pc amp sim

AncientOwl

hi guys hope this is posted in the correct place, has anyone had any experience with amp sim programs on pc. i’ve downloaded a free demo just to see if it’s any good for a bit of fun and to maybe record a bit of my playing but struggle to get any sound? any help or proven software would be great, thanks

revsorg

I'm sure there are other people with much more to say on  this than me, but this video was how I got started with my most recent cycle of plugging my guitar into my PC.  My first question is which audio interface you're using?  I'm using the Scarlett 2i2 and Behringer DI box suggested by Steve in the video:

In terms of software I started with Guitar Rig 5 Player, quickly bought the Rammfire upgrade, then bought the Pro version of Guitar Rig 5 in a Native Instruments half price sale.  Then I stopped playing with it because I found I preferred the simplicity of my Cornell amp.  Last year I bought Ableton Live and run Helix Native as a VST plugin into it, which is entertaining.

AncientOwl

the interface is just a £20 amazon usb to phono lead and i’ve downloaded the free guitar rig too

revsorg

Can you give a hyperlink to the Amazon lead please?

AncientOwl

oh no the software isGA3 free? i’m downloading the guitar rig one now. see how i get on

AncientOwl

Neewer 10 feet USB Interface Male to 6.35mm 1/4-inch Electric Guitar Converter Cable, Studio Audio Cable Guitar Computer Connector Cord Adapter for Instruments Recording Singing iPhone GarageBand Game https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071NVW6V5/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TmIXAbEG4P4H0

AncientOwl

cheaper than i thought lol, maybe there lies the problem, still no joy with rig 5 either. no midi input detected?

bingefeller

What operating system are you using?  If you're using a Mac, then Logic Pro X has some nice built in guitar sims, and you can also record with it!  I recorded my riff of the month entry using the "Brown Head" sim with all EQ set flat.  It's a little bright, but overall, for a built in amp sim in a DAW, I can't complain. 

http://thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/128746/raw-riff-of-the-month-rrotm-35-chat#latest

AncientOwl

windows 10.. thanks

AncientOwl

any ideas on a decent interface that won’t break the bank? in case it’s just my cheap lead

bingefeller

How much do you want to spend?

AncientOwl

not a lot probably £50ish i’m only just starting out and have spent a lot in the last month on my guitar and amp etc, if it can’t be done for £50 i’ll just have to put it on hold for a month. i know the software is going to be £100+ on top too

TTony

AncientOwl said:

windows 10.. thanks

Despite being a PC users since the mid 80s, I found Apple a much easier platform to use for guitar recording / music recording, despite spending a fortune on PC interfaces and programs through the years.  Got an iPhone/iPad?

AncientOwl said:

 no midi input detected?

From what I can see, that lead won't give you a midi input.  It's purely phono to usb, with  no midi converter anywhere.

Does WIn10 recognise the lead when you plug it in to a usb port?  Does anything install/activate?  

I've not used GuitarRig, but I'd guess that you need to hunt through the settings and look for audio input.  Then check that Win10/GuitarRig has recognised that you've plugged something (capable of delivering an audio input) into your system.

AncientOwl said:

any ideas on a decent interface that won’t break the bank? in case it’s just my cheap lead

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irig2/

Suitable for phone/tablets (iOS/Android) .  Don't think that I'd use it on a phone, but if you've got younger eyes, you might be OK.  Perfect if you've got an iPad or Android table about the place though.

AncientOwl

yeah the pc recognised it and if i go into my soundcard program to look for it i can play my guitar through my stereo amp as i use my pc for tv, gaming etc but it has to be turned up reallly loud to here anything. i have an ipad and iphone but really wanted to be able to put it on my pc and play it through my speakers and play with some fx etc. guitar rig doesn’t recognise it though. i do have bluetooth from my phone to my stereo for deezer etc so maybe an ipad/phone software and interface would be ideal?

AncientOwl

going have a look at that iRig2 thanks

TTony

AncientOwl said:

 i have an ipad

That, plus an interface, and some apps, is the solution.

Easier to use, apps are better/cheaper, and you can plug & play wherever you want rather than being tied to wherever the PC sits.

iRig isn't the best interface, but it's easily within your budget and is a good place to start.    Spend the rest on some apps when you get bored of the free version of Amplitube (which includes some fx, amp sims, etc, IIRC) that comes with iRig.

AncientOwl said:

 play it through my speakers 

You really want the sort of speakers that fit over your ears.

AncientOwl

thanks a lot buddy, i’ll get the iRig. as you say i can upgrade as i go, i’m having a clear out in the garage so should free up some more cash soon.. thanks again

AncientOwl

ok so i’ve tried plugging my guitar into my xonat u5 sound card on my pc an straight away i can here my guitar and it sounds good, responsive but very clean tone. but as soon as i load up an amp sim rig 5 etc it distorted horrendously all the time even when not strumming the guitar. it sounds like a badly tuned 80s radio. any ideas?

AncientOwl

just ordered the iRig 2 so hopefully can be back to enjoying my guitar tomorrow, thanks for the help guys