How to Record a Song - Part 2: Recording Guitar and Bass

[line6movies]

The final installment in this series just went up yesterday. How to Record a Song - Part 6: Mixing and Mastering

[84nomas]

.. hi i really find your videos very informative, coz i am really new to home stereo recording. Can i use garageband in recording guitar parts instead if micing an amp?and later on export that file to popellerhead?does virtual line6 amp also include virtual stompboxes just like those that are in garageband?sori, im really a newbie...

[line6movies]

@84nomas Thanks for your comment. I'm happy to hear that the videos are helpful! :)

Yes, you can record in GarageBand instead of miking the amp. You could then export that file and import it into Reason. The virtual Line 6 Amp in Reason does not include stomp boxes, but Reason has several effects built in.

[b182fan97]

Do you have to record your e-guitar with a microphone or can you also just conncect your E-Guitar to the Amp and connect the line out put of the amp with the mixer and then with the computer line input ??

Ps: sorry for my bad english im german ;)

[line6movies]

@b182fan97 You can use the line out of the amp, but how that will sound depends on what type of amp you have. A Line 6 amp will feature amplifier & speaker cabinet modeling on its line output, so it will sound great direct. Some other amps without these features may not sound so good direct. In those cases, I recommend using a microphone. If you have an audio interface with an instrument input, you can also connect your guitar directly to that and use the virtual Line 6 amp in the software.

[b182fan97]

@line6movies okay thx ;)

[Hypothermia333]

What kind of firewire are you using?

[line6movies]

@Hypothermia333 Thanks for your question. I am not using FireWire in this setup. If you are referring to my audio interface, the keyboard in the video (Line 6 KB37) is also the audio interface. KB37 is a combination audio interface and MIDI keyboard controller. It connects to the computer via USB.

[dtrox84]

Is double tracking the guitar parts ideal?  I typically would do this to give the recording a more stereo sound by panning each of the two tracks.

[line6movies]

@dtrox84 Double-tracking identical guitar parts and then panning them hard left and right can be a nice effect, especially on acoustic rhythm guitar parts, as well as on rock or metal guitar parts. Randy Rhoads even doubled several of his leads. However, that effect isn't necessarily always best. There may be some situations (like leads) where you want only one guitar track. I do both ways, depending on the song I'm working on. Whatever sounds best to your ears is the best way! :-)

[thomasisatwin]

do you know how to record tracks into a CD?

[line6movies]

@thomasisatwin I export the tracks as Wave files from Reason 6, and then use iTunes to create a playlist of those Wave files and burn the CD. There are more "professional" ways than iTunes, but iTunes has been fine for me so far. Other viewers may have input in this regard. :-)

[ocapoeiristadiogo]

"turn up the volume a litle bit" all way go xD

[bluejames1998]

I have a problem. I'm COMPLETELY new to this software, I know NOTHING about it. When I go to create, it doesn't give me the option to create an audio track. Also, I can't find the Line 6 amps. They aren't there. Please help.

[mattopaipa]

@bluejames1998 I am assuming you are not using the latest version of Reason. If you are a registered owner of a previous version of Reason, and you purchase the Reason 6 Upgrade, it will give you the ability to record audio, the Line 6 amps, every software feature shown in the video, and more, including audio transpose, and three new rack effect devices not shown in the video.

[line6movies]

@bluejames1998 I am assuming you are not using the latest version of Reason. If you are a registered owner of a previous version of Reason, and you purchase the Reason 6 Upgrade, it will give you the ability to record audio, the Line 6 amps, every software feature shown in the video, and more, including audio transpose, and three new rack effect devices not shown in the video.

[lpc91]

I have a problem with using my usb microphone... it only gives me the option of using my audio driver(asio4all) or my mic at once. i can't use both at once so when im recording i cant hear it

[line6movies]

@lpc91 The manufacturer of your USB mic may be able to advise you in this regard-- I'm sure they've received the question before and may have a FAQ document about it. I did find this video that someone made about your issue. Does this help? Search YouTube for "Propellerhead Record ASIO Driver Issue Resolved."

*Please note, the video includes "authentic" language that may not be suitable for all viewers. ;-)

[TechniqueTV]

why is the bass pluged in in the keyboard instead of the ux2?

[line6movies]

@TechniqueTV It would have worked either way, but I was using KB37 for my interface in this video instead of UX2. UX2 was there for decoration. :-)

KB37 is basically a UX2 with piano keys!

[TechniqueTV]

@line6movies

ah ok thank you ;D

[Andrekikh]

I might sound a little nooby but where do you plug a guitar? Do you plug a jack into an amp and then you are miccing an amp when the mic plugged into processor( e.g.UX2) ?

[line6movies]

@Andrekikh When miking the guitar amp, I just plug the guitar into the amp as usual. Then I connect the mic directly to UX2, which is the audio interface for getting audio in and out of the computer.

If i didn't have an amp, I could plug my guitar directly into the UX2's instrument input (like when I recorded the bass in the video).

(continued in next post)

[line6movies]

@Andrekikh (cont'd from last post) As a 3rd option: The DT50 amp in the video has a great sounding line output with cabinet simulator that can be connected directly into the UX2 line input. However, I only recommend recording the line output of a guitar amp if you are using a modeling amp like DT50 or Spider. Otherwise, I would always use a mic, or mic and record the line out simultaneously on a second track as a back-up or secondary source. More info: How to Record a Song - Part 1: Set Up

[Andrekikh]

@line6movies Thank you so much! I have Line6 Spider IV 15w. I guess I don't need to mic it. Than I'll get UX1 or UX2. Thanks again! I've been looking for such video for a long time!

[line6movies]

The latest video has just been posted: How to Record a Song - Part 5: Vocals and Pitch Correction

[line6movies]

Part 4 was posted on Friday.

"How to Record a Song - Part 4: Keyboards and Editing"

[ihab666]

reference to part one i believe that the guitar was plugged directly into the interface which leaves me with one question where does the cable coming out of the amp go through?

[line6movies]

@ihab666 In this video, I have connected my guitar to the amp with a regular guitar cable as usual. I have a microphone in front of the amp, and it is connected directly to my audio interface with a standard 3-pin XLR mic cable. There is no cable coming out of the guitar amp (I am not using a line output from the guitar amp).

[theoracletwenyone]

i have a question. i tried to record via mic0ing the amp. when im recording it, its like the initial few seconds, the amplitude of the track seems higher befroe it goes low thru out the rest of the track.

thats for guitar. when i record the bass, the sounds like...how do you say, there are gaps and the amplitude is very low.

why is that so? :/

[line6movies]

@theoracletwenyone It's really hard to know what might be happening there. Always good to try some different cables if the problem sounds like it could be an intermittent connection. Is the guitar track getting quieter, or the whole song? How are you plugging your mic and bass into the computer? Are you using a Line 6 audio interface with Record, or something else?

[theoracletwenyone]

@line6movies just the guirtrar track. the amplitude goes something like ' |||||||======== ' , as if the initial amplitude is kinda high before the rest goes around half the amplitude. i didnt use a line 6 audio interface. used a behringer mini mixer. guitar/bass => amp=> mic => mixer => laptop.

[line6movies]

@theoracletwenyone Sorry, not sure what's going on there. There is nothing in the software that should cause that. It should record whatever signal level is coming in. The amplitude of the waveform shown in the Record sequencer is not affected by using the built-in compressors either. Perhaps it could it be as simple as a bad cable, or a dirty potentiometer or jack on the Behringer.

[theoracletwenyone]

@line6movies /watch?v=xoUy3DeeC9M this is a sample of the sound and the wave image of the sound. this one i used direct guitar to efx pedal to laptop via mic input

[line6movies]

@theoracletwenyone Seems like maybe the cable plugged into the laptop mic input is bad (or mic input jack is dirty). The first thing I'd try is a different cable. How are you listening to the guitar when you record it? Headphones plugged into Zoom?

[theoracletwenyone]

@line6movies i bought a new cable coz i too thot that was the case. but the problems persist. i didnt listen to what i play. i just strum it acoustically and observe the wave pattern.

[line6movies]

@theoracletwenyone Hard to know what's going on there. You are not using a Line 6 audio interface or Propellerhead software, and I don't recognize the problem as anything I've heard of before. Sorry you are having trouble. Good luck!

[YourComradeJustin]

hey its reason 5

[line6movies]

Part 3 was posted on Friday.

"How to Record a Song - Part 3: Programming Drums and Percussion"

[massgilms]

how come you plug bass straight into the line 6 modulator but record guitar from microphone?

[line6movies]

@massgilms I wanted to show how to do both methods, recording direct and recording with a mic.

[DennyKun1995]

I love my UX2 :-)

But one question why did you recorded the e-guitar with an AMP and not with an Program like the Base ?

[line6movies]

@DennyKun1995 I could have recorded it directly into the computer using the virtual Line 6 amp device in the software, and that would have sounded great. But I wanted to show how to mic an amplifier, since I think several users may have an amp they love the sound of. I think that both ways are valid and useful methods of recording guitar.

[theoracletwenyone]

@line6movies so we can record bass by placing the mic in front of the bass amp?

[line6movies]

@theoracletwenyone Absolutely. Sometimes I do both mic and direct (at the same time), so that later when I go to mix I will have two different sounds to play with.

[NailsForDinner]

Thanks dude, this was really helpful!

[MooreDrums]

the man never blinks

[peecee2000]

Thanks for this , Matt. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

Thanks also for all your Reason + Record blogs over the past year or so at Line6.com.

Essential stuff for all us Propellerhead devotees.

[line6movies]

@peecee2000 Thanks peecee2000!  :)