Guitar in logic

[SkyMan_5000]

My current flow is as follows...

 

Guitar > Behringer Xenyx1204FX Mixer (via 1/4 inch to 1/4 inch)

> MacBook Pro (via 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch, from Phones out to mac input.)

 

Is there a better, or more appropriate way to do this in order to get a better signal or sound, in general? Is a DI Box still necessary even with my mixer having a pre-amp?

 

On another note; Does anyone have any recommendations for a really good sounding guitar amp plug-in that sounds great, without a bunch of excess noise?

[leafcutter]

Of course the traditional method is to play the guitar through an amplifier and recorded it with a microphone. Shure SM57 is cheap and used in 98.76% of all the studios in the world.

 

You ask about "get a better signal or sound" I'm not sure what you mean by this - but i imagine that you are not happy with your current sound.

 

Guitar direct into mixer usually lacks bass and sounds quite thin. This is because the guitar needs a high impedance input, which is what you get on a guitar amp & most guitar pedals. A DI box is often used in studios, but not for a final sound, usually its recorded and treated later.

 

The headphone amp on your mixer was not designed to drive a laptop input, it will do it, but you might have better results getting the cable and connectors needed to run from your mixers main outputs to the laptop input. I imagine that would be 2 1/4" jacks to mini jack?

 

Logic 9 has 2 great amp plug-ins, i never noticed excess noise. Remember they are modeled after amplifiers, which are in-real-life noisy. There is noise in all signals, amplify the signal and you amplify the noise too.

 

good luck, do the best with what you have.

 

 

J.

[splicktik]

On another note; Does anyone have any recommendations for a really good sounding guitar amp plug-in that sounds great, without a bunch of excess noise?

 

 

 

I personally love Amplitube 3, to me is the most realistic and warm sounding plugin for guitars. Give it a try. But overall, it is better to get a USB or Firewire audio interface so you can plug your guitar and make it sound pristine.

[Antiphones]

I echo what leafcutter said. Don't use the headphone output it will add distortion to the signal. Use the main outputs of your desk into your laptop. If they are unavailable, use some other outputs or even the aux sends.

 

A DI box will give you a better sound than plugging into a mixer unless the mixer inputs are equipped to deal with guitar pickup impedance, which many are not.

 

As for am plugins, I use Waves GTR which is one of the best and features Paul Reed Smith's personal amp collection amongst many other great amps and pedals. I use this a lot and it is fantastic.

 

In an A/B test in the studio between the real mic-ed up amps and the plugin based on that, PRS himself could not tell the difference

 

There is a cut down version called GTR Solo which i think you can get on time limited demo and its quite affordable anyway. Waves also do a Paul Reed Smith DI box which I use and its excellent.

 

Having said all this, I think Logic's Amp Designer is pretty damn good.

 

If you want to a really good quality sound - don't use the built in sound card on your laptop - get a good quality firewire audio interface - you'll hear a huge difference in sound quality. Also if you get an interface you won't need the Behringer, you can plug the DI right into that. Always a good idea to minimise the signal path IMO.

 

I don't know about the specific model you have, but some of the Behringer's I've tried lost a lot of top end. For not much more a Makie is much better quality.

 

Hope that helps.

[Allanduah]

My current flow is as follows...

 

Guitar > Behringer Xenyx1204FX Mixer (via 1/4 inch to 1/4 inch)

> MacBook Pro (via 1/4 inch to 1/8 inch, from Phones out to mac input.)

 

Is there a better, or more appropriate way to do this in order to get a better signal or sound, in general?

 

Thats how I use to record my guitarist until he got the Mackie Onyx 1620i in the studio {there are other models} MASSIVE difference, at home I've got the Saffire pro 14 firewire audio interface, both with NO NEED for a DI box just plug and go...

[SkyMan_5000]

Cool deal, guys. Thanks for the info. I do realize that I am running my setup far below professional standards. I am familiar with the "correct" way of recording guitars, I just lack the gear and funds to do so. I will look into another method of running my mixer to the Mac. Again, thank you for the responses.