# Need more recording help



## Marlon (Sep 9, 2007)

So I finally got recording to work but now I have new problems. I plugged in my amp to the recording line in port on my laptop and set up audacity so that everything works. However, when recording I get really annoying background noise... What can I do to get a perfectly clear sound?


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## Krimson (Dec 22, 2008)

Define "background noise"? Since your going amp line out direct to PC I'm guessing you are not referring to ambient noises being picked up by a Mic. Do you mean like a low-tone hum in the recording? It may be a ground-loop which is common when you are connecting an audio source to your PC.

Explained in this links:
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1994_articles/aug94/groundloops.html

If that's not what it is, it may help to post a little clip or something so that we know what "noise" you are referring to.


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## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

Krimson said:


> It may be a ground-loop which is common when you are connecting an audio source to your PC.


You need an interface between the amp's line-out and the computer's line-in. I am not sure what options are out there though. I personally use a USB condenser mic in front of the amp for recording.


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## Marlon (Sep 9, 2007)

I'm talking about the low hum noise just like like you said. 

How about a Tascam US 144?


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

Marlon said:


> I'm talking about the low hum noise.


A few questions:

1) What amp/guitar are you using and do you hear the hum when you're playing normally? 

2) If you are hearing a hum during normal play, what type is it.... single coil from your pickups that increase or decrease with volume; a hum that goes away when you touch the strings of your guitar; a hum that's present no matter what you do? 

3) How exactly are you connecting your amp to you laptop (ie; types of cables and adapters)?

I record direct from my amp into my PC using Audacity as well. Answering the above questions will help diagnose the problem, but my gut tells me it's what you're using to connect your amp to your laptop, especially if there's some sort of adapter involved. I had a similar issue at one time.


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## Marlon (Sep 9, 2007)

All good questions. I should've put them in my first post. 



Fajah said:


> A few questions:
> 
> 1) What amp/guitar are you using and do you hear the hum when you're playing normally?
> 
> ...


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

> I'm using a 3.5mm male to male connector that I plug into my amp and into the line in on my laptop


Let's talk about the connection first. I use two high quality guitar cables, one being the guitar to the amp of course. On my Roland I have a choice between Line Out where you would here the amp's speaker, or Record Out/Headphones where you don't hear the amp's speaker. I use the latter so I hear my playing out of my PC speakers only. The pic below shows the chord that goes from my amp to my PC and the adapter I use to plug into the LIne In of my sound card. Is this similar to what you're using?


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## Marlon (Sep 9, 2007)

Actually I have a 3.5mm thing on my amp already, so I just I use a 3.5mm male to male cable. It says "PHONES" on it.


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## Marlon (Sep 9, 2007)

Would a USB device like the Tascam US 144 help make the recording quality better?


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

Marlon said:


> Actually I have a 3.5mm thing on my amp already, so I just I use a 3.5mm male to male cable. It says "PHONES" on it.


I had the same thing on a small bass amp I had and I could never get it to record properly, so I went with the set up shown in the pic and it was way better. But I need to look into this a bit further and will get back to you. By the way, I used to own a Vox AD30VT so I'm somewhat familiar with your amp.


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## Marlon (Sep 9, 2007)

Great, thanks man.


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

Marlon said:


> Would a USB device like the Tascam US 144 help make the recording quality better?


I'm not that familiar with the Tascam, but if you're plugging your guitar directly into it and bypassing your Vox, I would say yes.


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## Marlon (Sep 9, 2007)

Oh, I thought you plug it into your amp and then into the USB device...

So is the Tascam only good for direct recording without the amp? Would all the effects have to be software generated or can you still connect pedals?


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

Marlon said:


> Oh, I thought you plug it into your amp and then into the USB device...
> 
> So is the Tascam only good for direct recording without the amp? Would all the effects have to be software generated or can you still connect pedals?


If I were you at this point, I would do two things;

1) Go here to get a good overview of the Tascam product. I'm sure there's all sorts of useful info on the web as well.

http://www.tascam.com/products/us-144;9,15,70,19.html

2) Go to Future Shop and get the adapter that is shown in the pic that I uploaded. It's cheap. With it, you can plug your guitar directly into your PC and do a trial recording just to see if the hum you're experiencing is gone.

Then you can go from there.


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## Marlon (Sep 9, 2007)

I got the adapter and yes the recording quality is better. Thanks for your help.

I still need a usb recording device though. I'm looking at either the Line 6 UX2 or the Tascam US-144. Which should I get?

I'm planning to record directly to my pc and use a multi effects processor like the X3 Live, and at the same time use my amp. Which of these two products would make this the simplest?


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

Marlon said:


> I got the adapter and yes the recording quality is better. Thanks for your help.


My pleasure Marlon. At least your in the right direction now. 



> I still need a usb recording device though. I'm looking at either the Line 6 UX2 or the Tascam US-144. Which should I get?
> 
> I'm planning to record directly to my pc and use a multi effects processor like the X3 Live, and at the same time use my amp. Which of these two products would make this the simplest?


I'll have to let others contribute on this topic. I've never used other devices between my amp an PC. Good luck though.


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