Inexpensive way to record riffs

Hello all and Merry Xmas! I've been playing my stratocaster for awhile now and I play for as much as I can. Every once in a while I'll come up with a really nice sounding riff or a hook. Do you guys have any suggestions or cheaper specific products you use to record these cool sounds? Any help would be appreciated. I'm new in the recording game but I think it's finally time to start doing so

If you invest in a device to plug your guitar in your computer, you can have a lot of fun. There is a free multitrack recorder called Audacity that would help in this case.

Have fun!

Jon

I will look into that! thank you sir!

Audacity is a great software I use it with my Fender Mustang Amp. If you have a newer amplifier that can connect to the computer with usb then you don't need any extra interface to do recordings.

I also use another software that is more advanced called Mixbus it is on sale now for $40 usually over $200. Look it up on Youtube it is very cool,

/Lars

Originally Posted by: alejandrodelargeHello all and Merry Xmas! I've been playing my stratocaster for awhile now and I play for as much as I can. Every once in a while I'll come up with a really nice sounding riff or a hook. Do you guys have any suggestions or cheaper specific products you use to record these cool sounds? Any help would be appreciated. I'm new in the recording game but I think it's finally time to start doing so

If you buy a Mac, it has Garageband for free...but you have to pay for a Mac.

If you're a PC, I've heard many people use Reaper . I believe it's free.

To connect to your PC, my personal recommendation is the IK StealthPlug . I have it and reviewed it here as part of a larger IK review. Under eighty bucks and works nicely.

Thanks to this topic I've also downloaded Audacity and have an absolute blast with it.
I'm going through my amp then to the computer and it's working great however, maybe someone could give me some advice on the vocal part. My 9 year old grandaughter loves to sing to the songs I record (which as you might imagine take some substantial editing to sinc and otherwise blend into the song), but generally it works well.
Since I have only a one input 15 watt practice amp I need to lay my tracks down first, then have her sing the vocal track.
My question is why does my amplifier need to be cranked to maximum levels on both the channel and master control knobs in order to be picked up by the recording software. This is only the microphone not the guitar and so I suspect it may be because they aren't good or even reasonable quality microphones that we've tried.
Any thoughts or comments on this would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Jim

How are you recording exactly? As in, what connections are going where?

Ahhh yes, when I first started dabbling with home recording a few years back my setup was Audacity with an APEX condenser microphone, I have come a long way with home recording since then, but that really gave me a good start....

Originally Posted by: JeffS65If you're a PC, I've heard many people use Reaper . I believe it's free.

I use Reaper... it's an honor system. It's not free. However, I gladly paid the $60.00 for it. An AMAZING value for something that competes with the likes of Pro Tools.

Plus, there is Reaper training video's you can purchase at Groove3's website.

I am trying to learn about electronics in order to record at home. I must admit that I am about as green as the green-est grass there is.
I have a Kustom Sienna 65 Amp, which has a line for a mic and the guitar. I have never tried to use both in it as of yet, but would like to know what would I need to get it through the computer. Can I run it directly from the amp to the computer, or do I need something in between the amp and the computer to make it work.
Can you burn a cd if I can get it setup the way I would like?
What would be a good program to download to get the best sound and ect.
I look forward to some insight in this.
Thanks for all your ideas.

Originally Posted by: Jon BroderickIf you invest in a device to plug your guitar in your computer, you can have a lot of fun. There is a free multitrack recorder called Audacity that would help in this case.

Have fun!

Jon

Can you plug in an acoustic also this way? I do have a pickup in the guitar.

Originally Posted by: larsm2011Audacity is a great software I use it with my Fender Mustang Amp. If you have a newer amplifier that can connect to the computer with usb then you don't need any extra interface to do recordings.

Can the Fender Mustang use the USB-connection to connect to Audacity? I've tried but I haven't had any luck getting Audacity to recognise the Amp through USB, but it doesn't have any issues if I just use a cable between the "Phones"-plug and my computer's Mic-plug.

Originally Posted by: JLJamesI am trying to learn about electronics in order to record at home. I must admit that I am about as green as the green-est grass there is.
I have a Kustom Sienna 65 Amp, which has a line for a mic and the guitar. I have never tried to use both in it as of yet, but would like to know what would I need to get it through the computer. Can I run it directly from the amp to the computer, or do I need something in between the amp and the computer to make it work.
Can you burn a cd if I can get it setup the way I would like?
What would be a good program to download to get the best sound and ect.
I look forward to some insight in this.
Thanks for all your ideas.

What you need is a USB line out on your amp. That line out can then be used to connect to your computer. If you don't have a USB line out, then you will need to record via microphone

This will involve a microphone (captain obvious here) and an external interface. The external interface is a box that sits outside your computer. It will have 1 to many different inputs and possibly 1 to many outputs. The main thing here is that it have at least one input for your guitar/vox/bass and a USB or Firewire port to connect to your computer. If you go firewire, you would need to have a firewire port on your computer as well. USB is most common. From there, what ever software you are using to record (called a DAW - digital audio workspace) will/should be able to recognize your usb/firewire interface and allow you to record.

Though I've never done it, you might be able to get a decent recording by getting a microphone that can plug directly into your sound cards microphone jack. I wouldn't expect the best results from this, but it probably will work depending on your expectations of sound quality. This basically would allow you to bypass purchasing an external usb or firewire interface

For my setup, I have several options. I have a USB interface that connects to my pc, OR I can use my Boss GT100. The GT100 has a USB port on it that allows me to take that guitar signal directly out and into my computer completely bypassing the need for an external interface.

However, I like having the external interface because it adds flexibility for adding other inputs that I may want to record.

Originally Posted by: KasperowCan the Fender Mustang use the USB-connection to connect to Audacity? I've tried but I haven't had any luck getting Audacity to recognise the Amp through USB, but it doesn't have any issues if I just use a cable between the "Phones"-plug and my computer's Mic-plug.

Does your amp have some kind of PC drivers? If so, have you installed them? I don't know anything about audacity. Does it have options to allow you to choose different input sources?

To record ideas, I just use my cell phone...easy! I like easy.

Originally Posted by: Neal WalterTo record ideas, I just use my cell phone...easy! I like easy.

Yup and that is easy!

they´re much better than any DAW button. You can record even with a cheap pocket recorder, or you can play and then sing it.

Don´t start to overthink about buttons, and more buttons. I use Sonar 8 producer, and i'm playing much better now, after i´ve stoped to work with all these buttons.

My brother allways said to me: "I´ve lost a lot of time of my life with buttons. I could be a much better musician than i am".

Originally Posted by: brenoazziMy brother allways said to me: "I´ve lost a lot of time of my life with buttons. I could be a much better musician than i am".

Great quote...It's about the playing and result and not the the knobs and toys.

I actually purchased one of these

http://www.guitarcenter.com/TASCAM-DR-07MKII-Handheld-Digital-Recorder-106547326-i1837592.gc

At the time it was on sale for 99$ and I had a 25$ GC gift card and found a 20% off coupon on the internet, so I got it pretty cheap. It is going for 149.00 currently, but I love it!

Originally Posted by: craigdahlingerI actually purchased one of these

http://www.guitarcenter.com/TASCAM-DR-07MKII-Handheld-Digital-Recorder-106547326-i1837592.gc

At the time it was on sale for 99$ and I had a 25$ GC gift card and found a 20% off coupon on the internet, so I got it pretty cheap. It is going for 149.00 currently, but I love it!

I have one of these also. I bought it a couple of years ago to record my daughter's piano recitals. I'm now also using it to record some of my practice sessions. I agree that is a great little device. It uses a micro sd card, so you can easily move your recording to a PC and edit them if you desire. You can also attach it to a camera stand, which makes it easy to play anywhere in the room. It has an AGC for recording levels, or you can set it for manually setting the levels.