Recording guitars through Fruity loops help required

ManicMatt · Thu 20/11/2008 11:43:43

Perhaps someone can help me?

I want to hook my guitar up to my pc and record through fruity loops, much like I do with my microphone. I used a headphone socket adaptor into phono leads and plugged the phono leads into the small mic adaptor into the pc, which shouldnt affect me too much. Anyway, I get the sound through, but it's distorted and has a constant buzzing noise, much like you'd hear when turning the amp on really. I managed to lower the distortion a bit by turning the volume down as much as I could, but I still have the noise.

How do I get rid of the noise and get a clear sound through to my pc?

Any advice? I'm open to trying a different method to record my guitar to my pc.

(True, I'm not quite skilled enough on the guitar to record for public listening yet, but I want to record my ideas down with lyrics and see it grow from there)

Thanks!

Adamski · Thu 20/11/2008 18:50:39

Snake asked the same question a while ago, and I think the same advice will be true here:

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*I'm recording through the sound input jack - not the microphone jack.

This is the exact point in the chain where the sound is being crappened, so to speak

As a general rule, consumer soundcards are not built with recording instruments in mind, and as Eldkatt has mentioned the cheap A/D converters (the electronics that looks at an analogue signal and converts it in to zeros and ones for the computer to understand) will be doing a bad job of preserving the original signal.

However, the biggest issue you have using the line-in is going to be mismatched impedances. A guitar pickup has a very high impedance, while the input (be it line-in or mic) on a computer soundcard is expecting a low impedance signal, and without getting in to the mind-numbing technicalities this is why you're getting a very unhappy sound. This is not a problem limited to sound cards, as the same issue arises when trying to plug a guitar directly in to even the world's most expensive mixing desk.

If you're serious or even semi-serious about recording guitars then you will need to get yourself a Direct Injection unit, or more conveniantly an external audio interface that has this as a built in feature such as this: http://www.tascam.com/products/us-122l.html

It's nice and cheap and I've used the previous model extensivly, and it should intergrate with ~~Audition~~ Fruity Loops without any hassle at all.

Hope this helps!

ManicMatt · Fri 21/11/2008 10:21:09

Thanks! Yes I bought the guitar with the intention of recording it and then making them complete songs with fruity loops, adding synths and vocals and drums etc, so if buying this device means I'll get a decent recording I'll buy it!

Which connections would I be using on that thing? The phono ports or the uh.. other ones? I don't have any cables that go in that.

I also have a Zoom Effects pedal inbetween the guitar amp and the guitar. That wouldnt effect the input in a bad way would it? I love using that, I get all sorts of cool sounds!

My Guitar Amp is a Laney GC 30, by the way. If you've heard of that. Good make? Beats me, just sounded good.

Adamski · Fri 21/11/2008 11:55:55

Going from the Zoom pedal and then directly in to the Line In port on your computer would also be a big help as a stop-gap if you don't want to invest in new hardware just yet... if it's a multi-effects pedal then it'll have some pre-amp action going on and act as your impedance-matching-device. It'll give you a useable signal and also provide you with your effects, so you won't have to waste precious processing cycles doing it in software!

Of course it'll still give you a crummier sound quality than if you were using an interface with higher quality A/D converters to get the sound in to your computer, and if you do go for an external audio interface then you'll be plugging in to the 1/4" jack inputs (using the same cable you'd use to plug in to your guitar), which will be the inputs with the high-impedance switch. The 'other ones' are XLR inputs which are mostly used for Microphones of the non-desktop-computer variety.

ManicMatt · Fri 21/11/2008 14:10:22

..hey wow I just plugged headphones into the effects pedal not even using the amp and it plays fine, I had no idea it would work like that! I've only had it for like a week. I'll try plugging just that into my computer and see what happens. You've been a great help, thanks!

And now my string on my guitar just snapped. :'(

I've not had to replace one before.. here goes..

UPDATE:

Wow, that totally worked! (After learning how to restring my guitar that is)

Thanks again Adamski! This multi-effects pedal certainly came in handy! And while the sound isnt perfect (Too much bass causes distortion, although a work-around might be if I use compressors/filters in Fruity Loops)

I just need some speakers in either usb or small mic now cos the bleeding sound card's ports are too close together so the adaptor takes us too much room, I had to use some headphones and sit on the floor so they reached, lol.

ZaphodB · Sat 22/11/2008 00:33:52

I'd still shoot for an interface sometime in the future if you're planning on recording direct.

At the moment I use a USB condensor mic because I have no money and it's a pretty portable solution. It's useful for vocals, acoustic and micing up my cab.

Also you're recording your guitar before you can even re-string it? Blimey, the strings that were on there must have been black as coal.

I wasn't aware you could even record stuff like guitar into FL studio easily? I've used it before but it only seemed like a sequencer to me.

The Suitor · Sat 22/11/2008 01:56:02

This is what I use to record guitars, and I'm very satisfied.
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-GuitarPort-XT-Guitar-Effects-Processing?sku=150447

thinking about upgrading to this for the purpose of the XLR input, but I probably won't
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-TonePort-UX1-USB-RecordingModeling-Interface?sku=249700

ManicMatt · Sat 22/11/2008 22:58:11

I was surprised it snapped actually, I've only had it half the time I've had my acoustic and not had to re-string that yet. I bought the guitar 07/09/2008. It snapped precisely at the end of the string where ball shaped bit is.

ZaphodB · Sat 22/11/2008 23:17:22

I'm a heavy handed player so I snap quite a few strings. I use heavier ones since I don't really do bends and such but I can still snap a good few high e's.

I tend to restring for sound and feel rather than breaking them though, on the acoustic once a month since it starts sounding dead after that, on the electrics once every couple months or a couple of days before a gig so they're a little worn in when I play.