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Hey I'm pretty new to the whole studio recording. I recently bought a creative audigy 2 zs platnium pro, recommended by a friend who also does pro audio. I am using Sonar right now for a program. And out of the blue it decides not to recognize the direct input for my guitar. ( I plug directly into the box unit that comes with the soundcard ) It worked for a couple days, and now it dosent move the meter. Yet if i click around on my computer, anytime I click on an icon that makes sound, it will record it on Sonar ha. Any suggestions or what I'm doing wrong?

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Reggie Fri, 01/13/2006 - 14:55

You haven't changed ANYTHING since it stopped recording? If not, then the jack in the soundcard may have broken from the weight of your guitar cable. Do you have any preamps or DI's or pedalboards or anything? If so, you ought to be able to go into the Line input on the Audigy.
By The Way: I hate to break it to you, but the Audigy ain't exactly "Pro Audio Gear" :wink:

anonymous Fri, 01/13/2006 - 15:15

haha I'm aware of it not being PRO audio gear, but for me it is since I just started. I know the jack is ok. All my guitar is going through is a distortion pedal into the computer right now, I havent put everything into it yet. But can you make some suggestions on a begining audio setup.. I know for sure I need a sound card because onboard sucks. I can't seem to get a good solid idea of what I need and how much i should look at spending. Its pretty bizarre that the meters wont move when im playing the guitar... but if i hit an icon on the computer the meter shows it... That's just dosent make any sense to me at all

jonnyc Fri, 01/13/2006 - 15:43

Well I have that exact card for gaming and use the headphone and mic jack everynight and every night the settings seem to default, sometimes it does it right in the middle of loading a map on a game. The only real piece of advice I would give to you would be to find a "real" recording soundcard, some are cheaper than the audigy and much better for recording.

PS, I wouldn't take the advice of anyone recommending audigy cards for audio, even for beginners. There are much better choices out there at that same price point.

RemyRAD Fri, 01/13/2006 - 16:50

Your problem is that the Sound Blaster mixer is defaulting to alternate settings. This commonly happens with these types of " Sound Blaster" cards and with the software you use. I recommend searching for the Microsoft mixer, instead of using the Sound Blaster mixer application. If you double-click the Microsoft mixer icon it will give you " what you hear" or playback, of which it will provide you with numerous selections of monitoring sources. You can go up to the properties drop-down menu and select recording. This'll give you the mixer that designates what will and won't be recorded. You can also go to the property's drop-down and select what kind of inputs you want such as," wave"," microphone", line input, stereo mix, Mono mix, "what you hear", etc.. With the recording mixer displayed you can go back to the Microsoft Windows mixer icon and double-click that again. This will bring up the playback mixer in this way you will have both mixers open and displayed. So you can display both the recording and playback mixer simultaneously and select what input you want recorded and what you want to listen to. It sounds to me that you're recording mixer has defaulted to " wave" input instead of line input. Problem solved.

Since you indicate you are new to this a few things to be aware of. The Sound Blaster card line inputs are adequate but they distort easily and should not be supplied with a studio oriented + 4 DB output from a mixer. They would rather see a lower level, such as" -10" to " -20 DB" also sometimes referred to as consumer audio level. Also, DO NOT USE THE MICROPHONE INPUT! The microphone input has some DC voltage on it and you should not use a 3 pin XLR type connector microphone unless it is accompanied with a " balanced female XLR" to " unbalanced 1/4" via a transformer and then you also probably need a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter but I do not recommend the Sound Blaster microphone input they're truly terrible. I would recommend buying yourself an inexpensive hardware mixer like a Barringer, Mackie, SoundCraft, etc., and strictly using the line inputs on your Sound Blaster card. Also I would not take your guitar and plug it into the microphone input directly, it has a DC voltage on it that could destroy your guitar's pickup. That is why an inexpensive practical small mixer is the way to go for you.

Remy Ann David

anonymous Fri, 01/13/2006 - 18:31

Wow thanks so much that solved everything for me. Now again Im new to the whole recording thing and i'm a lil confused on the mixer idea. Would I be recording from a mic'd amp then, or would I still be doing a direct input, but instead in through the mixer, then the mixer to the sound box that ive been plugging into. And again thanks for all the help