CHAPTER 2

1 Introduction:

First of all, please read the introduction (Chapter One). In this chapter we'll gonna see how to record your guitar & or your bass part. Basically there are two recording ways: with an amp or direct thru the mixer desk. Let see those ways:

a. With an amp. That s not the cheapest way. You need a guitar amp and or a bass amp one or two microphones a good acoustic room and comprehensives neighbors. Those 'amps & mics) will cost you a lot so except you already have them skip this way of recording and go to the second one.

b. Direct to desk: Maybe you're thinking I'll plug my guitar direct thru the desk. Well, you can, but if your guitar have passive mics (such as those described in chapter one) you will notice, even you adjust the channel preamp, that your sound is quite poor and will miss dynamics.

First solution: buy a direct box, and choose an active one. Your instrument is unbalanced DIO output will be balanced (prices begins 45 euros (eg behringer) and input level will be better on the desk. They are more sophisticated DIO such the ones done by tech21.I mean sans amp guitar and bass driver. Those are a mix of direct box and preamp. DIO is the cheapest way to direct record.

Second solution: you can record via a preamp line out. Output will be at -10db. Quite expensive way as guitar and bass preamp are not the sames, and as always goods ones aren't cheap.

Third solution: "multi effect boxes". In this categoryI mean boxes like pod 2 guitar and podbass or jstation or yamaha dstomp or boss vf1 etc... You plug your guitar or bass into the box and go to the desk. These boxes have multi effects in them (serial connected) so it could be a +. But on the other side outputs are stereo (cos of the effect) and price goes from 380to500 euros. Some of them such the boss vf1 could be used as an classic effect unit when not used for your guitar takes. Choice of such boxes are a matter of taste andI would say try (at home on your desk!) before buying and then try to find a second hand one.I hear some of you saying: "I have plenty of plug-ins: why doI need external effects? This is true and untrue in the same time. Because most of soundcards who claims zero latency redirect the input to the output so you don't have effect (eg Cubase insert) and if you go to monitor your effect thru the host soft (eg Cubase...) even though it could be a very low latency you will hear some. But you can use them after recording (we ll see that later).

3 How and What to record.

My first advice will be to record a DRY TAKE. Why? Imagine you have done a real good guitar take with phasing and reverb and eqs. But when many others instruments come later and you begin to mix you'll find it will sound better with lees reverb or another eq. Well you need to do your take again.TOO BAD this one had a very special feeling. that's why always record a dry take, you could always change your mix as you want at anytime. BUT you will say without effectI miss my inspiration and it's true that effects are part of the sound and affect the way of playing an instrument. But don t worry you will play with effect but don't record them (or record on another track) here the way to do it.

4 First solution:

Plug your guitar to your "box" and the "box" to the mixing desk channel one (eg) direct output of this channel to your soundcard input one. Do your level take. Now mute the main mix assign of this channel. Route the channel to buss. Direct output of the buss to your effect unit and the unit to another channel (or use the insert point if your buss have one) assigning the channel(s) to main mix. Now you hear the effect but don t record them. If you want record they on another track ,direct out of the new channel to soundcard input 2 for instance. There are many solutions depend of your desk archicture. For example instead of guitar to desk then direct out to input soundcard, do: guitar to desk, assign to a buss and the buss via his direct out to the soundcard. Unassign the buss and the guitar channel to main mix. Direct output of guitar channel to your effect "box" return of the "box" (es) to another(s) desk channel(s) assigned to main mix to hear the effects. OR use a aux send to feed the effect box etc, etc...I am sure that you will find a solution with your specific hardware but you ll need at least a mixing desk with direct outputs on every channel insert points busses with at least direct output and if possible insert point and the ability to assign them to main mix or not (channel and busses). If you need a scheme go to line6 website and download the pod (guitar or bass) user manual pdf. For boxes you can go to www.dhtraco.com/competition.html  and www.harmony-central.com  and search thru the database sansamp directbox or effect unit for users reviews.

5 few tips: Be aware that computers screens are your enemy! To avoid BUZZ turn off the monitor when you record or go away till you don t heard noise (with a headphone!). Now go buy a infra red mouse and computer keyboard from your preferred pc dealer or see a good doctor and ask him to enlarge your arm! Once your take is done, clean it! Open your sound editor such as Soundforge and Zoom Zoom Boy. Remove all undesired noise by muting those as you would do for a drum "multi" take. Before, always cut the original take at a entire measure to re-import without timing problem and it somewhere to avoid mistake before editing. Now you can apply effect within your soft and your hardware by sending the track to a desk channel direct insert point effect and so on.

Last tip for today: go to your bathroom and take an aspirin.

Good luck AUDIOFORGE