5E3 to USB

[KYChucky]

So far I have only just started making recordings from my Pod to Garage band. I have been plugging the pod's direct out to the mic input on the side of the mac. laptop. works ok. Was sort of shopping for a way to not use the pod. and was thinking about a guitar to USB cable or an interface unit. It got me wondering...since I have a 5E3 and the signal is available from the other input jack..can I run that right into the computer....? In other words, instead of jumping channel can I run the jumper to the computer via USB using the 5E3 like a preamp..sort of?

[Kap'n]

You can pad the extension jack signal pretty easily and adapt it to a USB connector. Weber's got a kit, but schematics have been published by Gerald Weber (probably drawn by Ken Fischer) and Guitar Player - probably Craig Anderton's work.

The Weber schematic:



Some people might add a bright cap from hot to wiper on the pot for a bit more presence.

Clean, a 5E3 puts out around 12V for a 8 ohm load. You can use that to scale the dropping resistor, depending on the signal level.

[KYChucky]

OK, possibilities.... . thanks.

[Rickenjangle]

Chucky, I'd look at one of the Blue mics. Specifically, the Snowball. It's a USB condenser mic. Otherwise, another option is to get an H&K Redbox, run it from the ext. speaker out, and then get a $20 line-to-USB adapter.

I doubt using your 5e3 as a preamp is going to give you great tone without some kind of cab sim...or the USB mic'ing option of course which will include the amp's cab.

[Rickenjangle]

Oh, and the mic in question is not actually colored Blue, that's the brand. The mic looks exactly like a snowball, actually
--big, round, and white.

[KYChucky]

This all is sort of running around in my head since I downloaded the free version of Amplitube 3, and thinking about ways to get the guitar signal to the computer.

[Offshore Angler]

This all is sort of running around in my head since I downloaded the free version of Amplitube 3, and thinking about ways to get the guitar signal to the computer.

With amplitude all you need is a small mixer. You can use the effects send from the git channel to the input, and the computer headphone jack to back to the mixer to monitor via the control room function.

But really, for one or two channels for funzees USB is fine and there are plenty of cheap input devices around.

[TT100]

If you have a good mic, a Shure X2u works well for getting mic to USB. There are others too.

TT

[KYChucky]

well I feel sort of stupid.. The Pocket Pod finally died.. funny thing is all this time I was plugging from the Pod straight in to the mac's sound card. I thought the pod was doing something doing 'something' to my guitar signal. It was really the sound card in the computer. A little research shows its CD quality conversion unit right in the computer. So I made my self a 1/4 to 1/8" cord, plug strait in to the free version of amplitube 3 in the mac.. use nice headphones. It pritty much sounds fantastic, and it was all more or less free (minus the computer that I have to have) Now why do have to have anything else? The free version of amplitube 3 has like what 5 cabs, 3 amps, studio modeling....tuner, a few stomps...satisfied... also I can split the signal and run L and R into it from my effects board with Boomerang is stereo so is my tuner (my 1/4" to 1/8" cord has two 1/4" ends wired so I can have stereo going into the computer - - the free Aplitube3 will even set up a two amp rig. I guess for me I was lucky I got this hand me down mac book pro 17 with the sound card right in it.. one less thing. I use this set up every morning with coffee and homebrew strat.

[chuckocaster]

Very nice! I don't even fire up my amps when I make demos at home. I have Logic Pro, with ALL the goodies. Their modeling is ridiculous!!! My ears, and some I really trust, have a very hard time picking out what was "in the box" & what was "real".

Digital modeling has come a long way, and I for one am happy about that!

[KYChucky]

hummm... well I like it but I'm not happy about it. Because its a model, an imitation of something else. Here I go, no disrespect intended, I have more hours through modeling tools than tubes:

But,,, Its not a sound all its own, not an original. I know there are some sounds you cant get any other way and that I do like....I find it interesting that we all want this new thing to sound as much like the old thing as possible. Im sure that deep down that bothers most of us a little. I mean when this all started, this amplification thing, were they trying to find the sound of an acoustic? if so how long did it take them to scrap it and embrace the new tone?.. I know we have so many tools at our disposal and many of us make sounds that dont resemble a guitar at all in the end. But the focus seems to be imitation, from the fake aged guitars being marketed to the modeling software that imitates every possible variable. Its an aesthetic debate... But Im sure one of the quick and obvious responses is, if it sounds good to you it is good...and do you really want to mess with all those cords and mics to get a good recording? It certainly has its place. and its place is widening.

[fatdog]

Hi Chuck.... Not sure if it's worth considering, but I ended up getting a Zoom h4n, recording gizmo for this sort of thing.

It was originally something that I was getting to avoid bringing laptops, sound cards to record rehearsals - and I was missing the days of recording to casette, and playing it back in the car on the way home.

Really impressed with the Zoom. It has built in stereo condenser mics. Can run off batteries (no more wires!). Records at all quality levels, wav/320kbs mp3 etc., up to 4 tracks at once (2 via it's stereo mics and 2 instrument inputs), and can even do track bouncing etc. Everything is recorded directly to an SD card, which I pop into the PC to edit etc. It also comes with a nice mic attachment that allows you to use a standard mic stand for positioning it...

A youtube link... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXSeSZq-9IM

FD.

[chuckocaster]

No disrespect taken, AT ALL! :) At the end of the day they're all just tools. Do I think the Logic amps sound exactly like my amps? No. Do they sound goo? Hell yeah they do! Will the digital modeling replace me recording real amps? In some cases yes, but in some cases no.

What they have allowed me to do is make great sounding demos at home, without pissing off the neighbors. In very little time I can piece together a drum track that sounds nice, and then overdub bass and guitar. I can also put down some convincing keyboard parts. This is a FAR leap from how I did this sort of thing 13 years ago, when I had an early version of ProTools, the first version of Amp Farm, and crappy ass drum samples. THAT'S why I'm excited about the setup I have, and latency is pretty much nonexistent!

Everything has it's time and place. I plan on recording an album this year at a wonderful studio I helped build. It's gorgeous! Hardwood floors, walls, and ceilings. The acoustics in there are phenomenal, but it costs bookoo bucks to record there. So instead of making some lameo demos for my band to listen and play to. I instead can make some really good demos on my Mac, where the only mic I need is for vocals. And trust me, it's way better to give the musicians something decent to listen and practice along to, than some piece of shit I could make on a Tascam Portastudio. Been there, done that.

It's horses for courses my man. I'm a "feel" player, meaning that I like to be in the room playing and interacting with my amp. But since I live in a duplex, that's a no go. Do I think my home rig is the end all be all? Hell no! But I will go out on a limb and say that what's possible for me to do in my "music room", with less than $3,000 worth of recording equipment, is WAY better than 7 % of the stuff I've heard come out of "real" local studios. And I'm not just saying that because I think I'm better than anyone else, cuz I'm not.

The deal is tho, you have to work with what you got. And most importantly, make the best of it.

[chuckocaster]

70%, not 7%...