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Hello All

As a result of getting feedback after posting some you tube videos with me playing guitar, I've been looking around at alternative methods for recording guitar, as the signal from my DV recorder just isn't cutting it.

I've looked at all sorts of options, from stand alone recording units(like Boss Micro br), to upgrading my camera, but I finally hit upon the idea of using my laptop to record on- something that a lot of people are now doing.

I'm using my laptop as a DAW, a digital audio workstation. I have a usb audio interface, which accepts the guitar input, has a headphone/ speaker out, and connects to the laptop via usb. I'm using a program called Reaper to record with, and having a lot of fun using various free simulators for amplifiers and effects-I think I've found a way to record that I'm finally happy with. I'm using this to record both acoustic and electric.

So, is anyone else using DAW, what do you use, what simulators do you use, and how would you compare it to using mics and amplifiers?

Joe

Hey Joe,

I use REAPER (with an M-Audio USB interface) and I love it! Did you know that REAPER also has a video window (View->Video Window) whereby you can change the playback speed AND define a loop area and then just hit the play button and you automatically loop the video until you've nailed that particular section.

I used a DAW recording set-up when I first started recording but I could never get the sound I was looking for so I switched to a digital recorder. They are affordable and you don't need to be a sound engineer to use them. Also, the sound quality I find is much better then recording into a laptop. I went with the Tascam Dp-008 and I really like this little portable studio.

Good luck.

Bud

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I use a DAW. I started off with a good mic a pop shield and Cubase LE, thats the light edition. I have since upgraded to Cubase 6.5 which is like a full studio version. It would take me a long while to tell you what it has, but here are a few things: Various synthesisers, DJ EQ, Halion 4 sound creation system, Amp rack guitar tone suite, comp tool, warp, quantizing, Limiter, maximiser. A host of VST instruments and effects. Midi also. These are just a few of the features it has. See the Steinberg website for a full rundown.

As Buddy aludes to, there is a bit of a learning curve involved with some of these DAW setups. You also need a digital sound box so that you can plug your mic' and/or guitar into your laptop, which takes the analogue signal from your mic' or guitar and digitizes it into your DAW, this bi-passes your computers sound card which is usually poor when it comes to recording sound from a mic' etc. Digitizing the sound in means just that, it turns the analogue sound into a digital signal. I use Guitar Rig and I have software which opens up in my DAW which has various amps for guitar sounds.

More info' here about Cubase......

http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/cubase/start.html
http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/cu ... fects.html

You can get away with much simpler setups than what I have and most of the time for simple recordings this is overkill.

The basics you need when using a DAW are Mic', Pop shield (optional), Digital in/out box (neccessary)
Some DAW software, some good free or cheap ones available. Headphones for monotoring and some spare time to learn how to get the best out of the equipment.

Hope this is useful.

Tom N.