Direct recording for Metal guitar

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Member Since: May 25, 2011

My set up is rather simple, I have a Zoom G2 effects pedal and a fast track and or emu 0404 sound card.

I use audacity for the most part. all the effects come from the pedal. But heres my problem, I can never get a cleaner sounding guitar, its always muddy... Even when im directly pluged in and just playing the guitar it sounds great! but once i hit record the sound changes.

So far i tried

Amp direct to pc
Pedal direct to pc
Pedal to amp direct to pc
Amp to audio interface to pc
pedal to audio interface to pc
pedal to amp to audio interface to pc

and its all the same.

My last attempt i got desperate and i sadly used a USB rockband mic and hung it over the front of my amp and that was the best sound i got so far but it still is muddy at parts,





I also tried changing from the live setup to the direct in settings on my pedal and i still get the same effect. I tried lowering bass, everything.

heres the manual for my pedal
s3.amazonaws.com/samsontech/related_docs/G2.pdf

Its driving me crazy because theres people like this guy




who use simple direct in from an amp and it sounds great! no secret tech just direct out. I even seen MY same pedal in simple direct in demos, no effects and mastering sound completely differant and im using the SAME exact settings as they do.

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Rockstar Vatican Assassin
Member
Since: Mar 20, 2009


May 25, 2011 03:09 pm

If the sound is drastically changed only when you press record, it sounds like the problem exists with Audacity. Not sure if you're using linux, but I would strongly recommend Ardour over Audacity. If Windows, perhaps the drivers aren't defined in your windows Sound settings (control panel). Sometimes you have to change the native drivers to whatever your audio interface uses (playback and record).

www.TheLondonProject.ca
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2005


May 25, 2011 03:29 pm

Just sounds like it needs some eq to me. Roll off the low end and boost around 7KHz with a Q of 1 or 2

http://www.reverbnation.com/2ndg
Member
Since: Nov 27, 2007


May 26, 2011 07:18 pm

sounds like latency to me.
Do you feel like yer forever trying to catch up timing wise?

Member
Since: May 25, 2011


Jun 01, 2011 12:13 am

No, I never sound like im behind.

Uh, at least one more time . . .
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2007


Jun 01, 2011 11:12 pm

I'm with hippie on this one. I use a G1, the git direct into it, and a stereo cable out to a mixer, then into ADAT . . . really, just like you (I used to use the 0404, the same way, and never had any problems.) It sounds like an issue with the recording software, and perhaps the ASIO setup. Don't direct monitor--monitor the G2 (maybe you can't do this--you don't list a mixer) before it goes into the DAW. If you record, and then play back, does it sound like crap, or is it only when you're monitoring, and hit record, when it sounds like crap?
If you bypass direct monitoring, you'll only ever hear the guitar as you hear it as if no recording is going on. Get a cheap little mixer, use the 0404 to monitor the chain, and you should be good to go. The guitar goes into the Zoom, the Zoom goes out to the 0404, the 0404 goes into the computer/ software, and the software (via the E-mu interface) sends it's signal back to the mixer. You monitor via the headphones. You'll always hear the git like it sounds, even while recording. Now, If the recording you made sounds like crap, then it might be what hippie said. He's right about what he lists as possible issues. To me, you get more flexibility with a little (or big!) mixer, whereby you can send and receive stuff in different ways, even with a simple card like the 0404.
P.S. I'm assuming the 0404 is the PCI version--the outboard stand-alone unit inexplicably doesn't have E-mu's wonderful Patch-mix interface.

Uh, at least one more time . . .
Member
Since: Feb 07, 2007


Jun 01, 2011 11:16 pm

I listened to that video--that G2 sounds better than my crappy old G1, but the jam is pretty lame (I think). Just saying.

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