Ableton Forum

I'm fairly new to the whole recording music on the computer business, so if any of you guys could help me out a bit that would be much appreciated!

I basically want to be able to record my guitar without using my amp, hence plugging the guitar straight into the computer. This obviously doesn't work if I plug it straight into the input on my computer as it all sounds a bit weak, and the signal is also a little bit delayed.
Like I said, I'm completely green, so I have no idea what hardware/software I need. Do I need to get a soundcard? What is a soundcard? Which one do I get? Will a Line 6 pocket POD function as a soundcard, or is that simply an amp modeller?

Help please?! I've been looking everywhere for answers but I'm still drawing a blank.


I am on a MacBook Pro, 2.33 ghz intel core duo, 2gb memory.

If, like you say, you are completely green, i would highly recommend you get a Pod.
I'm not really a big fan of the pre X3 models as to me they have a kind of sheen to them that i find distracting,, the pocket pod is based on the version 1 version 2 technology,, where as the X3 has a different CPU and better quality converters.
Both the X3 and the X3 Live have built in USB sound cards and work really well for that purpose.

Alternatively, you could go the PCI or FW/USB route, just make sure the card has some kind of Hi-Z input. Most of the mid to high end cards do now.

So what you're saying is if I get an x3 pod i wouldn't have to get a soundcard? Sounds good to me!

Yeah, the POD will suit you well unless you wanted to record vocals later...

Your guitar doesn't send out a very hot signal. After all, its not hooked up to batteries, or a power supply, the way a CD player or a synthesizer is... that's why your signal sounds weak. The computer expects a hotter signal.. The POD will be a very effective pre-amplifier and fix this for you.

Your guitar recording sounds like it has a delay because your computer's built-in soundcard is not very powerful... it takes some computing power to be able to record an incoming singal, convert it to a digital signal, send that to Live, then receive that sound back from Live, convert that digital signal back to an analog singal and route that to your headphones.

This is called "latency" and all soundcard have some of it. If you get the Pod, that'll take some of the heat off your computer-- the first half of the equasion anyway. Without a good soundcard, the second half may still lead to enough latency to irk you... i think you'll be OK, but its possible.

regarding the latency and the Pod. even at 5mS latency it feels sluggish listening through Live. what I do is set the monitor on my sound card (this knob sets what I hear from the soundcard, the input or output signals or a mix of both) to 50% so I hear both input and output. then in Live I mute the guitar track, otherwise I'd hear the input signal and the slightly delayed output signal on top of it, which just messes up the tone. then set the track delay for the recording to -5mS (for 5mS of latency.)

hth.

hmmm......looks like the pod is definitely an option worth looking in to.

but what if i want to record vocals too (which is very likely)? any other cards you can recommend? any that would get rid of latency 100%?

latency is absolutely unavoidable. get it under 10mS and you're cool.

what's your price range? spend upwards of $1k and companies like RME make some really low latency cards.


the Pod XT is what I have. dig this, I can go online, browse user tones, I click on the web page and within seconds the preset is uploaded to my Pod and I can play it. they also sell packs to make it work with bass guitars, very cool. the software, IMO is top notch. opinions on the tone vary but overrall it's generally acceptable.

The POD is great especially if you don't own any stomp boxes.

If you own any stomp boxes, or better yet a multi-fx-stompbox with amp modelling fx, then buying the POD may be a bit redundant.

You can hook up Mic's to some of the PODs (XLR inputs are a hint they've included at least some basic Mic-capability into the unit) I'm sure it'll be just fine for most situations.

TD mentioned the RME brand. Some of the big MOTU audio cards call themselves "zero latency". I dont know if they are Zero Latency with Live or not... how much do you want to spend???

the X3 has a form of direct monitoring where by the signal from your guitar is split so that it is sent both to the computer and also straight out of the monitoring section of the X3, this is a plus in so far as you will have zero latency from the GTR input and the Pod out put mixed with the return from Live.
However, it can be a minus in so far as you will not be able to monitor any FX that you apply to that GTR channel in Live with out it becoming a strange out of phase or delayed return with the possibility of it becoming an actual mess depending on the FX that you are using on that channel and the buffer setting you have applied in Live.

Right now though,,
as, like you say, you are so green i would recommend you check out the pod X3's as they are probably all you will need for the get go, have as good a quality interface with the computer as your gonna get in the world of USB,, and they are a no brainer to set up.
Plus,, from a guitar perspective,, they sound fucking great,, way better than any of the other pods i have tried.

I have got all the stompboxes i need really, but i'll probably need some sort of amp modelling too so might as wel go for a pod, especially if it's possible to record vocals through it.

would i have to go for a pod x3, or will any of the other models do too (like a pocket pod)? i'm not really looking to spend a fortune on this, all i really want to do is to be able to record guitars and vocals in a tiny room without having to crank up an amp and so forth. and of course, i want to sort out the latency issue.

thanks so much for helping out guys. very much appreciated!

to decide which Pod to get, you should try them yourself. we all use Live differently, we're all different players of different skill levels.

another budget solution is the stealthplug, I got one for Xmas last year
www.stealthplug.com
for ~$100 it's a sound card built into a guitar lead and it comes with Amplitube modeling/effects software package. not a bad deal at all.

YMWV.

Regarding the PODs, what I meant was will they all work as an audiocard or is that only the X3?

The Stealthplug looks really interesting! How's the amp modelling on that one?

I'm not absolutely sure,,
But i think the model before the X3 had this ability,,
but the X3 has a much better sound.
I've always found the pods to be a little lacking in dimension (for want of a better word) they sound great from the perspective of the listener,, but from my perspective as a player i always found them a little non responsive. The X3 seems to go some way to bettering this dynamic,, its not a tube amp replacement,, but it does seem to work better than most modelers. It also loves being fed external stomp boxes,, and even though the stomp models are good,, they aren't as good as the actual amp models when you run them by them selves,,
The XLR in and the studio FX seem to work okay on my acoustic using my rode NT3 as well, so i see no reason why it wouldn't be cool for vocals. There is also the plus that the stand alone work bench editor will be available soon and there is also word that the next firmwear update will contain extra features, which is good for a lot of reasons, not the least being that it suggests the X3 is open to software modification along the way.

0veber wrote:The Stealthplug looks really interesting! How's the amp modelling on that one?

the amp modeling is 100% Amplitube, which you can search for reviews on.

generally speaking it comes down to 3 groups of people poo pooing ALL the guitar sims, the other crowd prefers software, the rest argue about Pods and such. with the software guys, the generally put Amplitube second to Guitar Rig. generally it's either a Pod or Guitar Rig. after a while most of us have more than one, just like we collect pedals over the years, this stuff accumulates.


Homebelly - remember that a lot of people asking questions can be n00bs, I try to keep a dash of n00b sensibility in my advice. a lof of players starting in on this stuff would be fine with a first generation pod. not a dig, just a reality check. I catch a vibe that you're a pretty damn good player.



my Pod XT does show up as a sound card, never used it though!! I should try it.

Tone Deft wrote:
Homebelly - remember that a lot of people asking questions can be n00bs, I try to keep a dash of n00b sensibility in my advice. a lof of players starting in on this stuff would be fine with a first generation pod. not a dig, just a reality check. I catch a vibe that you're a pretty damn good player.



my Pod XT does show up as a sound card, never used it though!! I should try it.

I absolutly dig where your coming from here.
My advice is also built on the years of experience i have accumulated where by i have learned that often times buying tech that is cheap and might work for the now can some times become a false economy in the long run. I'm sure the XT or even the baby bean would be great,, i'm just concerned that if this cat goes out and buys one now,, he/she might find find in six months that the X3 is better suited. This was my reasoning behind pointing out the firm wear up dates that are starting to trickle through for the X3,, i get the feeling this one is going to be around as long as the Pod.2.0 versions that the XT is based on have been.