Your experience of recording guitar to DAW options

lukedlb

The way I see it is there are 4 options to recording a guitar track on a DAW:

1. Mic amp, through an audio interface to DAW
   1.1. Isobox
   1.2. Cupboard under the stairs

2. Guitar direct to audio interface to Amp-sim/plug-in to DAW
   2.1. Guitar to Amp sim pedal to Cab sim pedal to Audio Interface to DAW
   2.2. Guitar to Digital Profiler (Kemper, Ampli, HX) to DAW

3. Amp into OX Box (or similar) to audio interface to DAW

4. Amp LINE OUT to A/D audio interface to DAW

Recording at home requires space, time, convenience and low volume. Here's how I could face these options:

1. I could record in my cellar. However, my old Shure SM58, laptop and my old Audio interface failed to produce good results, with awful latency and nothing like what I actually hear in the room. Time and convenience (family and late night) makes it unsuitable.

2. Play directly into my super spec 2019 iMac with headphones. Frankly, I've never done it. It goes against the sonic joy of playing through incredible boutique and special vintage amps. I'm sure technology has progressed since digital Zoom pedals. Still, it would be silent and convenient. Probably a super fast audio interface would help. I'm thinking an apollo X duo Quad.

3. With all my effort into sourcing amps, the OX box would digitally convert them into some excellent speaker simulations and mics. A good 1200 quid investment plus an audio interface. I could play silently with headphones too. It would mean that the cabs I have at home, which are integral to the sound, would be forfeit. Still, I doubt I will ever own the skills to properly mic an amp. Ox box convenience wins over cabinet sonic glory.

4. I could use the line out on my Redplate into an Apollo X into a DAW. And here I need tFB's advice: would the Apollo handle all the speaker sim and recordings mics internally so that I could practice on headphones. Is there any way to make it a stand alone device (or use an iPad to control it)?

A quality audio interface is essential on all 4 solutions. Is the apollo X duo quad core overkill? I could start with option 4 and see how it sounds.

Will the apollo X plus LUNA DAW with standard plug-ins do me fine (Marshall Plexi is good for me)?

What elements of option 3 (the OX Box) for recording are available through option 4 (amp LINE OUT)?

Please let me know your thoughts and experience of home recording where volume and convenience are paramount.

Stuckfast

There are other options. For instance, you could record the DI'd signal and use an amp simulator as a placeholder sound. Then, when you feel able to make some noise, you can re-amp that signal through a real amplifier and play around with mic positions until you have it sounding like you want, and record that.

Danny1969

I started out recording direct back in the days when the only direct recording interface was the Rockbox. So it was Rockbox into an AWE32 soundcard Then I had various things like Pods, then I built a small studio and mic'ed amps in a dog cage covered in blankets to reduce the volume. Then I built a huge commercial studio and multi mic'ed amps with close and room mics. 

Now I have an amp cupboard under the stairs, I have a Marshall, a Fender HRD, a Blackstar and a Bugera in there with a mic stand and already rigged mic which I can just put on any of the amps. 

Personally I like the Kemper and AxeFX for really heavy sounds but prefer mic'ing an amp for most styles of rock, pop, country 

pintspiller

Chosen amp/head speaker out > Two Notes Torpedo Captor > Focusrite > Reaper on Laptop

This has been by method of late, as I've never liked amp sim VSTs in Reaper. I recently tried again (for bass only) as I was able to get AmpliTube 4 for free by registering my Focusrite, but I scrapped that in favour to using Bass Professor Mark II (a JS plugin, but I can't remember how I got hold of it). However, I may revert back to the Captor for bass too.

Legionreturns

SM58 is not really much good for recording amps. SM57 is the simplest and quickest way to get a marked improvement on what you're doing. 

pintspiller

I always thought a 57 and a 58 was the same thing, just a different shape to the grille?

Danny1969

pintspiller said:

I always thought a 57 and a 58 was the same thing, just a different shape to the grille?

They are, Just unscrew the grill of a 58 to a 57 ish pattern ... plosives aren't an issue with guitar so you don't need the grill on 

west

pintspiller said:

I always thought a 57 and a 58 was the same thing, just a different shape to the grille?

As i understood it a 58 has a presence peak ...

lukedlb

Stuckfast said:

There are other options. For instance, you could record the DI'd signal and use an amp simulator as a placeholder sound. Then, when you feel able to make some noise, you can re-amp that signal through a real amplifier and play around with mic positions until you have it sounding like you want, and record that.

This sounds interesting although I admit I don’t really understand. Please hold my hand as you take me through. 

In any case, option 1 is out due to inconvenience. 

. 

Now I have an amp cupboard under the stairs, I have a Marshall, a Fender HRD, a Blackstar and a Bugera in there with a mic stand and already rigged mic which I can just put on any of the amps. 

Unless I had a cupboard. I did consider the isobox option. Yet that does forfeit the sonic quality of an actual cabinet. However, I did forfeit it the cabs in options 3&4. 

lukedlb

west said:

pintspiller said:

I always thought a 57 and a 58 was the same thing, just a different shape to the grille?

As i understood it a 58 has a presence peak ...

Part of my worry is falling down the mic rabbit hole. I’ve enough of them as is. 

lukedlb

pintspiller said:

Chosen amp/head speaker out > Two Notes Torpedo Captor > Focusrite > Reaper on Laptop

This has been by method of late, as I've never liked amp sim VSTs in Reaper. I recently tried again (for bass only) as I was able to get AmpliTube 4 for free by registering my Focusrite, but I scrapped that in favour to using Bass Professor Mark II (a JS plugin, but I can't remember how I got hold of it). However, I may revert back to the Captor for bass too.

Is this option 3? A cheaper / better solution to the ox box / Apollo x?

digitalscream

There's no need to spend as much money as you're looking at.

Load box into interface and IRs will do the job nicely. An Apollo would be pointless, because all you're using it for is a line in, not the preamp.

Get a Captor and something like a Komplete Audio 6, plug your amp into the Captor, plug it into the interface and load some IRs in your DAW, probably about £400 all-in. Experiment with IRs to find out what you like and what you don't like. Then, armed with that knowledge...if you feel you need to take it a bit further, get/borrow some of those mics and make your own IRs from your cab and those mics.

spark240

I use Kemper direct into DAW....works for me.

  I can always record dry signal as well for re-amp later on ...

poopot

Download “scutham sgear” record your guitar using that plugin on your iMac...it sounds great as is... but you then have the DI guitar to bounce out to your laptop and reamp in the basement when time let’s you... 

reamp a few times with multiple mic placements, levels of gain, fx etc etc and then import the reamps back into logic? On your iMac for that massive guitar sound!...

lukedlb

digitalscream said:

There's no need to spend as much money as you're looking at.

Load box into interface and IRs will do the job nicely. An Apollo would be pointless, because all you're using it for is a line in, not the preamp.

Get a Captor and something like a Komplete Audio 6, plug your amp into the Captor, plug it into the interface and load some IRs in your DAW, probably about £400 all-in. Experiment with IRs to find out what you like and what you don't like. Then, armed with that knowledge...if you feel you need to take it a bit further, get/borrow some of those mics and make your own IRs from your cab and those mics.

I have a Presonus FireStudio Mobile. Should that do the trick of the Complete Audio 6? With a mic running through it for Voice Over work on headphones (direct from the Presonus) was nothing like what was actually recorded. I actually thought the mic was bust until I heard the recording. Then again, I am bluffing it a bit and pushing buttons on virtual panel until something works.

So the Apollo's benefit of decent preamps and processing power would be pointless? 

lukedlb

poopot said:

Download “scutham sgear” record your guitar using that plugin on your iMac...it sounds great as is... but you then have the DI guitar to bounce out to your laptop and reamp in the basement when time let’s you... 

reamp a few times with multiple mic placements, levels of gain, fx etc etc and then import the reamps back into logic? On your iMac for that massive guitar sound!...

is this akin to a more analogue attempt at using a looper as a 2nd pair of hands while I move the mic around the room with headphones on to get a decent recorded sound?

While recording is the end goal, silent practice is equally important.

lukedlb

Can anyone confirm using the LINE OUT on the amp as being a good solution? Is it the same as getting a signal with something like the Torpedo Captor?

Nerine

Most of the options have already been stated but I will just say to not underestimate the Ox. It’s killer. 

stratology

Kemper > audio interface > DAW here.

This sounds much better than any amp & mic combination I've tried before.


I tried software amps, like the ones that come with Logic and Digital Performer, as well as Guitar Rig, found them all completely useless for guitar, only useful as special FX for synths or other instruments.

Branshen

Similar to @stratology and @spark240 ;

ampli firebox > DAW for me. It sounds great and is so simple to set up. Better than VSTs because there is no latency

lukedlb said:

Can anyone confirm using the LINE OUT on the amp as being a good solution? Is it the same as getting a signal with something like the Torpedo Captor?

 Depending on the cab sim built into your amp. I've tried this with some cheaper practice amps and they were not great.

Keefy

Guitar > Revival Drive (amp sim) > Torpedo CAB (speaker sim) > DAW

Works for me.