Margaret - Audacity

Hi
You can do same thing with the free SW Kristal Audio Engine.
http://www.kreatives.org/kristal/
When you use the KRISTAL LiveIN function you can connect your mic/guitar to the PC and play thru KRISTAL using KRISTAL Effects (VST plug ins) in realtime.
And there is lots of other free Effects VST plug in´s to download from
http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-series.php .

Just connect the guitar with an appropriate pre-amp or mixer to the line in jack of the soundcard and connect the line out jack on the soundcard to a ( clean) line in port on the amp you want to use.
It may even be possible to connect an normal electric guitar directly to a mic input jack on the soundcard.

Thanks, Kalle.

The software isn't the issue at the moment. It's the "getting started" issue we are focusing on. :wink:

Thank you for taking me under wing to get this going. I am pretty much a techno-idiot, so I get overwhelmed and don't speak the language very well..... :(

I have ascertained that our computer does not have a built-in mic, so today I will shop for one that plugs in. I have two free-standing speakers connected to the computer, and one has a socket/receptacle for a plug-in microphone. I have a guitar amp, so if I get a little mic, I think I should be able to record onto the computer, right?

At this point, I'm not concerned about getting hi-fi, so I'll just record with the ambient noise and not worry about plugging the guitar directly into the computer.

Am I making logical sense??? :?

Margaret

Audacity allows you to record from your guitar into your computer. Using an external (PC) mic if nothing else, you should be able to record room sounds, hence an accoustic guitar. If you go a little into debt (for me it was a V-AMP2 - $100 amp modeller) you can play through your computer like it was an amp. This is great for electric guitars.
After re-reading this, I'm wondering if recording from an electric guitar MUST be done directly through the computer (guitar plugged directly into computer).

Or, since I have an electric guitar and amp, can I just record it "through the air" into the computer mic (which I will purchase), or will it be too distorted?

I hope you can even understand my question. :oops:

Thanks!

Margaret

That makes perfect sense, Margaret. I bought a $10 mic from Wal-Mart and set it in front of my amp while I played. It worked ok, sounded better than I expected really. It will definitely get you started.

I still don't have a mixer or anything elaborate. Now I use the line out of my amp and connect it to the line in of my sound card. It minimizes the extra sounds.

I do want to get a mixer and a real mic at some point. I have a hard time recording my acoustic currently, as the mic from Wally World doesn't pick that up well at all.

connect it to the line in of my sound card
What does this mean (sound card)? Does it mean the line in on the back of the computer?

Margaret

Yup, by "sound card" I mean on the back of the computer. If your amp has a line out, you can pick up another guitar cable and a 1/4" to 1/8" mono adapter to run into that line in. I picked up that adapter at Radio Shack for about two bucks. You can just ask a worker for it and they should be able to go directly to it. If you already have an extra guitar cable, this may be the cheapest route.

We do have a second guitar cord. And I may have the adapter if I can find it.

On the back of our Roland Micro-Cube is a jack that says "Rec Out/Phones". Would that be my line out to connect to the computer?

Margaret

Sounds like the Rec Out would be it. Just be sure to plug it to the Line In on the back of the computer. There are probably three different 1/8" jacks on the back, one for speakers will already have something in it, one for microphone may already have something in it, as you described your speakers as having a mic jack, so they may have a plug in the mic jack on the back of the computer. That only leaves one for line in. There will be little pics by each one, most likely.

I found a picture of what the "Line In" picture that I referred to in the last post should look like, or does on most PCs.

Thanks guys. Sorry I'm missing all the action here. :wink:

Margaret, yes, with a mic from the mic input (pink connector) you can record anything that the mic will pick up. That is good and bad at the same time. You will get the recording you want but may also pick up background noise. Maybe the dog singing with you or the doorbell or who knows what.

If you were to find a way to connect everything up without the external mic, you could in fact play, record, playback and proof with only using headphones. This allows for 'anytime' practice and record sessions without the rest of the house knowing.

I plug my guitar(s) into my V-amp2. It has two outputs. One I run to an external combo amp for non-private playing and run the other line out to my PC's sound card in. (that is usually the black or blue connector) At this point I can either crank up the amp and loud jam or I can leave the amp off and run through the PC and use headphones to monitor. From the audio out (lime green connector) I use a gold 3-way splitter. One goes to the PC's speakers, one goes to my stereo amp so I can play PC sounds through a nice home stereo. From the home stereo I can either use it's speaker combination or kill the external speakers, slap on my set of AKG studio headphones and can play to my hearts desire day or night.

Now all this can happen even before you start using Audacity. :shock: Really! :wink:

Once you can plug in your rig (you define) and hear your guitar through the stereo then you'll be ready to tackle Audacity.

Your 90% there at this point. Yeah! :D

Oops. Sorry. Lost connection there for a bit due to moving the 'puter out to look at the back. Back up and running again.

V-amp2

What is this? Is it just the name of your particular guitar amp or is it something I need?

To "boil 'em cabbages down", I think I understand that the cheapest, quickest (and preferable to recording through the air, esp due to a noisy aquarium next to my computer) route I have is to plug my guitar into my amp, connect the amp line out to the computer line in (still need to find or purchase the plug adapter), and then I will be able to record onto Audacity.

If I weren't recording onto Audacity, where would I be recording onto? The hard drive?

Margaret

Hey! I think things are sinking in! Is the V-amp2 a pre-amp so you can hear through the headphones when not using the "out loud" amp?

I may be able to do the same thing by plugging headphones into the front of the amp, thereby recording onto the computer, and listening through the phones, eliminating the "out loud" sound when desired.

OMG, I'm going to be WIRED! :lol:

Margaret

Hi Margaret
The V-AMP2 is this http://www.behringer.com/V-AMP2/index.cfm?lang=ENG
You can se the V-Amp 2 as a very advanced Pre-Amp for Electric Guitars.
It has 2 line outputs that can be connected to computer line in jack, tape recorder, mixers, amplifiers etc.
And also has a separate headphone jack that enables you to listen to your guitar (including all the effects of the V-Amp 2) + a Aux input where you can connect a CD-player, tape recorder, mp3 player etc with music that you may want play together with.

And yes, your "connection schematic description" is correct, you should be able to record yourself that way.

But, before you start to "play" with Audacity or Kristal just play around with Windows normal playback and record utilities. This will give you an understanding of your computers sound handling capacity. Windows can do more things than you know of....

All recordings on a PC will be saved on the hard disc drive under a specific directory.