Instrument Tips - Page 16

Got a couple of quick questions about recording an electro-acoustic and amps. I'm used to playing, just not used to recording.

1) I don't normally record, but I'm looking at doing a bit of a mash-up project with a friend and need to get some stuff recorded onto my computer. I have an electro-acoustic with the lead for an amp (although I don't actually have an amp, because the only place I play in public has a PA system for me to use anyway, but I'm now thinking of investing in my own amp) and I also have a lead with an amp/guitar jack on one end and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack on the other end, but of course plugging the guitar directly into the computer creates a horrible sound. So what's the best way I can get a good quality recording without spending too much (aside from putting a microphone up to an amp; I'd much rather plug and record)?

2) Since I've never needed an amp before now, and I'm now looking at in investing in one. I've seen a beautiful Marshall acoustic amp that I very much desire. But at the same time I've got to think practically. I know that whilst you can use electric guitars on acoustic amps and vice versa, the sound quality isn't great because they're built specifically for either electric or acoustic guitars respectively. So I was wondering if there are amps that can kill two birds with one stone that will work perfectly well for both electric and acoustic guitars (maybe with like different modes depending on what kind of guitar you're using)? And again, if it can be used to record (i.e. hooking up to the line out or something), that would be even better because it would answer my first dilemma too.

I would say I have a budget of up to £300, so up to about $500.

I know it seems like I have no idea what I'm talking about, and you'd be right. I play. Someone else does the plugging and sound checking for me.

Well well, Will Baxter, long time no see...

My laptop has an HD microphone, so it picks up the guitar quite well. Unfortunately, that also means it picks up me scratching my backside, and there can be a bit of a quality problem when I pick up the dynamics for a chorus and I'm putting more body into my strumming, which is why I'm considering a direct plug-in. I'm using Adobe Soundbooth and Audacity for my editing so that's no problem, but I'm thinking a microphone may be the way to end up going. There are plenty of places around here that I can browse around, and hope I can find something that does what I need, and maybe I could find something perfect.

As for an amp that does both electric and acoustic, I'm not ruling out the option of getting more than one amp; I think I was just being optimistic about not having to clog the house up with too much equipment. Although if they haven't invented an amp that does everything well, then they should.

quote Tom

Got a couple of quick questions about recording an electro-acoustic and amps. I'm used to playing, just not used to recording.

1) I don't normally record, but I'm looking at doing a bit of a mash-up project with a friend and need to get some stuff recorded onto my computer. I have an electro-acoustic with the lead for an amp (although I don't actually have an amp, because the only place I play in public has a PA system for me to use anyway, but I'm now thinking of investing in my own amp) and I also have a lead with an amp/guitar jack on one end and a 3.5mm headphone/microphone jack on the other end, but of course plugging the guitar directly into the computer creates a horrible sound. So what's the best way I can get a good quality recording without spending too much (aside from putting a microphone up to an amp; I'd much rather plug and record)?

2) Since I've never needed an amp before now, and I'm now looking at in investing in one. I've seen a beautiful Marshall acoustic amp that I very much desire. But at the same time I've got to think practically. I know that whilst you can use electric guitars on acoustic amps and vice versa, the sound quality isn't great because they're built specifically for either electric or acoustic guitars respectively. So I was wondering if there are amps that can kill two birds with one stone that will work perfectly well for both electric and acoustic guitars (maybe with like different modes depending on what kind of guitar you're using)? And again, if it can be used to record (i.e. hooking up to the line out or something), that would be even better because it would answer my first dilemma too.

I would say I have a budget of up to £300, so up to about $500.

I know it seems like I have no idea what I'm talking about, and you'd be right. I play. Someone else does the plugging and sound checking for me.

I have a vintage Marshal Soloist Acoustic Amp from the Nineties which is really nice, and if you can pick one up used (they aren't made anymore) I highly recommend one. I have two of them actually (lol long story) and now I just formed an acoustic duo as a side project with the female vocalist in my band and so I am letting her use one of the amps for her acoustic guitar and I use one for mine.

If you can pick one of these up from somewhere, I think they are awesome. They have built in reverb and a really nice chorus. In addition, it comes with a nice parametric EQ (simplistic, but decent) and what I love most about it is that it has four "feedback control" buttons, which really helps with amplifying an acoustic guitar because they feedback like a mother*bleep*er.

If you are going to go this route, either with the amp I have or the Marshal you are looking at, make sure that you mic the amp. I am just NOT a big fan of he line our or direct out in acoustic amps. They sound better than taking a line out from an electric amp, but still lack that full bodied flavor of an acoustic guitar. Again, mic the amp!

Tom, when it comes to guitars, whether acoustic or electric, I have always been a huge proponent of micing the amp rather than going direct from the amp. Although, I have a pretty elaborate PA system (crown power amps, JBL front end and JBL wedge monitors and a Soundcraft Spirit Folio mixer) and of late, I have been experimenting with using a blend of the line out form the amp to the PA (via 1/4 inch guitar cables) and micing the amp. I then blend the two signals, putting the signal from the microphone higher. This is only a viable solution, however, if you have channels to spare on your board and feel like running your guitar in a more elaborate way.

By the way, I would NOT ever recommend this for electric guitar because the line out sucks on amps and the "direct out" is terrible on an electric amp for the reason that one of the primary components of an electric guitar's sound comes from the amp speakers and bypassing this just leads to a God-awful tone!

The reason it works all right with an acoustic amp is because in an acoustic guitar amplifier, the "direct out" is made to simulate a direct box, which, by the way, is another GREAT solution for using an acoustic guitar with a PA system because it eliminates the need for an amp. However, since I love the sound of the Marshal Acoustic soloists I own, I vastly prefer it over a direct box because I have control over my sound via the amp (all the tone controls, anti-feedback, parametric EQ, etc.) without having to keep going to the mixer every time I want to fuss with my sound.

Anyway, even though I prefer the sound of the amp sent to the mixer with a mic, it is nice to be able to mix the two in two separate channels as I get a nice stereo effect that way.

I did an impromptu gig, a pretty high paying private party, a few months back with my female vocalist and recorded a bunch of tracks just this way. I have the guitar amp running in stereo here like I described. She isn't playing guitar on this tune, but you can hear the clarity of everything with the PA and the way I am amplifying the guitar at least.

Probably not your kind of music, but it illustrates my point:

If you're still looking to record dude (haven't read all the responses) but I see Fender Mustang series amps everywhere and they are real cheap (175 for a 20w) and you don't need much for recording. It has a mini-USB output and comes with basic recording software that you can separate and loop with other sounds on protools or whatever you're using. They don't sound great when you are playing them unplugged from comp but when you jack that bitch into a comp you can make it do what-ever-the-hell-you-want and there are so many settings to screw with I haven't even scratched the surface.

Edit: IMO I'd drop the extra 40 bucks for the 30w it's a significant difference in sound and that way you can use it as a portable practice amp too.

Edit edit: there's also a decent Marshall acoustic amp that has a special mic jack so you can use it for whatever. By mic jack I mean the pro quality mics that use that real wonky looking input.