Plugging an electric into a computer for recording?

[AndrewC]

some options:

buy an audio interface and plug the guitar into that, which is in turn connected to your computer

use a preamp of some sort (a cheap ART model would suffice) and go through that into the sound card's "line in" jack

use an analog EQ pedal such as the Danelectro Fish 'n Chips to boost the signal heading into the sound card and to tailor the tone to something less muffled/muddy

[crocket]

Basically, to connect to your computer without latency probs you need some sort of interface. I don't have any experience of others but am using a Line 6 Toneport GX. It cost less than £70 brand new and comes with loads of software for recording and stuff. I'm just using it plugged into an old laptop PC and the Podfarm software included is awesome. If you can't get the tone you want it doesn't exist!!!
Even with a crappy old acoustic guitar I can get anything from a rich, Gibson Songbird sound to Eddie Van Halen tones if I want (I just wish there was a 'talent-boost' button so I could play as well as Eddie LOL). There are lots of pre-sets and you can alter these or make your own tones - infinite variations available - then just plug it into your amp (or headphones if you're practicing at home) and make some good noise
I only just started using this so can't really offer much advice other than it is reeeaaal good value for money and works great with no latency on a very ordinary laptop PC and with the added advantage that you can make a shit guitar sound good but only if you can play it and there is a magic way to learn this too! It's called ...... practice
Seriously folks, all the technology in the world won't help you to play but it can sure help you to get the best outta what you got.

[SleepySamSlim]

IMHO there are 2 paths here - each has pros/cons - but for getting semi-decent tone into your PC/Mac you do need an audio interface / mixer. The primary job this does is hopefully has decent (quiet) pre-amps to boost your guitar signal BEFORE it gets to your computers audio.

Path 1 -- Easier but relies on USB or Firewire --- and that means more drivers involved. An external interface / mixer using USB or Firewire will need drivers loaded --- drivers either work great or have "issues". Drivers are either well written and induce minimal latency - or are crap and you will have issues. On the flip side, using a digital interface typically makes configuring your recording software easier (but these are general statements). Also going digital (meaning your guitar notes are converted from analog to binary in the external interface) can also reduce noise injection onto your recording. Also you need to have USB2 to really go this route or Firewire 400.

Path 2 -- Old Skool analog mixer --- this mixer sits either between the line-out of your amp or plug your guitar right into it. You've got pre-amps gain and tone controls etc. The mixers analog output goes to your computers Line-in. Simple and direct - no extra drivers - just your sound card drivers. In general you will have to do more fiddling to get audio inputs both enabled - levels set -and routed to your recording software.
Typical analog mixer: http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/802.aspx

So pick your poison --- I just switched from a USB2 Tascam unit US-122L (simple unit) to a analog Peavey PV6. Primarily so I could use the mixer for XP and for Linux (Tascam has no Linux drivers). And yes there was 2 evenings of head scratching to get the PV6 to perfectly route into my Guitar Tracks Pro (Cakewalk).

[angelicrock]

The best route to go is Guitar>effects pedals>mixer (mainly if you are recording in stereo or more than one thing at a time)>AI such as an M-Audio box.

This will maximize your quality on a lower end machine and if you have the guitar and effects pedals the mixer and AI can be purchased for under $150. It will not give you professional studio quality for the low end price but you will get a great sound.

[J Gretch]

Whats up guys? I was going to start a new thread but this one is already on target for my question.

I'm getting ready to build a computer just for recording and I would like to know if I should go with firewire or usb as my interface? I'm still using Mixcraft and they don't recomend one over the other.

Also I'm looking at the Fast Track Pro or the Presonus Fierbox to use on the front side.

[angelicrock]

Sorry my reply is so late on this issue. With a computer, all you need is a dual core processor and either usb or firewire. I would say USB since most computers have them already and the firewire speed isnt noticeably faster. As far as hardware, you should get a mixer (you can get a decent one for like 50 bucks) and maybe an M-Audio Audio interface (it's like 100 bucks). With both of those you will have great recording quality and it will maximize the number of inputs you have while minimizing your cost. Most people would tell you to just get an audio interface but for a reasonable price you usually only get 2-3 inputs. Throw the mixer in there and you get around 20+ depending on the mixer.

It all depends on what you are recording though. If you are only using it for 1 guitar and vocals, the AI would be fine. If you are recording drums, or a live band, it is better to get the mixer as well. You definitely need the AI though for quality. It will take over the sound for your computer and basically shut down the sound card while you use it. Thus, you will not need to buy a sound card, onboard audio is fine.

[fly135]

Looking though this thread I noticed that no one has mentioned a major issue with plugging a guitar straight into a mic jack. The spec for the PC mic input is an impedance of the order of 10Kohms. A guitar pup will experience tone suckage with such a low impedance. Remember that volume pots are normally 250K for single coils and 500K for humbuckers. High output (or hot) pups generally are higher impedance and need to be plugged into a high impedance load. Amps have input impedances of 500K to 1Meg. So plugging straight into a mic jack is not conducive to getting a good sound. A cheap preamp like the Art tube preamp is a solution ($30 online) for a direct connect.

On a side note.. If you do go straight into a computer with a preamp you still need amp simulations to get a decent tone.

[ez-one]

line 6 has a product called Guitar Port, its about $100 new and about $50 used on ebay. Its super easy to hook up, has a great computer interface, a couple dozen stomp boxs and amps built it, a bunch of presets and user defines, and also you can download extra tones and tone settings from line 6 for just about any song or band you can think of. Just don't sign up for their learn guitar song stuff, its a monthly billing thing and the have a bad rep for not cancleing you when you request it, and if you don't save the cancleation request email, you will get nailed for the extra months that it takes for you to catch on.. they got me like that and I know a couple others that it happened to.