putting my own music on to my computer

Hey Trevor,

Welcome to GN

It might help to tell us a little about your rig.
What gear are you using?

It's a TGX guitar and amp. Very similar to the Ibanez starter pack. I really have no other gear, I just started and I need to know what to do to get started with recording it in my house. Speaking of gear, I'm lookin at multi effects pedals and could use some advice on one. Any solutions or help on anything that would be useful to a beginner would be sweet.

Thanks,
Trevor

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

http://www.edhsonline.org/other/audacity/

http://www.guidesandtutorials.com/audacity-tutorial.html

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Behringer-Guitar-Link-UCG102?sku=241228

http://www.tweakheadz.com

a simple way to record yourself would be to get a tape recorder or mini disc recorder and mic.
you would not need a computer at all.
but if you want to record digitally with a computer, well, that takes some setting up and a handful of money.

otherwise, Audacity is popular for free.

sweet thanks! I downloaded Audacity last night. So all I really need for that is a mic then?

sweet thanks! I downloaded Audacity last night. So all I really need for that is a mic then?

Yes, if your going to record from your Amp. And an inexpensive MIC will work just fine. Make sure you have a long enough cable to make it reach from your puter to right in front of your amp.

Then mess around with different distances from the speaker (4"-12" away) and then placement or (center of the speaker cone -vs- off to a side Left or Right by a few inches will all make a difference.

If you go the MEfx route, all you'll need is a cable long enough to get to your PC. I use a Stereo/Headphone cable from my PHONE OUT to my LINE IN on mine. I don't even use an Amp (per se) I use my PC Speakers to hear myself.

You might need to get some 1/4" to 3mm conversion plug/dongle thingys too :)

Well, you get what you pay for. At any rate, the Behr..... usb interface isn't such a bad idea. Go ahead and download Audacity. It's great for stereo editing but for a multitrack DAW, Kristal audio engine is far, far superior.

http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/

That in conjunction with asio4all( http://www.asio4all.com/ ) will give you real time effects. What that means is that you can audition your effects before you commit. Also, there are tons of FREE and LEGAL vst effects out there. It would be a shame to have to apply them after the fact only to find that it's not what you wanted(audacity).

While you're at it download the latest version of Freeamp by fretted synth. http://ncrypto.blogspot.com/2008/01/free-amp-3-vst.html As much as Freeamp is free, do consider a donation. This guy has made a great.....no.....awesome plugin and I think he deserves our support. But, of course the plugin is free so no one is twisting your arm.

sweet thanks! I downloaded Audacity last night. So all I really need for that is a mic then?

Yeah, but one other thing to think about... The mic inputs that are built into most standard computers can be of ... variable quality.
You might be lucky and have a reasonable sounding one, or it might sound like crap.

Options include a mic->USB converter, an upgraded sound card in your computer, or a USB microphone (like this, or this

Speaking of gear, I'm lookin at multi effects pedals and could use some advice on one. Any solutions or help on anything that would be useful to a beginner would be sweet.
Some of the multi effects pedals have a USB connection on them and so you can use them as an audio input device to the computer. Just one example - http://www.zzounds.com/item--DGTRP150