One of the major issues with using computerised guitar effects instead of your amp is the delay you get while the computer processes the sound and outputs it to your speakers or headhpones. This is known as latency and is a common enemy to many guitarists and sound engineers.

With all this technology available it’s quite possible to get some amazing sounds from your guitar and even make it sound like a different instrument altogether. But even with a very powerful computer there is still the issue of the slight delay from playing the note to hearing back. This makes it very hard for monitoring a track you’re playing along to or even just jamming away using the computer and software effects as an amp substitute.

Enter the ASIO

One way to get the benefit of computerised virtual effects and guitar racks – without having to suffer latency problems is to use an audio interface with stereo outputs that you plug into an amp and some external speakers. Using ASIO drivers your computer will output the sound to the interface which will then output to your amp and speakers (or headpones) with zero latency if you have a good interface.

On the left is my set up at home, you can see my beloved Fender Stratocaster, an old HiFi amp on the right, one of the speakers to its left and on top of that my audio/Midi interface which plugs into a USB port on my computer. Not to mention the obligatory headphones for those 4 am sessions.

Which Interface?

There are a few low budget and high quality audio to USB interfaces and DI (direct input) units you can get. To use this method however you need one with stereo outputs that will plug into an external amplifier and speakers.  The one I use is the M-Audio Fast Track Pro which you can see reviewed here (opens in new window). As you can see from the picture below it has stereo outputs in between the effects loop ports on the right and the MIDI in and outs on the left:

To Amp or Not Amp?

Using this method you could do away with the need for an amp altogether. However many will tell you (and I’ll agree with them) that even the most advanced softare guitar effects and racks still cannot compare to the sound of a good amp – especially a vintage one if you’re going for that sound.

But what if you want that amp sound but can’t play it loud enough to get a good recording through a microphone?

Well stay tuned for the next part in this series where we’ll get the amp to output into the audio interface using DI instead of a microphone.

The reason for this is that to get that raw guitar sound it’s much easier to record what comes out of the amp because plugging straight into a mixing desk or USB audio interface like the M-Audio Fast Track Pro you’ll end up with a sound that’s too clean.

Although you can add effects and reverb to the track afterwards these things can have a profound effect on the way you play the track in the first place.

The Amp + Microphone Method

Micing up an amp although an obvious solution is not the most practical for every home studio. Professional engineers like to have the amp in a separate room all on its own.

To get the most out this method you’ll also need to experiment with placement of the mics and amp around the room – depending on how much space you have. Another reason using the mic and amp technique does not seem that viable is that you may not be able to crank up your amp to the required volume to get a good take. Add to that the fact of the mic picking up surrounding noise if it’s not loud enough to drown out everything else.

Using Software ‘Guitar Racks’ and Direct Input Units

Another option is to plug your guitar directly into your sound card,  USB interface or Direct Input (DI) unit and record using software effects. When set up this is a very cost effective and acceptable solution for many.

But what if you’ve played around, researched and nurtured that perfect tone from your amp? Well if you’re lucky your amp just might have a DI output or even a headphone socket that you can run into your soundcard/USB interface or DI.

What works for you will depend on a lot of variables such as budget, space, what you already have, how loud you can crank up your amp, computer interfaces and more. I’d say the order of preference for the best solutions would be:

1. Mic up a good amp and capture that perfect guitar tone you’ve developed

2. Get your amp to output into the mixing desk (or computer interface) via DI or the headphone socket

3. Plug the guitar straight into your computer’s soundcard/USB interface or DI unit and use software effects and reverb.

I personally am exploring option 2 as I want my amp sound when I’m playing the track as it affects the way I play it, however I can’t crank it up too loud and I want the option to record my ideas and jam at 4am.

And my amp has a DI output socket

For a more detailed look at recording guitar I recommend you read this article by Paul White at Sound on Sound:

Recording Electric Guitar