Can I replace amp and effects with my laptop?

guitarer

Hello!

Is it possible to connect my electric guitar to my laptop and hear the music from there?

I would like to do this first because I don't have space for an amp but most importantly because I am looking for the greatest flexibility to create sounds like make my guitar sound like a violin etc. And I assume this versatility in a standalone amp/effect would be quite bulky and expensive while a laptop/software solution would be cheaper and offer more options.

Any ideas?

pintspiller

For home practise I plug into a Behringer GDI into an M-Audio USB into s PC running Windows XP to play along to MP3 files

fretmeister

Focusrite interface and Helix Native.

You'll still need good monitors or headphones.

thegummy

As long as the laptop is decent spec and you get an audio interface you can plug the guitar in and have it sound like it's going through an amp and effects.

Dunno about making the guitar sound like a violin or anything, it'll still sound like a guitar.

Do you maybe mean a MIDI pickup where the guitar detects what note is being played and plays that note through a synth rather than the actual audio of the string coming through?

guitarer

thegummy said:

Do you maybe mean a MIDI pickup where the guitar detects what note is being played and plays that note through a synth rather than the actual audio of the string coming through?

Yes.

Which device is the cheapest to fit my requirements?

Have

thegummy

guitarer said:

thegummy said:

Do you maybe mean a MIDI pickup where the guitar detects what note is being played and plays that note through a synth rather than the actual audio of the string coming through?

Yes.

Which device is the cheapest to fit my requirements?

Have

No idea about that really, the ones I've seen haven't been cheap, wouldn't be surprised if there weren't any cheap ones.

If you just wanted it to sound like a guitar amp with guitar pedals it's easy and cheap but for the midi thing you might need a specific guitar or pickup or maybe at least some kind of hardware box.

I have tried a software solution before but didn't have much luck with it. Admittedly, I play keys too so wasn't determined to get it to work enough to put a lot of time in to.

Hope someone can help you who knows more.

blobb

JamOrigin

Grangousier

I got one of these on here for cheap and it works perfectly well: http://www.sonuus.com/products_g2m.html About seventy quid at Andertons. 

Some latency, but not bad, and only monophonic. 

As far as I can tell the most modern polyphonic solution is the Fishman Tripleplay (which I've not used) - about twice that.

The other solutions (Roland GK-3 pickup/GR55 or SY-1000) are pretty costly. 

It works fine, but there's alway just enough lag in my experience to mean you can't go above a certain speed. Plug it into a muted trumpet and it's pretty good abstract Miles Davis, but you're not going to be able to do Dizzy Gillespie. 

Grangousier

If you did want to shell out and get a GR-55 (which needs a 13-pin cable and hex pickup on the guitar), I used to have one of these: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/173985/telemods-yamaha-pacifica-hss-with-midi-seymour-duncan-texas-loco-earvana-etc-200-crazy#latest (well, it was a tele-shaped model, but the same upgrade) and it was very good - I sold it on here a couple of years, because I only had a need for one Roland-ready guitar.

TTony

guitarer said:

 but most importantly because I am looking for the greatest flexibility to create sounds like make my guitar sound like a violin etc. 

If you have an iPad, then  this might be an option?

You'd need a guitar to iPad interface, but those are cheap enough.  You can then use any guitar.

There are various sounds built into the app, but not violin (as far as I can see), so then it depends on whether violin sound is a critical requirement, or whether the other sounds in the app are sufficient.

mucksavage

Something like this could be an option?
https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/pxp200316357264001-4568412--godin-xtsa-sunburst-pre-owned-17383165

If you're not planning on recording anything complex or busy you'd scrape by with a keyboard and post editing out any mistakes by changing pitch of recorded notes

57Deluxe

I have a Behringer UMC22 U-PHORIA Audio Interface and Guitar Rig 5 and Cubase with my laptop but I would hate to rely on this. Give me just an amp (any amp!) any day; guitar sounds better and no fiddle-faddling.

Part II

Also, forgot - I can actually play (+sample/record) guitar through my Korg Triton Extreme Workstation... still prefer an amp...