engine. I tried Tracktion, but find its too cumbersome for the simple recording i want to do.

HHHHEEEELLPPPPP!!!

Thanks!!

**jimihendrix** · 01-04-2005, 12:34 PM

hi there...the way i record is to plug my guitar into my gnx3...or ony other multifx unit...then into the soundcard...i get zero latency that way....have you tried plugging your guitar into your amp...then out the headphone jack and into your sound card?...or do you have a multifx unit?...let me know how it works out for you....paul

El_jalepeno · 01-04-2005, 12:41 PM

Stop being a cheap bastard and spend $100 to buy a VAmp so you can sound good, and hear while you play instead of guessing!

**skydog911** · 01-04-2005, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_jalepeno

Stop being a cheap bastard and spend $100 to buy a VAmp so you can sound good, and hear while you play instead of guessing!

EJ is absoulutly correct on this, I tried several types of "free software" and different ways of routing the signal to no avail.......the Vamp is the best $$ i've spent......of course since i bought the damn thing, i havent had the free time to mess with it much,but the two songs i did record came out sounding great

JamesMarshallHendrix · 01-04-2005, 01:19 PM

Is that the little preamp guy that comes with recording software? My friend has one of those...I think....
In reply to jimihendrix (great user name by the way), I want to kick myself in the face. I sold my Korg AG100 or whatever it was (it was crap to my ears) for the Cry Baby Wah and the ElectroHarmonix Fuzz. But that little pre-amp box would have been useful now that I had just discovered this home recording. But its wah wah sucked.
I go from my guitar, to my pedals, to my amp. Then I connect my amp to the back of the computer, with an adapter plug (changes the big guitar chord size plug to a little wee headphone jack plug) and that goes into the soundcard. I use the amp (Marshall 30DFX) for the overdrive distortions, reverb. My equipment is basic, I dont have the money for this pro (is it digitech???) GNX stuff, but man would I like to. That thing can do it all.

I was thinking if I could get an adapter that had 2 little wee headphone ends, and plug them into the back (Mic plug and LINE IN plug), I could hear and record at the same time.
But when i try the line-in plug on its own to hear what it would sound like I still get 1.5 second lag. Meh. Better equipment would fix that. Still working on it.

Any other ideas??

Thanks guys for the help,

MattM · 01-04-2005, 01:22 PM

dude youre roughing it..lol
the timing lag is caused most likely by your soundcard. ive encountered this before. the SC you have doesnt have enough memory to keep up with what is being recorded. you need to get a better one...i would highly recommend soundblaster live. mine works great.
as for not being able to hear anything...you can change the setting on your volume control panel...you may have the line in or something muted.

POD GOD · 01-04-2005, 02:59 PM

If the problem is your soundcard, a GuitarPort might be a better choice over the V-Amp, since it's USB and doesn't use your soundcard.

**VHF** · 01-04-2005, 03:07 PM

This is a V-amp...it still needs a soundcard, but they are cheap.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/480674/

This is a guitar port...no sound card needed.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/srs7/...se_pid/482232/

**Ipecac** · 01-04-2005, 03:18 PM

Your really not going to get better latency w/o buying a new sound card. What are you using? you should be able to hear out your amp - unless you have it going from the headphone jack in the amp to your cpu - then your not going to hear shit out your amp - use your line out. Like EJ said stop being a cheap ass and get some half decent recording software - theres tons and cheap and for beginners and beyond. Some sorta preamp would help - best bet bud is to get a pod, its the fastest and easiest way to record straight in to your cpu and get a half decent sound. Your main problem that your not going to get around is your soundcard. Soundblaster are good all around cards and easy for soundfont use(thats later, ok) but my recommendation is anything maudio - your best bet audiophile 24/96. They are alittle more specific for recording and audio quality. Going to headphone jack from 1/4' jack - is gonna kill your sound - but thats the least of your problems. Your new Hendrix but stick with cpu recording - theres a huge learning curve at first but you'll be thanking yourself that you put in the time learning what you need. you came to the right place to get you on you way... or do What PODMAN said....lol

**Karkki** · 01-04-2005, 11:02 PM

Guitar Port by Line 6 might be the cheapest and easiest way to get around these problems. That way you won't have to buy sound card or pre-amp. You can get better quality and more flexibility with good soundcard and pre-amp but it would cost you more.
If you are just learning home recording, this is a good way to cut some corners. The negative side of Guitar Port is that you can't use without the computer unlike for example cheap and good Berhringer V-Amp.

JamesMarshallHendrix · 01-05-2005, 10:52 AM

It worked!! I switched from the Mic to LINE IN and then used tracktion to do the recording and no more latency, and I can hear what Im doing!

Thanks for all the help and posting those huge replies!!! I did a song so you guys could hear how it worked out, its still got a few slip ups in it, but they are barely noticeable!!! Enjoy and thanks again!!!

**Karkki** · 01-05-2005, 11:57 AM

Congratulations! Sounds good.

**VHF** · 01-05-2005, 04:50 PM

Very good...sounds like you are on the right track. Remember to clean up your guitar tracks by attenuating all the noise before the song actually starts.

JamesMarshallHendrix · 01-05-2005, 06:25 PM

Thanks for checking it out, i did some scratchy wah wahing on purpose to start it out, ala Voodoo Chile (im sure theres other places where a little feedback is heard or i let the wrong note ring too long!!)
Ill get off this hendrix stuff, im sure its driving everyone nuts now!

**jimihendrix** · 01-05-2005, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesMarshallHendrix

Thanks for checking it out, i did some scratchy wah wahing on purpose to start it out, ala Voodoo Chile (im sure theres other places where a little feedback is heard or i let the wrong note ring too long!!)
Ill get off this hendrix stuff, im sure its driving everyone nuts now!

more hendrix...it ain't drivin' me nuts!!!...thanks - paul

LOL, whats a VAmp??

All fixed!

Thanks for listening!