I'm looking into getting some basic gear for recording guitar, I feel that actually being able to record might motivate me a bit more.

For Microphone i'm thinking of this:
http://www.dv247.com/invt/froogle/18654/

But I need a way to interface it with my computer without going through my fairly poor onboard sound plugs. Any suggestions for something affordable?

Looks good I've heard nothing but good things about the SM57s. You might be able to find them cheaper on ebay, but then again they wont be brand new so yeah. For an interface check out an M-Audio Omni Studio, they're pretty decent and usually under $200. You could subvert both the mic,cables,stands and interface issues and just buy a POD, but you could use the other equip if you wanted to use more than just guitar.

The M-Audio firewire stuff would suit you well, as would the E-MU 1212m or 0404 (cheaper and not as good as the 1212m). Or the 1820m if you feel you need more than two analog ins/outs.

I dont use mics to record, I use digital. Sounds better to me. Plugs straight into USB port on my computer in perfect quality. I can upload some sounds if you want.



Thats what I use...nothing I can really think of needing that it doesnt have. $300 and it does everything.

What kind of software do you use with that?

Are you planning on using the 57 on acoustic or electric? Because for recording an acoustic, it's probably one of the worst mics to use.

electric

I'm thinking I should get an E-mu soundcard anyway since I have a midi keyboard plugged in to my computer as well.

This seems fairly useful too, not sure if i'd need it, but the 0404 doesn't seem to have an XLR input: http://www.musiconmypc.co.uk/product_info.php/products_id/243

Which would be the better approach, a preamp with XLR or an XLR-to-whatever cable?

I may not know much about recording, but are you recording the sound from your amp with a microphone? Would it be far easier and more efficient to just use a preamp or something from your guitar straight into the recording device? Not to mention probably sound way better? Okay, granted different amps are designed to sound different, but don't they have some kind of low-level line out for recording?

If you didn't need the preamp, I'm not sure why you would get it just to convert from XLR. Just get an XLR->1/4 converter. Also, go for the 1212m or the 1820m, because they are totally worth it over the 0404. I believe you can buy the external thing for the 1820m separately and add it to the 1212m later. The 1820m is just the 1212m with an external box.

Very good choice on the mic. The SM57's rock, and all my friends who are heavy into recording swear by them.

I'm wondering about what Emon said though also.

Either way, buy that SM57. Everyone should own one. It's a SHURE thing... LOL :p (wow, I'm a retard)

recording clean with direct works fine. recording direct with distortion is where it gets tricky. you get a much better room response and vibe from the overtones all around the room. direct recording sounds fine and all. but the sounds you've come to love from most guitar players are usually recorded with a good mix of direct and micced tone.

drum mics are surprising for guitar takes.

xlr input is useful for mics, but converting from xlr to 1/4 won't hurt so bad since guitar needs to be recorded on a single mono track, just like everything.

Ahhh, the 57. The mother of mics for guitar amps. Best choice to start off with.

And you'll either need a mic preamp to go into your existing sound card, or a new recording interface with a built-in preamp. I'd suggest going towards M-Audio, they make quality gear for a damn good price, and their interfaces are for the most part compatible with Pro Tools M-Powered, since M-Audio is now owned by Avid, the company which also involves Digidesign, the makers of Pro Tools. The M-Audio FireWire Solo would probably be great for what you're doing now.

Not to turn this into a Pro Tools vs. Sonar vs. Cubase debate, but if ever you want to be able to bring your projects into any kind of studio, Pro Tools is the way to go. And having worked with Sonar, Nuendo, and Cubase SX, I must say that the editting workflow in Pro Tools is much better, once you get to know it.

And with Pro Tools 7 out a few months back, the MIDI editting was vastly improved, which was the major gripe with PT. Before PT 7 I used to sequence MIDI in Digital Performer, but now I no longer have a reason to.

PT M-Powered is $300 Canadian, but I've seen it floating around for a lot cheaper. >.>

Are you talking about 1/4" mic inputs? You only really see them on lower-grade equipment, like karaoke machines and cheap Radio Shack mixers. :p You don't really see them on better mixers, only in patchbays, really.

XLR and 1/4" can be used to transport the same kinds of signals. XLR and 1/4" TS (tip-sleeve or "mono") can transport unbalanced line level signals and mic level signals. XLR and 1/4" TRS (tip-ring-sleeve or "stereo") can transport balanced line level signals and mic level signals. Balanced signals are noise-cancelling and should be used whenever possible.

By standard however, XLR is usually associated with mic level signals and 1/4" with line-level, however even in professional studios, don't be surprised to see mic level signals going through a patch bay with 1/4" jacks.

Every recording studio in the world has an SM57. There are probably very few records that you love that did not use an SM57 and/or 58 on them, probably both.

And heres how it goes.

Satan goes direct to amp, no exceptions. The amp gets miced to record.

Also, I'd bet that most sweet guitar tones on tape weren't sticking on mic in front of the amp. I'd count on one in front, one in the back (depending on the design of the amp) maybe one on the edge of the speaker, and in some cases a room mic. But for some sounds that's overkill. And for home recording, you only need one, and it will still sound great. Just spitting out what' I've read.

But for what it's worth, I think that this cheapo ripoff sounds identical to my musician ears (admittedly not pro sound engineer ears, but I've done a little) but I'm sure it's constructed a little less well. There is a comparison page somewhere on the internet where someone records a es57 ('ripoff') and an SM58 side by side and they sound great. The 57 still has it's honky sound too.

from the console to my computer i use the main 1/4 out. that's what i meant. it's mono, but still works.

Well, unless you do anything between the console and the computer (reverb?) it may as well be mono anyway, yes?

[quote=I think Shintock said this]
PT M-Powered is $300 Canadian, but I've seen it floating around for a lot cheaper. >.>[/quote]

Don't you have to buy the box too? That's more like 5-600, isn't it?

screw reverb. screw smearing. i record everything flat.

i hate all effects, except in post-recording stages.

most tracks need to be mono. except maybe for drums. but some type of drums sound better when mono-ed up.

Im assuming your talking to me. What do you mean? I master it on the actual recording thing, upload it with USB and do nothign else but play it on my computer.

Im about to post a new thread with an example if you'd like to hear. You should see it on the music discussion soon if its not already...

Well, how do you modulate it for distortion and everything? Does it just come with some stock distortion settings, and can you use pedals with it and everything?

I plug a pedal in with it that does the drum machine plus any effect that I want. (GNX4)

So I assume that's working out for you pretty well? I have a Digitech RP200 (more than a few steps down, but hey) and I love it. Not quite the tone that I'd like from a genuine amp and boxes, but it sure does the job.

the gnx4 is meant to record easily. lots of good amp sims and all.

but it's plastic =/ (unless they changed that)

Hmm, no mine is metal, Seb. So is the gnx3 that I have.

For some parts in Failure, Fantastic Planet, they hung a mic from a vaulted ceiling in the living room of the house they were recording in, and swung it so it flew around the room in circles, and recorded. They also recorded some tracks in the bathroom.

Just thought you should know.

YES! Adding effects in DURING recording just ruins it, especially if you get down the line and realize that it sounds awful when you add the other instruments/vox into the mix. Very few recording programs these days don't let you add effects to the recorded track so you can actually play around with the recorded track until you find the sound you're looking for.

that's just common sense... If you record flat, you can always add effects later, but if you record with effects you're stuck with them.