Is it possible to use my laptop to record if it doesn't have a mic input?

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I recently came back to playing guitar after 15 years and  bought a Boss GT100.

I connected it to my laptop via USB to use the tone studio software.

I decided I'd have a go at recording something over a backing track and downloaded the free version of Pro Tools but then realised my laptop doesn't have a mic in!  It only has the camera mic on top of the screen.

I'm not very knowledgeable with this kind of thing so is it possible to use some sort of software to make my laptop see the GT100 as an audio input?  Or some sort of external sound thingy-ma-bob that plugs into a usb slot to enable me to record from the GT100?

I'm assuming there'll be some sort of external sound card or something I can plug int? 

Thanks.

ps I have a HP Notebook with Windows 10 Home.
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Comments

  • octatonicoctatonic Frets: 33725
    Download Reaper, it is much better than Pro Tools Free.
    Yes, you will need a USB interface.
    Focusrite, Audient are the usual budget suspects but there are loads of them available.
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  • revsorgrevsorg Frets: 874

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  • spark240spark240 Frets: 2073
    Pro tools may be a bit heavy going for a first attempt...


    Mac Mini M1
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  • JezWyndJezWynd Frets: 6021
    Behringer U-Phoria UMC22 works well via USB.
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  • What's better than pro tools that's free or cheap?

    All I want to do is import a backing track and then add lead guitar and/or vocals.
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  • WhistlerWhistler Frets: 322
    edited March 2019
    MetalMike said:
    What's better than pro tools that's free or cheap?
    octatonic said:
    Download Reaper, it is much better than Pro Tools Free.
    Reaper will set you back $60 after the trial period if you decide to keep it. It is an open source program and has a lot of respect.
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  • spark240spark240 Frets: 2073
    MetalMike said:
    What's better than pro tools that's free or cheap?

    All I want to do is import a backing track and then add lead guitar and/or vocals.
    Just saying that you said your not very knowledgeable with this stuff.....so I thought a basic DAW may be easier to use.


    Mac Mini M1
    Presonus Studio One V5
     https://www.studiowear.co.uk/ -
     https://twitter.com/spark240
     Facebook - m.me/studiowear.co.uk
    Reddit r/newmusicreview 
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  • blobbblobb Frets: 2914
    GT100 works as a USB audio interface, so long as you have the USB driver installed.

    In your DAW of choice, you need to tell it to see the GT100 as the audio input source.

    Check if windows has picked up your input from the GT100, <recording devices> and it should turn up in DAW.

    Then start climbing the steep hill.

    Feelin' Reelin' & Squeelin'
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  • wave100wave100 Frets: 150
    blobb said:
    GT100 works as a USB audio interface, so long as you have the USB driver installed.

    In your DAW of choice, you need to tell it to see the GT100 as the audio input source.

    Check if windows has picked up your input from the GT100, <recording devices> and it should turn up in DAW.

    Then start climbing the steep hill.

    It's probably worth saying that the output from the computer would be running through the GT100, so you would have to use headphones or line out to speakers connected to the Boss to hear it.
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  • FreebirdFreebird Frets: 5821
    Laptop mic inputs are generally low in quality.
    If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.
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  • Danny1969Danny1969 Frets: 10356
    edited March 2019
    The headphone socket on your laptop is probably duel function for mic and speakers ... basically you can use a TRRS mic same as you would on a phone. Like Freebird said though it won't be the best and the standard drivers won't offer low latency monitoring

    Protools free is a real buggy bit of software ..... probably better off with Audacity or Reaper which are free and nagware respectively 
    www.2020studios.co.uk 
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513
    blobb said:
    GT100 works as a USB audio interface, so long as you have the USB driver installed.
    I suspected as much. No need for a mic on the computer then!
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  • FreebirdFreebird Frets: 5821
    DLM said: ki
    blobb said:
    GT100 works as a USB audio interface, so long as you have the USB driver installed.
    I suspected as much. No need for a mic on the computer then!
    Unless you want to record vocals, drums and acoustic guitars  :)
    If we are not ashamed to think it, we should not be ashamed to say it.
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  • Thanks for all the replies.

    I downloaded Reaper and it was all very easy.  The GT100 automatically installed the driver when I connected it to my laptop via the USB slot and then when I opened Reaper I told it to use the GT100 as the input and output and bobs your uncle.
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  • DLMDLM Frets: 2513
    edited March 2019
    Freebird said:
    DLM said: ki
    blobb said:
    GT100 works as a USB audio interface, so long as you have the USB driver installed.
    I suspected as much. No need for a mic on the computer then!
    Unless you want to record vocals, drums and acoustic guitars 
    @Freebird That's just crazy talk! His name's MetalMike! He plays guitar! No acoustics in trve metal! \m/ If he were a singer, he'd not be on here, he'd be singing in ten bands at once. And if he were a drummer... err. Ok. Truth is, no one uses acoustic drums in metal anymore. I don't like it, but there it is. It's all programmed/replaced these days. Unless you have a megabudget. Which no one does, thanks to these here interwebs. Just how it is.
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