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Recently, all my recording has been "in the box" using various plugin effects to my liking.
Question is: Can I plug my guitar into my Jim Dunlop Cry Baby, then into my Roland Quad Capture ?

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pcrecord Sat, 08/16/2014 - 05:31

Yes, your Roland Quad Capture support instrument direct connection (instr input - hi-z)
But, it would be better to mic a guitar amp. Most of the sound of the guitar comes from the amp and how the speaker translate the sound.

Unless you don't have an amp and you want to use a amp simulator in your DAW. ;)
Also I don't know how good are the Roland's preamps and converters, but you should know that they will affect the sound greatly even if you go into a simulator.

I tried to have a good guitar sound through Amp simulators for a long time. I nearly tried all of them. untill I tried it with good preamps.
When I got my Focusrite ISA and my UA 710, they both allowed amp simulators to make sens.

I hope the Roland will be good enough for you.

anonymous Sat, 08/16/2014 - 05:51

You're gonna want to test levels first!

Make sure you have god gain structure, and that the output level of the wah pedal isn't clipping your Pre. Because the Wah is basically just a frequency oscillator, and different frequencies may hold different gain levels, you'll want to check to see which frequencies may potentially peak your preamp and/or track meters.

Check to make sure you aren't overloading (clipping) the input levels to your preamp, and consider recording the track with a max of - 9db to -6db as your peak level on that track.

FWIW

;)

Si Cassidy Sat, 08/16/2014 - 05:55

Hi there, thanks for the responce. I agree that miking the amp is a possibility, and yes, I do have an amp.
However, I have enjoyed using a free VST called Soft Amp FM25, which is a virtual of the Fender Frontman Combo, and am getting a lovely sound pluging my Strat into the low impedance setting of the Quad capture.
I was wondering if I could just put the Cry-Baby in the chain, and go through it, straight into the Quad, and then control the settings of the sound in Sonar.
The question of damaging the Quad by doing this seems to have answered itself, so I guess the best conclusion would be just try it and see.

I had a V-Studio 20 Audio Interface before the Quad, and was advised to just add the CB like it was a normal effect chain, just wondered if I could do the same with the Quad.
As said earlier, I will try it and let you know if you like.

Thanks again.
Simon :):)

Si Cassidy Sat, 08/16/2014 - 05:58

DonnyThompson, post: 418489, member: 46114 wrote: You're gonna want to test levels first!

Make sure you have god gain structure, and that the output level of the wah pedal isn't clipping your Pre. Because the Wah is basically just a frequency oscillator, and different frequencies may hold different gain levels, you'll want to check to see which frequencies may potentially peak your preamp and/or track meters.

Check to make sure you aren't overloading (clipping) the input levels to your preamp, and consider recording the track with a max of - 9db to -6db as your peak level on that track.

FWIW

;)

Thanks for the responce.
The Cry Baby would be used in the recording at low levels, I will try and experiment with the set up.
Miking the amp is the get out clause if all else fails, so I will just experiment and see.

Thanks again
Simon

anonymous Sat, 08/16/2014 - 06:10

I always prefer to mic up a real amp as opposed to using a DI on guitar, but understand that not everyone has that option at their disposal.

Experimentation is good, it's how we learn - both the good and the bad. Application is always the best teacher. However I think you'll find that in most cases, professionally speaking of course, the real thing is always preferred over a DI or an emulation.

Although, having just any old amp doesn't necessarily mean that it will always sound better. If you've got a cheap amp that sounds harsh and thin, or with a distortion that;'s more break-up sounding than smooth, it won't get you any closer to a great guitar sound... But if you've got a good amp, one you are familiar with, and one of "those" models that seems to always sound great no matter where you place the settings, you should opt for this. 90% of the time, a good amp, miked up with a good dynamic like a 57/58 on it, will almost always give you a more natural sound than a DI post-processed with an amp emulator plug will.

IMHO of course. ;)

d/

anonymous Sat, 08/16/2014 - 06:18

Si Cassidy, post: 418490, member: 48326 wrote:

I had a V-Studio 20 Audio Interface before the Quad, and was advised to just add the CB like it was a normal effect chain, just wondered if I could do the same with the Quad.
As said earlier, I will try it and let you know if you like.

Thanks again.
Simon :):)

I'm confused... are you saying that you are using two audio I/O - Preamps?

RemyRAD Sat, 08/16/2014 - 22:25

Simply put, guitars are high impedance pickup outputs. They require that you don't go into a low impedance input to obtain the full output and body of the guitar sound. Which is why they need to be loaded into high impedance inputs. Not low impedance inputs.

One of the things you can do at your disposal is to take your guitar, clean, direct. Upon playing that back, you would take that playback output and patch that into your guitar amplifier input. You could even put your crybaby between the output from your computer audio interface Roland gizmo, then into your guitar amplifier. Then ya put a microphone on your guitar amplifier and re-amp/re-record that onto an additional empty track. Your computer audio gizmo should be capable of duplex operation allowing you to do that. It's the same as overdubbing. Then you can also use in software, your other amplifier simulators and make for crazy stereo guitar. Perhaps also adding some small time delays to effect an even larger more sebaceous sounding guitar recording.

So there Ya go.
Mx. Remy Ann David

JohnTodd Sun, 08/17/2014 - 13:59

As a guitar player, I've done this many times. I have Hi-Z inputs on my interface that allow my guitar to plug in direct, and adding a Wah is no problem.

Nothing like having the Wah before distortion. Only way to do it with a real pedal is to record it that way. The Wah will be part of the performance and you're stuck with it forever. Amplitube and Guitar Rig 5 do a great Wah (with different varieties). That would let you change your mind later?