How To Record A Guitar Amp?
Recording a guitar amp can be tricky. There are so many things to consider. If you want the best sound possible, there are some steps to take before and during recording that will make all the difference in your audio quality. This blog post talks about these steps and gives tips on how to record a guitar amp like a pro!
- How To Record A Guitar Amp
- How To Record A Guitar Amp To An Analog Recording Device.
- How To Record A Guitar Amp To A Digital Recording Device.
- Frequently Asked Questions About Recording A Guitar Amp
- How do I record my guitar amp on my computer?
- How do I record my guitar amp without a mixing board?
- What is the difference between an analog recorder and a digital recorder?
- What is an audio interface?
- How do I mic and record my guitar amp?
- How do I record my guitar amp without a mic?
- Can I use my laptop to record my guitar amp?
- How do you record an electric guitar with an amp?
- Conclusion – How To Record A Guitar Amp
How To Record A Guitar Amp
There are two popular methods for recording a guitar amp.
- Miking the amp.
- Using an audio interface.
There are also two types of recording devices; analog and digital recording devices.
Analog recording devices are tape recorders. Digital recording devices are computers and digital audio workstations (DAWs). You will need to know which type of device you are using to record in order to know how to record your guitar amp.
How To Record A Guitar Amp To An Analog Recording Device.
Using a microphone
Using a microphone to record a guitar amp is the most popular way to record an amp. You will need a microphone, mic stand, and audio cables.
- Place the microphone in front of the amp.
- Make sure that the microphone is pointing at the speaker on the amp.
- If you are using a dynamic mic, make sure that it is close enough to the amp so that it doesn’t pick up too much unwanted noise from the room.
- If you are using a condenser mic, make sure it is far enough away from the amp so that there isn’t too much bass picked up by the microphone. You may want to use a pop filter when recording with a condenser since they are more sensitive to popping sounds.
- Connect the microphone to the audio input on the analog recorder.
- Adjust the input level on the recorder so that it is turned up high enough to get a good recording, but not too loud that it clips or distorts the sound.
Many times this method is a little oversimplified. Most people add a mixing board to the equation before connecting to the recording device. So you could have one more step involved and that is connecting the mic to the mixer and then to the analog recorder.
Using the line out.
Another popular way to record a guitar amp is by using the line out on the amplifier and then connecting it directly to an audio input on the analog recorder.
You will need two cables; one for connecting from your amp’s output (line out) to the input on either the recording device or channel input on your mixing board. Do not use a speaker output. The power output is wrong and you do not want to record the power meant to go to the speakers. Then you will need to connect the mixing board to the recording device using the second cable from the line out or sends of the mixing board to the input of the recorder.
How To Record A Guitar Amp To A Digital Recording Device.
Using A Microphone.
This is the same as recording to an analog device, but you will need to connect the microphone to an audio interface. The audio interface will convert the analog signal to a digital signal that your computer can understand.
You will need to connect the USB output of the audio interface to the USB input on your computer.
You will also need an XLR cable to connect the microphone to the audio interface.
Using The Line Out.
This is the same as recording to an analog device, but you will need to connect the guitar amp output (line out) directly to the audio interface.
You will need two cables; one for connecting from your amp’s output (line out) to the input on the audio interface and a USB cable to connect the audio interface to your computer.
If you are going to use a mixing board in the sequence then you will want to place the audio interface between the mixing board and your computer. Use the line out or send from the mixing board to the input of the audio interface and then hook up the audio interface to your computer with the USB cable.
Using A Digital Mixer
If you have the privilege of using a digital mixer then you can eliminate the need for an audio interface. Digital mixers have built-in audio interfaces.
You will need two cables; one for connecting from your amp’s output (line out) to the input on the digital mixer and a USB cable to connect the mixing board to your computer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Recording A Guitar Amp
How do I record my guitar amp on my computer?
You will need a recording device and an audio interface.
How do I record my guitar amp without a mixing board?
First, you will connect the microphone to your analog recorder using either method above. Then you can use one of two methods for connecting from the amplifier’s line out or send to the input on your recording device depending upon the type of recording device you are using.
What is the difference between an analog recorder and a digital recorder?
Analog recorders use tapes to record sound while digital recorders use files on a computer. The quality of the recorded sound is usually better with a digital recorder.
What is an audio interface?
An audio interface is a device that converts analog signals to digital signals so that they can be understood by your computer. This is necessary when using a microphone to record sound.
How do I mic and record my guitar amp?
You will need a microphone, an audio interface, and a recording device. The first two steps are the same as for any other amp; you will need to connect the mic to the audio interface and then to the recorder.
How do I record my guitar amp without a mic?
You can use the line out or send it from your guitar amp to connect directly to an audio interface. This will give you a direct signal without any microphone interference.
Can I use my laptop to record my guitar amp?
Yes, but you will need an audio interface to convert the analog signal to digital so that it can be understood by the computer.
How do you record an electric guitar with an amp?
The best way to record an electric guitar is with a microphone and an audio interface. You will need one cable for connecting the mic to your recording device and another between your amp’s line out or send and the input on the recording device.
Conclusion – How To Record A Guitar Amp
Today you learned how to record a guitar amp. You can use this knowledge for recording live or in the studio. You can use either a digital or analog recorder. You will need to know how to connect the amp’s line out/send output from your amplifier to your recording device with an XLR cable, USB cable, and one of two methods for connecting between the mixing board and computer depending on whether you have a digital mixer or not. You may also want to consider using a microphone to get the best sound quality.
Thank you for reading our article on How To Record A Guitar Amp!
