How to record guitar?

[armod22]

Hello, I’ve been playing for the last 3 months. I’ve an Esp Ltd EC-256 electric guitar. Now I want to record my guitar on my computer. I have nothing except a guitar and a computer. Please guide me through the best and most convenient method to record my guitar playing. All the recommendations will be welcomed. Thank you

[teeps]

One fairly simple way is to use a handheld recorder (you can mount it on a stand if you wish) in front of the amp, and then transfer the recording to the pc if you need it there. How much gear is needed depends on what you want to do. If you want a dry signal another simple approach is to use a looper pedal. You can also transfer the recording from that to the pc.
For more complicated setups ... See below

[Mick-7]

Please guide me through the best and most convenient method to record my guitar playing.

Pick one, you can't have both. I went the convenience route that teeps mentioned, a used Tascam DR40 portable recorder that I bought on eBay. Supposedly I can make multi-track recordings with it, but I have not gotten around to doing that.

[jazzloverfat]

i have a DR40x and i also didn't RTFM but i did use it once to record w the inbuilt mics and it sounded great.

plus, it can also be used as an audio interface meaning u can record straight into a DAW as opposed to moving the file over to the PC.

as for the multitrack, it can do "4-channel mode that can be used for dual recording and nondestructive overdub recording, etc." whatever that means... probably it is explained in the manual :P

[Basshead]

I use this cheap ribbon mic from Thomman, sounds really nice, not harsh at all.

[Strat-itis]

Cheap and convenience level:

1. Use your phone or device's on board recorder. Either video or audio. Free and can yield decent results.
2. Usb mic or portable recorder. Can get even better results for cheap and is convenient.
3. Full recording interface, mic, daw combo. You have to spend a little to get good stuff, more the interface. Full quality and flexibility.

[teeps]

I just realize you have only asolid body electric guitar and a pc (ie. no cable, amp etc.) The best thing would be to get an amp so you can hear what you are playing and a cable to connect the guitar to it. Otherwise you dont even know if you are producing sounds worth of recording. I you insist on being ampless, get a cheap multieffects pedal with a USB soundcard interface and connect that to the pc. Such a pedal islikely to have a headphone out as well. You still need an instrument cable for that solution as well as a USB cable.

[Mick-7]

I just realize you have only asolid body electric guitar and a pc (ie. no cable, amp etc.)

armod22 did say that, but I figured he was being succinct, as someone who owns a solid-body electric guitar almost always has some sort of amp. He'll have to clarify that.

[pauln]

You can get started almost immediately with a guitar cable and a mono female 1/4 inch to mono male 1/8th inch adapter

1) Download Audacity to your PC (free and easy to use) for recording

2) At the same site, download the app that exports finished recordings as mp3 files

3) Use a female 1/4 inch to male 1/8th inch adapter from guitar cable to PC mic input

[armod22]

One fairly simple way is to use a handheld recorder (you can mount it on a stand if you wish) in front of the amp, and then transfer the recording to the pc if you need it there. How much gear is needed depends on what you want to do. If you want a dry signal another simple approach is to use a looper pedal. You can also transfer the recording from that to the pc.
For more complicated setups ... See below

Actually I have tried to record with the mic but I got the poor quality. Maybe my mic is poor. What mic do you use?

[armod22]

i have a DR40x and i also didn't RTFM but i did use it once to record w the inbuilt mics and it sounded great.

plus, it can also be used as an audio interface meaning u can record straight into a DAW as opposed to moving the file over to the PC.

as for the multitrack, it can do "4-channel mode that can be used for dual recording and nondestructive overdub recording, etc." whatever that means... probably it is explained in the manual :P

Great! DAW - I have heard about this a lot but I haven't used it yet. Is it convenient to record with a DAW?

[armod22]

I just realize you have only asolid body electric guitar and a pc (ie. no cable, amp etc.) The best thing would be to get an amp so you can hear what you are playing and a cable to connect the guitar to it. Otherwise you dont even know if you are producing sounds worth of recording. I you insist on being ampless, get a cheap multieffects pedal with a USB soundcard interface and connect that to the pc. Such a pedal islikely to have a headphone out as well. You still need an instrument cable for that solution as well as a USB cable.

Sorry I forgot to tell you that I have an AMP, it's a Marshall MG15FX. I consider it as obvious. Sorry for the confusion.

[armod22]

armod22 did say that, but I figured he was being succinct, as someone who owns a solid-body electric guitar almost always has some sort of amp. He'll have to clarify that.

Yes, and thanks for clarification from my side.

[armod22]

You can get started almost immediately with a guitar cable and a mono female 1/4 inch to mono male 1/8th inch adapter

1) Download Audacity to your PC (free and easy to use) for recording

2) At the same site, download the app that exports finished recordings as mp3 files

3) Use a female 1/4 inch to male 1/8th inch adapter from guitar cable to PC mic input

Audacity - is it a DAW?
What app to export the recording?

[jazzloverfat]

Great! DAW - I have heard about this a lot but I haven't used it yet. Is it convenient to record with a DAW?
- DAW = Digital Audio Workstation. It's an all in one music production software which basically has virtual instruments (including full orchestras) and plugins (effects for example).
- I only briefly tried Reaper but didn't find go too deep with it cuz I couldnt be bothered to read the user manual :P
- The whole remembering to arm the track first in order to record is something I found cumbersome... Why the extra click and not start recording as soon as i hit the Rec button?
- Stuff like synths can go directly into a DAW over USB connection and MIDI shenanigans.
- A guitar will need a mic connected to an audio interface

Audacity - is it a DAW?
- Not yet, it started life as a sound recording program
- I think the latest version 4 is trying to move the software into that direction but I haven't tried it yet
- For all my needs - recording, chopping up samples, editing and preparing SFX, very light sound editing, version 3 is still doing all I need and it's one of the first pieces of software that I install on a new computer
- if you want to export as MP3 file, you need to download and install the LAME MP3 plugin (free); alternatively you can export a project as WAV file which is lossless full res but the file size is much larger

What app to export the recording?
- if you go the TASCAM DR40x route or similar from TASCAM or ZOOM, they have good mics and record as MP3 (lossy) or WAV (lossless) and you just connect the card or the recorder to the PC and move the file over where you open it with your app of choice for further processing.
- if you have a "flagship model" phone, they usually have pretty good mics so using that can also be an option. On Android I got good results with the Dolby On app which is free, has some useful basic functionality and can save lossless files.

Re: mics, they can get expensive quickly. if phone is not good enough, I'd look at a TASCAM or ZOOM handheld recorder since they can also work as an audio interface and except for the very entry level models, can take mic input if u decide you need more down the line.

Looking at your amp, it does have a headphone out so a cable with a 3.5mm jack from headphone out to 3.5mm line-in on computer should work too and then record in Audacity, but no idea how good the sound will be.

[strumcat]

As jazzloverfat said at the end of the previous message, all you need to buy is a good 3.5mm (1/8") stereo male to 3.5mm (1/8") stereo male cable. It's the simplest, cheapest, and cleanest-sounding solution. It should be no longer than you need. Then Audacity on the computer, set levels, and record.

[teeps]

Sorry I forgot to tell you that I have an AMP, it's a Marshall MG15FX. I consider it as obvious. Sorry for the confusion.

Then you can connect the headphone out to the line in on the pc if the pc has such input.

[SOLR]

Lots of excellent advice so far..


I guess as a 3 months player you,re not looking for studio demo quality so use the tools you have .
This

explains and corrects many issues peoples are having when starting to record with minimal equipment.

If you have a phone (I guess you do) you might enjoy this method to start with. yes it does the video too, so great for zoom lessons or what not, and you get decent audio depending on the phone.

S

[pauln]

Here is an old Audacity recording I did for another forum. People were passing around a backing track for everyone to play over. There is a point about 2/3 through where I remembered I wanted to include playing way up the neck and I made a little awkward transition (this was my first time recording and was wanting to test how it sounded all over the neck).

[armod22]

Great! DAW - I have heard about this a lot but I haven't used it yet. Is it convenient to record with a DAW?
- DAW = Digital Audio Workstation. It's an all in one music production software which basically has virtual instruments (including full orchestras) and plugins (effects for example).
- I only briefly tried Reaper but didn't find go too deep with it cuz I couldnt be bothered to read the user manual :P
- The whole remembering to arm the track first in order to record is something I found cumbersome... Why the extra click and not start recording as soon as i hit the Rec button?
- Stuff like synths can go directly into a DAW over USB connection and MIDI shenanigans.
- A guitar will need a mic connected to an audio interface

Audacity - is it a DAW?
- Not yet, it started life as a sound recording program
- I think the latest version 4 is trying to move the software into that direction but I haven't tried it yet
- For all my needs - recording, chopping up samples, editing and preparing SFX, very light sound editing, version 3 is still doing all I need and it's one of the first pieces of software that I install on a new computer
- if you want to export as MP3 file, you need to download and install the LAME MP3 plugin (free); alternatively you can export a project as WAV file which is lossless full res but the file size is much larger

What app to export the recording?
- if you go the TASCAM DR40x route or similar from TASCAM or ZOOM, they have good mics and record as MP3 (lossy) or WAV (lossless) and you just connect the card or the recorder to the PC and move the file over where you open it with your app of choice for further processing.
- if you have a "flagship model" phone, they usually have pretty good mics so using that can also be an option. On Android I got good results with the Dolby On app which is free, has some useful basic functionality and can save lossless files.

Re: mics, they can get expensive quickly. if phone is not good enough, I'd look at a TASCAM or ZOOM handheld recorder since they can also work as an audio interface and except for the very entry level models, can take mic input if u decide you need more down the line.

Looking at your amp, it does have a headphone out so a cable with a 3.5mm jack from headphone out to 3.5mm line-in on computer should work too and then record in Audacity, but no idea how good the sound will be.

Hey thank for much detailed reply from you. I've checked various DAW options and Audacity too. Audacity is looking like that I can get the job done, but I've doubts about the sound quality. During my research I got this guide to record with the garageband, will it get the job done? But I think I still need a mic and some cables to connect the things.

[armod22]

As jazzloverfat said at the end of the previous message, all you need to buy is a good 3.5mm (1/8") stereo male to 3.5mm (1/8") stereo male cable. It's the simplest, cheapest, and cleanest-sounding solution. It should be no longer than you need. Then Audacity on the computer, set levels, and record.

Hey thanks man, can you please tell me about the final quality of the sound that I'll get in Audacity?

[armod22]

Here is an old Audacity recording I did for another forum. People were passing around a backing track for everyone to play over. There is a point about 2/3 through where I remembered I wanted to include playing way up the neck and I made a little awkward transition (this was my first time recording and was wanting to test how it sounded all over the neck).

Sound quality is pretty good, do you still use Audacity to record?

[armod22]

Lots of excellent advice so far..


I guess as a 3 months player you,re not looking for studio demo quality so use the tools you have .
This

explains and corrects many issues peoples are having when starting to record with minimal equipment.

If you have a phone (I guess you do) you might enjoy this method to start with. yes it does the video too, so great for zoom lessons or what not, and you get decent audio depending on the phone.

S

Thank you for this great video, I'll try this out for sure.

[jazzloverfat]

Hey thanks man, can you please tell me about the final quality of the sound that I'll get in Audacity?

U're welcome
The quality in Audacity is as good as your input is, it's a powerful sound recorder and editor.

If u're on Mac, Garageband should also give you excellent results.