Beginning recording...how do I?

gearaddict

I would quite like to do some recording and I really don't know where to start. I have a MicroBR which is pretty decent as a little 4 track with amp modelling and basic drums...but I find it very fiddly to use. I also have an AMT Stonehead...which has an emulated out that I have never tried (there are 3 jacks on the back in the "in/out" section - "cab sim -10db", "pre-amp out 0db" and "power amp input 0db")...but how do I get the signal from the emulated out into some kind of recording software on a computing device of some kind?

Apologies for the extreme noob numptiness of this question.

Cacofonix

You need either a sound card, or to set the microphone input on your computercaster to a line level input.

Then cable cab sim -> mic/line input

The input signal will be too great for the microphone input, but the audio control panel (which can be accessed from the volume control in windows) may have a mic/line toggle or may have a mic level control which will allow you to tame the input signal level - not ideal but may do the job.

If not, you'll need to plug into an external sound card with a line input.

Then you're into "Audacity"  (free audio editor) for basic audio recording, and/or "Reaper", (brilliant and cheaply available audio and sequencing software) for recording whilst a backing (MIDI) track is playing.

Setting up is not difficult as such if you imagine the tick boxes and toggles in the 'puter as physical connectors.

NB control panel for audio is usually accessible from within Audacity and Reaper as well as from the main control panel.  Look in the Tools menus of each.

amp -> line in (control panel -----latency controls and buffers----) -> Reaper/Audacity -> recording channel in Reaper/Audacity -> compressor, reverb, etc -> (control panel) line out/speakers.

thecolourbox

I did my first ever recording on a computer using the line out of an old Digitech modeller into the mic in on my laptop. It sounded as fine as a Digitech modeller could but was a pain in the arse to set up and even moreso to monitor what was recording, what with the sound playing back a good 3 seconds after i played it........after I played it it it

Have had much better results since with some kind of external sound card, an interface which goes through your usb. They usually advertise themselves as zero latency, they aren't but are as near as damn it so there's no real delay between playing it and hearing it (presumably because you use its headphone out socket). They're usually plug and play as well with only minimal changes to make in Audacity or whatever you use. They can be cheap or expensive, i use my Zoom g3 presently but have used a line 6 gx before which was good and came with millions of amps (so don't necessarily have to use anything as a preamp kind of thing). I tried an M Audio one once but on Windows it just made horrid crackly noises so i didn't use it again

thecolourbox

Or there are of course those who'll tell you to crank your amp into a mic, but I'm sensing this isn't for you

ROOG

I used to bounce tracks between 2 tape recorders, just keeping all the tracks in tune generated a sense of achievement!

Cacofonix

thecolourbox said:

I did my first ever recording on a computer using the line out of an old Digitech modeller into the mic in on my laptop. It sounded as fine as a Digitech modeller could but was a pain in the arse to set up and even moreso to monitor what was recording, what with the sound playing back a good 3 seconds after i played it........after I played it it it

Have had much better results since with some kind of external sound card, an interface which goes through your usb. They usually advertise themselves as zero latency, they aren't but are as near as damn it so there's no real delay between playing it and hearing it (presumably because you use its headphone out socket). They're usually plug and play as well with only minimal changes to make in Audacity or whatever you use. They can be cheap or expensive, i use my Zoom g3 presently but have used a line 6 gx before which was good and came with millions of amps (so don't necessarily have to use anything as a preamp kind of thing). I tried an M Audio one once but on Windows it just made horrid crackly noises so i didn't use it again

Loopback is usually within the sound card, so you'll hear the sound going into the computer accurately, but the processed signal (cab sim in the computer) won't always be, so you might get a very slightly delayed cab simulation in those circumstances.  The computer compensates for latency when recording, though so in the end it will be quite accurate.

External sound card is the way to go long term, but as a starter for ten you can try the single cable method and see if it works for you.

gearaddict

Thanks guys...I'll have a play.

hubobulous

An external soundcard + Reaper is the best starting point IMO. 

Reaper is one of those programs that you open up and wonder what the hell is happening. And then within a very short space of time, it becomes very simple to use.

There are loads of free VSTs out there, (virtual instruments), that can be applied to your raw guitar signal recording, so you can then turn one guitar line into something played through a high gain, crunch, clean amp etc.

Whichever route you choose, there's loads of info on the net obviously, and I'm sure posting questions in this thread will result in clear, quick responses