From amp to PC soundcard?

Pretty self-explanatory. Is this feasible?

I'm presently recording with Reaper (great program) by plugging my guitar directly into my PC soundcard. The sound quality is..meh..ok. What irks me, tho, is the sound I record this way is very faint, requiring me to max out my guitar's volume knob and PC speaker for it to be heard clearly.

If I instead run from guitar to amp to soundcard, what wil lhappen? Do I risk damaging something? Better sound, worse? Should I invest in a preamp?

Thanks!

Originally Posted by: WurlakinPretty self-explanatory. Is this feasible?

I'm presently recording with Reaper (great program) by plugging my guitar directly into my PC soundcard. The sound quality is..meh..ok. What irks me, tho, is the sound I record this way is very faint, requiring me to max out my guitar's volume knob and PC speaker for it to be heard clearly.

If I instead run from guitar to amp to soundcard, what wil lhappen? Do I risk damaging something? Better sound, worse? Should I invest in a preamp?

Thanks!

Is your amp configured with a line out output?

Things to remember, an actual amp was made to recognize the load it delivers to speakers. If the amp is only configured for speaker as the output method, any time you try to use the amp without using the speaker load, there's a good chance you could wreck the amp and possibly your computer.

I have a Fender combo that has a headphone jack, the amp essentially built in a bypass for the headphones but the sound is pretty 'small/flat' sounding as compared to using the speaker. It's because I'm hearing only the sound processing but without the load and acoustic dynamic from a speaker. I think this could also be a result you would get if you did try to run you amp to your computer. The tone you get from the speakers is as much a creature of the actual speakers (ohms) as it is the amp head portion of the amp set up.

Whatever you do, you need to get an interface to convert your guitar to essentially a midi signal. The short version is that your amp is putting out an analog signal and needs to be digitized (way oversimplification).

What you should look for is an audio interface like M-Audio, Apogee or IK's Stealth stuff. However, they aren't really made to accept a direct guitar signal either and you could ruin the interface if you plugged directly in to it from you amp.

You may also want to consider amp simulations. Some folks don't like them but I have used and recently expanded my IK Multimedia collection of amp sims and am very happy (I'm going to try to do a review with sample sometime soon). However, I'm pretty happy with the tone I'm getting. My point is that it might well be a much easier way to go to record yourself. My opinion is that the best way to record a guitar amp is via a microphone. Otherwise you lose the amps dynamic.

The above is just what bits I know. There may be a way that someone else has achieved that I don't know about but, in all, it's seemed that an amp directly to a computer is a tough and electronically dangerous road.

Hi Jeff, thanks for the words of wisdom. I'm pretty new at this as you can likely tell.

My amp is a Line 6 Spider II combo amp. It has a headphone/ direct out jack.

I've tinkered with some VST amp sims and think they're pretty neat in playback mode, but when I try to play "live" I have a latency issue. (I'm running Vista 64 bit and by all accounts across the net there's no real solution for this delay). It's more than a little distracting striking a chord and hearing it a split second later come out of my speakers...

What about a POD or similar device?

Originally Posted by: WurlakinMy amp is a Line 6 Spider II combo amp. It has a headphone/ direct out jack.[/QUOTE]

http://line6.com/community/docs/DOC-241

Q: How can I record direct the Spider series amp signal directly into a computer?
A: You can use the headphone jack as a direct line out to record your Spider series amplifier into any line input on your computer's sound card or audio interface. For sound card connection, you will need a cable with one male stereo 1/4" jack on one end-to plug into the headphone jack of the Spider, and a male 1/8" stereo mini jack-like (the kind on Ipod type headphones) to plug into the sound card. This will work for most computer sound cards, as they often have 1/8" stereo mini inputs and outputs. If you have an audio interface or a professional sound card that have multiple 1/4" inputs, you will need a cable with one male 1/4" TRS (stereo) jack on one end, and two male 1/4" mono jacks on the other end (commonly known as an “insert cable”) to create a stereo image.

Take care in setting the output level on your amp: adjust the master volume to get the cleanest and most noise-free sound when the volume control on the toolbar of your computer is on full, with the volume control on your computer speakers set to normal, reasonable listening levels. If you set the output level on your amp too high, the sound will be undesirably distorted. Set it too low and the sound will be noisy. All you need then is some sort of recording software, of which there are many options available.


:D

Originally Posted by: WurlakinI've tinkered with some VST amp sims and think they're pretty neat in playback mode, but when I try to play "live" I have a latency issue. (I'm running Vista 64 bit and by all accounts across the net there's no real solution for this delay). It's more than a little distracting striking a chord and hearing it a split second later come out of my speakers...

I will suggest that not all amp sims are created equal. The reason I went with what I did (Amplitube) is that it has its own hardware for midi conversion. What I don't have is any latency. Latency is not overly a creature of software but a good bit of the hardware that comes in between. If the hardware isn't optimal for the sim you're using, you could get latency.

Think of latency as a traffic jam, the software will only react when it gets the signal. If the hardware is not up to snuff (ie - the soundcard, the interface hardware, computer RAM etc), these all stand in the way of the signal getting there quickly. For that matter, just leaving your computer on all the time slows internet connections, imagine what it would do when lifting a heavier load of data?

My point being is that amp sims are worth looking in to. Not for everyone but I'd hazard a guess that if the local guitar store has any of these set up, they could probably give you some good insight.

Mine, I have a Dual Core iMac with 4gig of RAM and I run an IK Stealth Pedal with a boat load of their sims and have a ball. Using the sims versus playing through my combo's (Fender/Marshall) headphones, I have much more fun with the sims.

Anyway, I would not discount them but look further if you really want to look in to recording your stuff.

[QUOTE=Wurlakin]What about a POD or similar device?

Been around for a long time and tried and true. I guess I've never been partial to POD stuff but honestly, I don't know that I've given them a fair shake either.

Here's their detail on recording with a POD:
http://line6.com/podx3/recording.html

Originally Posted by: JeffS65http://line6.com/community/docs/DOC-241
:D

Doh! :D

Well, thanks for finding it for me, and thanks for the additional info. It's helpful.

If your amp has a line out you're set. Don't overboost the amp to compensate for volume. Since it's just a soundcard getting higher volume is as simple as clicking the sound icon on your desktop and raising it's internal recording volume.

I have XP. When I was using the soundcard I clicked on Sounds and Audio Device Properties, then the audio tab, then sound recording default device volume.