PC Software

[RichMR2]

Just wondering which software people use for when they record their stuff?

Currently I am just outputting the guitar direct in to the soundcard and using cool edit Pro 2. Is this a good way?

For now it doesn't matter to me too much as I am only recording a few chords and chord sequances so I can go back and see just how far I have come from when I first picked it up but in the future when I start bashing out some tunes I'm going to want to have a pretty good setup and software which will cover everything I missed.

I got a copy of guitar rig off of a mate too but unsure how to work it, is it worth reading up on and figuring out or will cool edit pro or something else do the job just as well?

[Stray Dog]

I use Adobe Audition.

[stratman50th]

Moving to Red Light District, hold on tight>>>>>>

[stratman56]

I use Adobe Audition and Sonar 4. Adobe bought out Cool Edit and turned it into Audition

[RichMR2]

(sorry about posting in the wrong place, no wonder I couldnt see any topics like this in there lol)

What about connecting it up to the PC, guitar direct to PC or via amps and pedals and any other nifty bits of kit you can get? (surely you can add effects to it on the PC afterwards?)

[HazeX]

I use Guitar Rig 2.01 just to record. I used it previously to model amps and stuff, but since I got a Pod XT Live I only use it to record.

I dont know why, but on *my system*, programs like Audacity and some others just plain suck. The sound coming out of my soundcard just sounds like absolute garbage, not to mention being unable to change the latency. (I dont like playing and waiting 2 sec for what I'm playing to come through the speakers).

So, until I find a better alternative, I'm sticking with Guitar Rig. The audio coming through this program just sounds waaaaay better. It actually sounds right, instead of like garbage. lol

[mikeo2]

I use Adobe Audition.
Ditto. I've been using it since it was Cool Edit Pro, so I've just gotten very comfortable with the software. I'm sure there are plenty of other great programs out there, but I picked one and stuck with it.

[Keith]

I use 2 programs.. One is Audicity for bringing in MP3's to record over.
But the main one I use is N-tracks Pro. mind you, Im using a P4 3.2 Extreme.. And also using Audigy 4 pro sound card and interface and hub unit..
Cool edit is ok for what you are doing, but using an FX proc before going into the sound card is one of the better ways.

[vonjibb]

i use steinberg to record. then ill edit in creative wave labs. then i sample it into reason 3.0, combine so how it sounds with the song.

[Slipstream]

I use Audacity and Cubase. Audacity is for quick small jobs, and Cubase is necessary for me to use my two Firepods (to record 16 channels simultaneously).

Something that works great is a combination of a stereo reverb pedal (like a digitech digiverb) and an overdrive pedal. Run a chord from the guitar to the OD pedal, then to the 'verb pedal, then the two outs from that can go to left and right channels of your sound card's Line-in jack (using the appropriate adapters).

Here's a sample I made some time back. It's a small file, less than a mb. The first part is with reverb, and the second part is with overdrive.

Sample Clip - guitar-->two pedals-->line in (http://www.alvarious.com/audio/test-3.mp3)

[joe bananas]

Why run it through a pedal?

So you go guitar -> pedal -> soundcard in.

Is that better than guitar -> amp -> mic -> soundcard ???

[stevieboy378]

Cubase SX Sequencer. Guitar Rig 2.01 for guitars, and N.I. Battery for drums.

[Slipstream]

Why run it through a pedal?

So you go guitar -> pedal -> soundcard in.

Is that better than guitar -> amp -> mic -> soundcard ???The quality of the mic preamp in most sound cards leaves much to be desired. A better route, actually probably the best route, is to go guitar -> amp -> mic -> external preamp -> line-in on sound card.

The reason for using a pedal is that it acts as a preamp. The guitar by itself doesn't have a hot enough signal for the line-in, but the pedal kicks it up. This gets around the poor sound card preamp, and is a good solution for someone who doesn't have the cash for a decent outboard preamp. Most people who have guitars and amp also have stomp boxes.

A Pod or similar device works well too.

Another option is a high-end audio interface. My latest recording was direct to a Firepod firewire interface. It's in the Showcase if you want to hear how it came out. With software I can add whatever effects I want. I'm new to recording this way, so all I used was a touch of reverb. I have lots of VST plug-ins to choose from for effects, but I'm thinkin' one thing at a time. There are so many options for the reverb alone that it could take some time to get it dialed in.

[RichMR2]

I use Guitar Rig 2.01 just to record. I used it previously to model amps and stuff, but since I got a Pod XT Live I only use it to record.

I dont know why, but on *my system*, programs like Audacity and some others just plain suck. The sound coming out of my soundcard just sounds like absolute garbage, not to mention being unable to change the latency. (I dont like playing and waiting 2 sec for what I'm playing to come through the speakers).

Don't you find you get a delay through Guitar Rig too? I don't get any delays through anything other than Guitar Rig.

Got to grips with Guitar Rig 2.01 last night, got some sweet sounding notes from the laptop speakers (not the best thing but when output to an amp its great) Its just the delay from when you play the chord/note to when it comes out that is annoying to be honest, but I can put up with it, think it might be something to look in to buying complete with control rig...

Another thing is, I get horrible garbage and noise even when not playing when I plug in to my PC (on both laptop and desktop) despite using 2 different leads, anyone else find that or is it just me? I know my jack on the guitar needs changing as it doesnt really hold the plug anymore, could it be to do with that?

[joe bananas]

Thanks SlipStream for the 411.

I loved what you did with the bassman & Bm Blues. Theres some sweet tone there.

Now I have something else to try.

Another option, too many damn options :)

[Slipstream]

Thanks SlipStream for the 411.

I loved what you did with the bassman & Bm Blues. Theres some sweet tone there.

Now I have something else to try.

Another option, too many damn options :)Thanks Joe. Both Bassman and I used Audacity with those recordings. I did my original tracking with Cubase, but that's because I plugged into my Firepod. That's the software that came with it. After I got it recorded I did the mixing and output to WAV with Audacity, then converted to mp3 with dBpowerAMP music converter. dBpowerAMP has quality level settings that come in handy.

One of the advantages of using Cubase is that it can apply effects such as reverb 'on the fly'. With Audacity you can apply reverb, but only after you record. It won't do any effects while it's recording.

[flamin-gitaur]

I use Tracktion 2 and Cubase LE with a Presonus fire box. For us musicians who jsut want to play and be able to record our licks with good quality, and not necessarily become a recording engineer, Tracktion 2 is a nice PC based software to have. Easy to learn (especially for us geetar players) and the layout is straight forward. Even you did want to become a recording engineer it has all the capabilities would need.

[Slipstream]

Those Fire Boxes are cool. I've got one. Great preamps in 'em. Cubase has a high learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, it's got a lot of nice features. I've never worked with Tracktion though.

[stevieboy378]

Cubase has a high learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, it's got a lot of nice features.

This was brought home to me recently. I've been a Cubase user since the Atari ST days - mid 80's - I got to grips with early versions of the software, and as updates came out I updated and learnt the new features. However, a friend of mine recently purchased SX3 - he's never used Cubase before, and is finding the learning curve extremely steep . . . I will stress though that once you get to grips with Cubase it is an awesome tool . . . .