Uncleslinky Home Recording - How To Record Guitar At Home

With today’s technology there are several methods of recording at your disposal.
Which works best? Well that’s entirely up to you to decide. Of course, that’s what
we’ll be covering in this section.

Before you rush out and buy the latest and greatest products, you need to carefully
think about what type of instruments or music you want to record. For instance, if you want to record an electric guitar you may opt for the simpler and direct method of plugging into your computer. However if you are wanting to record an acoustic guitar or vocals, it’s worth investing in some high quality microphones and a preamp.

The two methods we will be focusing on are direct recording using an interface /
software and the indirect / amped method. For a brief summary of each, please read the boxes to the right. Each method has its benefits, and you’ll no doubt find that one method is most suited to your own needs and budget.

Direct or indirect, which method best is right for you? Well, of course that’s completely up to you to decide however there are a few factors you should take into consideration.

Budget
The indirect/amped method is by far the most expensive option here. Minimally you will need a mic, a mic-preamp and a converter, which can become
very expensive. Direct recording eliminates the need for expensive microphones and amplifiers, as you will be plugging into a relatively cheap interface unit, such as the M-Audio Black Box

Environment
Consider where you will actually be recording. Are you in a detached house where you can make more noise, or are you in an apartment block where
you have neighbours on all walls? Direct recording enables you to plug your clean, un-amped guitar straight into a unit that connects to your computer
producing minimal noise.

Whilst recording indirectly requires you to plug into a loud amplifier - whilst there are ways to help silence the amplifier such as placing it in an isolation
box (more on isolation boxes later) the environment you are in should be something you really take into consideration.

Sound
Can you achieve the sound you are looking for using the less expensive software method? If so, then definitely go for it, there’s no need to spend
hundreds and thousands on expensive equipment if you aren’t 100% sure you absolutely need to have it.

However, be sure to bear in mind that there really is something unique about the “old school” amped method that just can’t be achieved using computer
software packages, or modelled and emulated hardware. What I’m referring to here is the warmth, or pushed air. An amp pushes the speakers and
that pushed air really adds a lot to the overall sound that you’re hearing. While digitally modelled amp simulators can go a long way to creating the
beloved sound, they aren’t quite there just yet.

This method basically involves plugging into an interface or
desktop unit that gets your guitar into the computer using a
USB or Firewire cable.

The guitar is recorded clean, and from then on in, everything
such as speaker simulation, amp modelling, eq’s, effects,
compressors is entirely software based in some sort of audio
program.

By recording the guitar clean you are able to add effects later
with plug-ins making it easy to edit. Programs such as Cubase
and Sonar offer some fantastic plug-ins that are very
convincing to the ear.

Indirect recording is what I would call the “old school” method
of actually plugging into a real guitar amplifier, and using a
microphone to record the sound.

Minimally this method requires an amp, microphone, mic-preamp
and a converter. However, a whole heap of other units can
be added, for example eq’s, mixers, compressors etc.

Recording indirectly can be a lot more complex than
recording direct, and also a lot more expensive.

Learn more about amped recording...