I need advice.

[icysk8r]

Ok, I am recording my own music.  I have 4/7 demos done, but I did all the instruments [other than drums] on a keyboard.  I want to use real instruments for guitar and bass on the final recordings.  I use a program called mixcraft for recording.  They said I should buy a microphone and mic an amp for recording.  Now the question is.  what amp and distortion pedal should I get?  My music sounds dream theater - ish.  So that is the guitar sound I want.  I will be using a fender Starcaster most likely.  I know it isn't the best guitar, but I am limited to resources.   Can you just tell me what amp and distortion pedal to get, and if there is anything else that I will need to make my recording sound professional?

EDIT:  i am using a Shure SM57 Cardioid Dynamic Microphone  to mic the amp.

[brakkum]

you cant just get a pedal and amp and expect that to make it sound professional...

[icysk8r]

you cant just get a pedal and amp and expect that to make it sound professional...

well what do i need then.  i don't have a billion dollars. I already have to buy mics for my drums, a midi cord, the software, vocal mic, and the guitar mic.  All of that comes up to about $450.  And I am sure I will need new heads by then.  So I need something good within the range of 100 - 200.
but I want to try to only spend 600 on al of this.

[brakkum]

if you're looking for pro tone with just an amp and a pedal you have to actually go try them yourself, you cant just expect some little cheap amp and a pedal to sound good without trying them and knowing how they react to your playing.

[icysk8r]

if you're looking for pro tone with just an amp and a pedal you have to actually go try them yourself, you cant just expect some little cheap amp and a pedal to sound good without trying them and knowing how they react to your playing.

thats the thing.  I don't play.  And I doubt the person who is recording for me wants to go to guitar center with me to try out amps...

[jfwund]

OK, if you only need it for recording, and your budget is between $1-200 (American?), you might think about something like a Tech 21 Sansamp, or perhaps see if Line6 has a mini-POD or recording amp. The Tech 21 stuff sounds really good, and Line 6 has a reputation as decent for recording (I'm not the biggest fan of digital amps, but that's me). Keep in mind it's been probably 6 or 7 years since I was in a band, and I haven't kept up with the latest and greatest in technology, but an amp modeling box might be what you're looking for.

[Fuzzboy]

Line 6 Pocket POD

Behringer V-Amp, V-amp PRO

IMO, the V-Amp PRO is the way to go. (lolrhyme )

[icysk8r]

Line 6 Pocket POD

Behringer V-Amp, V-amp PRO

IMO, the V-Amp PRO is the way to go. (lolrhyme )

\

can you tell me more about the v-amp pro?  Tell me everything about it, because obviously ,  i am a noob at this kinda stuff, and am not a guitarist.  Do I still need a microphone, or does this somehow go on to the computer.  Do I need anything else for it?  and which one do I get? because there is like "amp modeling processor"  and there is "Multi effects processor"  and others. it is all just so confusing to me.  Would I still need a distortion pedal?

[jfwund]

Here's the Musician's Friend listing for Behringer V-amps :

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=behringer+v+amp&src=3WWRWXGB&ZYXSEM=0

You won't need effects or anything else, you plug it right into the computer/recording setup.
Amp modelers, well, model amps.   They simulate different types of amplifier/speaker/miking setups, some of them so well that you can't really tell the difference b/n the real thing. They will also usually have effects built in, and depending on your recording setup, you can probably also add effects after recording as well.  Modelers are meant to replace amplifiers in recording (or in performance by plugging directly into the PA)

Multi Effects processors are usually designed to work in conjunction with an amplifier, not instead of one, so you won't want just a multi-fx

Guitar --> Modeler --> Computer
No need for extra microphones, etc. (and no ambient noise bleeding in, either).

Hope that helps

[icysk8r]

Here's the Musician's Friend listing for Behringer V-amps :

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/navigation?q=behringer+v+amp&src=3WWRWXGB&ZYXSEM=0

You won't need effects or anything else, you plug it right into the computer/recording setup.
Amp modelers, well, model amps.   They simulate different types of amplifier/speaker/miking setups, some of them so well that you can't really tell the difference b/n the real thing. They will also usually have effects built in, and depending on your recording setup, you can probably also add effects after recording as well.  Modelers are meant to replace amplifiers in recording (or in performance by plugging directly into the PA)

Multi Effects processors are usually designed to work in conjunction with an amplifier, not instead of one, so you won't want just a multi-fx

Guitar --> Modeler --> Computer
No need for extra microphones, etc. (and no ambient noise bleeding in, either).

Hope that helps

yes that helps a lot.  can I use it for bass as well?

[jfwund]

They sell bass modelers as well, and the Sansamp works for both. Since Behringer has a separate bass v-amp, I'm guessing that the guitar modeler is just for guitar, and the bass just for bass. It looks like there's a floor-pedal for the bass v-amp for $30, so that might be the way to go if you're on the budget...

[icysk8r]

They sell bass modelers as well, and the Sansamp works for both. Since Behringer has a separate bass v-amp, I'm guessing that the guitar modeler is just for guitar, and the bass just for bass. It looks like there's a floor-pedal for the bass v-amp for $30, so that might be the way to go if you're on the budget...

actually, my bass isn't complicated, I might as well just use the keyboard...

[brakkum]

digital amps 

but whatever works for you with your price range is good enough i guess.

[icysk8r]

digital amps 

but whatever works for you with your price range is good enough i guess.

why don't you like them?

[jfwund]

I agree with Brakkum here -- if you've got the cash, digital amps (and also solid-state amps, although this is more of a debate) are inferior tone-wise and responsiveness-wise to tube (valve) amps.

Digital amps/pre-amps tend to be "cold" sounding, can be somewhat sterile. Most guitarists prefer tube amps for a warmer, more organic sound. Not that digital amps sound bad, per se, but that they're not usually associated with "good tone." The tube amps overdrive is gorgeous and natural sounding compared to a simulation of that sound (which is what you're going to get with a modeler).  Petrucci's Mesa Boogies, for instance, are tube amps. Marshalls also make very nice tube amps. Other famous names are Vox (think Beatles tone) and Fender (Stevie Ray Vaughan and nice clean tones).

You're not going to find anything like this for under $200, and if you do, it won't offer the variety of sounds/tone palette that you'll want if you're making Dream Theater-esque music.

Check out Harmony Central's user reviews to get more of an idea of the strengths and limitations of what you're looking at. That place is invaluable for researching musical equipment.

[sneakyblueberry]

^ All of this.

But that said, if you just wanna get these songs down for demo-ing purposes, theres nothing wrong with using digital amp processors and lower-end gear.  The main thing is that you get a listenable mix of the music you created.  Tone and quality of gear etc. becomes more important as you begin to want to sell your music or use it to represent yourself as a musician.  If you're just gonna be listening to these recordings yourself or using them to show prospective band mates, theres nothing wrong with doing it 'bare bones' so to speak.

Think of all those old blues musicians, Son House, Robert Johnson, Willie McTell etc.  The only thing left of these guys' music are crappy recordings on shitty equipment, yet they inspired a whole generation of musicians.  Quality of music comes before quality of sound to a degree IMO

[brakkum]

exactly what they said.

[TimmyHiggy]

for a demo, bass should sound fine going direct into your computer with a bit of reverb added afterwards.

[brakkum]

for a demo, bass should sound fine going direct into your computer with a bit of reverb added afterwards.

through some interface yes, not the input.

[sneakyblueberry]

I'll be interested in hearing how it turns out if you wanna share it round too.

[icysk8r]

yeah, but I want this to be a final copy, that I am going to use on myspace and stuff...  So I want it to sound, OK...  Will it sound at least half good if I use the v-amp pro?  because I don't have a trillion dollars...
and you can see some of my demos here[link at bottom]... check them out [minus the voices and another day drumless tracks I made]
they are very out of sync, because they are just demos, and I gusee they might have got screwed up in the uploading process.  but imagine if they were synced up, and I was using a metronome, andtell me what you think.  These are 4/7 tracks for a concept album.
[the piano-ish strings sound is the vocals, I think You will be able to tell what the vocals are.  The songs go in this order
overture
the girl
broken love affair
the calm departure.

heres the link...
https://www.4shared.com/dir/14271350/80f6647e/sharing.html

[cthrubuoy]

I wouldn't worry too much about sound quality if you're uploading to Myspace, because it compresses it to hell anyway.

[icysk8r]

I wouldn't worry too much about sound quality if you're uploading to Myspace, because it compresses it to hell anyway.

im doing cd's too though.  to get my name out there, so when I get older, I will have more people who know me.

[sneakyblueberry]

I'd say you'd have a lot better material coming up dude, you're only fourteen.  When you're older these songs will seem old/silly to you, as you would've improved a lot more.

[brakkum]

I'd say you'd have a lot better material coming up dude, you're only fourteen.  When you're older these songs will seem old/silly to you, as you would've improved a lot more.

pretty much.

[ZBomber]

These are 4/7 tracks for a concept album.

What's the concept?

[DannyVaz]

I'd say if you've got the money, buy a Digitech RP500. You won't need an amp, and you can get some nice sounds out of it. Other multi-effect processors would be cheaper, but they might not sound as great. Also, if you get an amp eventually, you can use the RP500's stompboxes, and still use the amp's channels and stuff.

[icysk8r]

These are 4/7 tracks for a concept album.

What's the concept?

it is titled "serenity of a dream", and it is about a girl who is abused and mistreated.  and the only place she finds peace and happiness is in her dreams.  she wants to dream forever.  so she runs away and kills herself...  then... nevermind, I'll save the rest for when it comes out in about a year.

[ZBomber]

These are 4/7 tracks for a concept album.

What's the concept?

it is titled "serenity of a dream", and it is about a girl who is abused and mistreated.  and the only place she finds peace and happiness is in her dreams.  she wants to dream forever.  so she runs away and kills herself...  then... nevermind, I'll save the rest for when it comes out in about a year.

Sounds a lot more interesting than I was expecting it to be. Do you have any lyrics or anything you can post for one of the songs, or are they not written yet?

[icysk8r]

These are 4/7 tracks for a concept album.

What's the concept?

it is titled "serenity of a dream", and it is about a girl who is abused and mistreated.  and the only place she finds peace and happiness is in her dreams.  she wants to dream forever.  so she runs away and kills herself...  then... nevermind, I'll save the rest for when it comes out in about a year.

Sounds a lot more interesting than I was expecting it to be. Do you have any lyrics or anything you can post for one of the songs, or are they not written yet?

they are written, but I am not home.  I will send them to you on monday night or tuesday if I can remember.

[austin]

If you're good enough with software, you can make anything sound great - I can get pro-sounding recordings from my bedroom using my 98$ wal-mart guitar and 10 watt wal-mart amp, mic'd with one of these dealios -

grand total of under 150 bucks, none of which I paid 
It's all the computer for me - I run everything through adobe audition and if I tweak it right I get amazing results

[DannyVaz]

Apart from the walmart guitar and amp, we have the same setup! 
Except I use a karaoke mic, which is broken, but I still get some amazing recordings using Audition and some VST's. Good enough for a demo I'd say icysk8er.

[brakkum]

great concept, but make sure to get plenty of opinions on it when it is done, you want to make it flow well and tell a memorable story.

[SnakeEyes]

The POD Farm is awesome.  Check into that. 

[brakkum]

a month later... haha.