Guitar Recording on Computers

Ok,

I know I'm going to sound like an idiot when it comes to recording, but I kinda am.

Question:

How do you hook a guitar directly into a computer to do recordings (Not software but hardware wise)?

Boozemanjack

Go to Radio Crap (hehe) and buy a cheap 1/4"-1/8" adapter. This will convert your 1/4" guitar plug into a 1/8" plug so you can plug it into your sound card. Make sure you plug into your 'mic' input (if you have a direct box, you can use the 1/4" out into your adapter to get a more balanced low-z sound.); if you plug into the line input you will get a really quiet, hummy, far-away sound. If you come from the line-out of an amp, use the 'line' input. When you plug in, make sure your computer speakers are off. Then right click on your speaker icon on your computer taskbar. Find the Microphone slider (or Line if you're using the line input), make sure it's not muted, and pull down the slider. Then turn on your speakers and slowly bring up your mic volume so it doesn't squeal when monitoring or distort the input of your recording program. Beware - with many recording programs, you have to set the microphone slider in the 'recording' tab of your computer volume mixer. Make sure you set the mic level so it doesn't distort the input.
This is just a quick general primer. If you have any more questions, or if I'm not clear somewhere, or if you have problems . . . Post another post and I'll answer your questions. (I'm a recording engineer, so I should be qualified. :-) )

if you want a good sound from your computer for your guitar, use the headphone jack on your amp and run a cord to your mic in from there. Then u can use the sound effects or whatnot you have there. It probably will cost you for a few patch cords and an adaptor, but the sound difference will make up for that. :)

JAzBone has it spot on from what i recall..

Running a cord INTO Your headphone jack will do nothing [if you are lucky] as it is a {high impedance usually} output jack. Only put suitable INPUT sources into INPUT Jacks -only put out to a suitable source (ie running your 8ohm amp to a 4ohm cabinet can overload the components) and connecting straight from your headphone jack to another amp could feed it too much voltage.

According to my experience, Lordofthestrings has it "spot on".

You want to go from the 1/4" headphone jack on your amp to the 1/8" mic jack on your sound card. The "line-out" jack on your amp is powered and will probably fry your sound card's input.

Originally posted by Christoph

According to my experience, Lordofthestrings has it "spot on".

You want to go from the 1/4" headphone jack on your amp to the 1/8" mic jack on your sound card. The "line-out" jack on your amp is powered and will probably fry your sound card's input.

I dont think anybody suggested that,really, Jaz is suggesting sticking a cord into the output of the guitar adapting it and putting it straight into the soundcard... this works fine. The line out jack is usually the signal from the preamp section (i could be wrong here) but this should run at a lower voltage than the output from the headphone socket.. since when did anybody succeed in putting a microphone INTO an output jack and getting a sound? We tried this when we were teenagers -on our dads stereos- and it didn't work.

What lordathestrings was suggesting is that you put a cord in the headphone jack, and the other end of the cord into the 'mic' jack of the computer. Not a mic, but the 'mic' port. Therefore, the headphone (a kind of line out) goes to the 'mic' (a line-in). I think you may have misinterpreted his instructions...

Originally posted by Bardsley
What lordathestrings was suggesting is that you put a cord in the headphone jack, and the other end of the cord into the 'mic' jack of the computer. Not a mic, but the 'mic' port. Therefore, the headphone (a kind of line out) goes to the 'mic' (a line-in). I think you may have misinterpreted his instructions...

I guess that I may be wrong, if he'd explained it like you did it would make more sense ,however, i still say that the voltage from the headphone jack may be too high for the sound card to take....and unless you've got all the specs on your amp's line voltages just stick the gtr straight into the soundcard..it's easier for a start..

cheers.

The headphone jack in not powered. Trust me, I've been doing this for years. If you want the best sound, go from the headphone jack on your amp to the mic-in on your sound card. If you try to go from the line-out on your amp you're gunna blow your sound card. And if you try to go direct from your guitar you're not going to hear much of anything.

Christoph is Right!
This is the only way to set up unless you have an amp
that supports midi out or a pedal rack that supports
midi out Capabilitys for computer applications.
I use the microphone for voice and guitar for sound files
but on my old tape recorder i use the phone jack.
for converting old tapes to mp3s.Also i use the microphone for Recording Videos useing voice and guitar.
The only thing you have to do is try and balance your
sounds out so their not to loud plus sometimes thier not
loud enough.(Just experiment alitte untill you get a good
recording.Really i put my microphone up against my amp
like if you were mikeing it on stage for just guitar.
About 2 inchs from the amp.(I do use a sound room)
So i don't get unwanted noises when i do this.
But if you try the microphone way you have to move the
microphone around for voice and guitar untill you get
the voice and guitar balanced out.
I would never use the line out thats alittle scary unless
you want to blow your sound card.
I don't have a head phone jack on my amps but if you do
thats the way to go for just recording your guitar.
You will have to buy a patch chord to go from your amp
phone plug to your mike input on your sound card.
You can buy this at a computer store.
But i will say the (Midi) way is the best if you have
Midi Capabilitys on your amp or a affects board that supports Midi which i hope to get one of these days soon.
Also the Midi Capability is needed for alot of guitar software programs.(Guitar Studio programs ect).


Good-luck

Mark

[Edited by skee1 on 05-08-2002 at 01:21 PM]

it's been a while since i recorded to pc so .. i defer to all of your recent knowledge.

cheers.

Originally posted by skee1
Christoph is Right!
This is the only way to set up unless you have an amp
that supports a midi out or a pedal rack that supports
midi out also.
[Edited by skee1 on 05-08-2002 at 12:07 PM]

What do you mean by 'midi out' here?

Jeez, I feel like a moron. I have always thought about how I could record my guitar on the computer. I tried to plug in a mic and set it in front of my acoustic guitar, but the microphone sucks so much butt that you couldn't hear a thing. I didn't even THINK about putting a reducer-adapter on a guitar cable and plugging that in. DANG I'm an idiot. Thank you all for your knowledgable input on this subject.

Originally posted by trendkillah

Originally posted by skee1
Christoph is Right!
This is the only way to set up unless you have an amp
that supports a midi out or a pedal rack that supports
midi out also.
[Edited by skee1 on 05-08-2002 at 12:07 PM]

What do you mean by 'midi out' here?

I redone my post hope it makes sense now!


Mark

Originally posted by TimE.
I tried to plug in a mic and set it in front of my acoustic guitar, but the microphone sucks so much butt that you couldn't hear a thing. I didn't even THINK about putting a reducer-adapter on a guitar cable and plugging that in.

Well, if you want to record your acoustic guitar and you have one those small computer mics, one thing you can do is to put the mic inside the guitar. I've gotten really good results with this.

Originally posted by skee1

I redone my post hope it makes sense now!


Mark

Actually, I still don't understand, lol. Must be me, but I just don't see what the link is between midi, and recording a guitar.

Hmmm . . . I don't get it either. Midi is nothing more than digital sequence data that your sound card interprets according to whichever patches you have loaded. I've heard of midi capable guitars, but with a regular guitar, midi is not going to help you one bit.

Some of the newer guitar amps like the cybertwin and others
do have Midi capability and computer applications.
Roland GR-33 can convert guitar into Midi use your computer sequencer or other Midi unit to create digital
music with your guitar ect.
No i did'nt need to mention Midi ect...........
Oh well i'm awake now ha ha.

Mark

Actually, all of those new digital modelling amps have midi, but I thought it was only to control the device. The Roland GR33 is just a sound module for a guitar equiped with a GK2 midi pick up, no?