Hardware & Devices

14-Jun-05 9:24

Hello,
I am looking for some good hardware and software that could connect an electric guitar to a computer.

Has anyone tried the Creative Labs Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro sound card with the external hub? If not, do you have any suggestions for hardware that passes good sound quality to a piece of software?

As for software, the Cakewalk Sonar 4 Producer seems to have lots of features. Do you have any other suggestions for software?

Thanks for the help,

Mitch

My sig:

"And it is a professional faux pas to pay someone else to destroy your computer when you are perfectly capable of destroying it yourself." - Roger Wright

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Most recent blog post: April 11

toxcct14-Jun-05 20:48

toxcct

14-Jun-05 20:48

i personnaly use CakeWalk, however i only connect midi devices to my computer...

never tried with a guitar.

TOXCCT >>> GEII power
[toxcct][VisualCalc]

Carl Mercier15-Jun-05 9:40

15-Jun-05 9:40

You can't connect a guitar an a computer just like that. You could, but it will sound like crap.

You need a preamp. For best sound, mic a guitar cabinet with a Shure SM-57 microphone, run it through a mic preamp or a mixer that has mic pre and then go into the computer.

Mitch F.15-Jun-05 10:54

15-Jun-05 10:54

Hello,

Would this card work (http://www.emu.com/products/product.asp?product=2211&category=754&maincategory=754[^])? It says that it has "Two TFPro Mic/Line/Hi-Z preamps (w/48V phantom power)"; I am unsure if I would need an external pre-amp with this card.

Thanks,

Mitch

My sig:

"And it is a professional faux pas to pay someone else to destroy your computer when you are perfectly capable of destroying it yourself." - Roger Wright

Get Perpendicular! (Hitachi Storage)

My CodeProject Blog
Most recent blog post: April 11

Carl Mercier15-Jun-05 15:30

15-Jun-05 15:30

A guitar preamp is different than a mic preamp. Pluging it directly into this card will produce sound, but nothing very good. It will be thin, kind of "razor sound".

Mitch F.15-Jun-05 19:50

15-Jun-05 19:50

Hello,

Would a Boss ME-50 (http://www.bosscorp.co.jp/products/en/ME-50/index.html[^]) be considered a pre-amp?

Also, if the Boss ME-50 would be considered a preamp, would I need a special soundcard (such as the Creative Labs Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro), or could I use the line-in (the port that has a music note on it) on the current sound card directly?

Thanks,

Mitch

My sig:

"And it is a professional faux pas to pay someone else to destroy your computer when you are perfectly capable of destroying it yourself." - Roger Wright

Get Perpendicular! (Hitachi Storage)

My CodeProject Blog
Most recent blog post: April 11

Carl Mercier17-Jun-05 2:43

17-Jun-05 2:43

The ME-50 has an unbalanced preamp out so, yes, you could use it as a Mic preamp.

The better the soundcard, the better the sound. Depending on what type of recording you're looking after, you might want to get a better audio card.

Check out www.echoaudio.com[^].

Christian Graus15-Jun-05 16:22

Christian Graus

15-Jun-05 16:22

You can actually get a pickup that allows you to connect a guitar, and the accompanying software generates tab from what you play.

Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++

Mitch F.15-Jun-05 19:54

15-Jun-05 19:54

Hello,

Thanks for the suggestion; I'll look into it.

Thanks,

Mitch

My sig:

"And it is a professional faux pas to pay someone else to destroy your computer when you are perfectly capable of destroying it yourself." - Roger Wright

Get Perpendicular! (Hitachi Storage)

My CodeProject Blog
Most recent blog post: April 11

Carl Mercier16-Jun-05 16:28

16-Jun-05 16:28

Yes, a MIDI pickup. But last I heard, they were not very reliable. Maybe things have changed since I got out of the proaudio industry, though!