Pro Tools Express plugins and restrictions?

[PResin]

Hi,

I finally got iLok, Fast Track Solo and Pro Tools Express running and am able to record myself by pluging in my guitar directly!

Now, I'd like to be able to add a disto to my guitar recording (clean guitar is nice but...). Can I do it by adding/selecting/buying/installing... a plugin? Or can I use the line out of my guitar amp directly in Fast Track Solo? Or is the only way to do this buying a distorsion pedal and pluging it in FTS?

By the way, what are the limitations of PT Express compared to PT (outside of the 16 tracks)? I'm thinking about the impossibility to install plugins? ...

Thanks for any info!

[Daf57]

You can do all of the above. There are some plugins, like Eleven Rack LE that, through amp modeling, will have distortion/fuzz. Or you can use the line out of your amp or you can put a pedal in the chain before the FTS. All 3 are viable methods of adding effects.

[PResin]

This looks nice! I'm still not sure to know if this is compatible with an Express version of ProTools though. Any clues?

[nst7]

Here is a comparison chart that will help:

http://www.avid.com/US/products/pro-...atures#Compare

And here is the PT Express FAQ:

http://avid.force.com/pkb/articles/en_US/FAQ/en436171

As for recording guitar with distortion, you have a few options. You mentioned you have a guitar amp. Many newer guitar amps have some kind of "emulated line out". This means that they are actually modeling the sound coming through a speaker when you are using it. Often these will be the same jacks as is used as the headphone out on the amp.

It's important to make sure that you are using something like this, as opposed to using some kind of "speaker" output, which is a no-no.


Alternatively, you can use the Eleven Free plugin that comes with Protools Express, or you can purchase 3rd party plugins.

A couple of options for this to consider:

IK Multimedia Amplitube 3. They now have a free version of this to download where they give you a few amps, cabs, and effects. In fact this also works as the main host if you buy more of their amp emulations. They have what's called the Custom Shop, where you can buy credits, and then buy individual amp, cabinet, effect, or mic emulations as you see fit. You can also demo the ones your considering for a couple of days.

But they give you a handful with the free version that will at least help you get started.


Also, Native Instruments Guitar Rig 5 Player. This is a free edition of their Guitar Rig 5 Pro. It has one amp, one cabinet, and some effects. This is also a fun way to experiment.

Note that the free Guitar Rig 5 Player is not the same as demoing Guitar Rig 5 Pro. In that case, you download the full demo, but it only works for 15 or 30 minutes (I forget which, they may have changed it). You may want to mess with that as well, but the Player version does not have that limitation.

[PResin]

Thanks for your answer!

I've tried two of your solutions:

- Eleven free plugin: I achieved to edit a recording I did in clean guitar and to change it with distortion.

- Guitar Rig: I can play real time distorted guitar pretty easily, but when recording with proTools, the recorded track is in clean guitar.

Any way to have both at the same time? (live distortion + recorded distortion)

Thanks!

[sunburst79]

Also keep an eye open as Waves has run some specials on their Guitar Amp emulator at times.

[derFunkenstein]

Originally Posted by PResin

- Guitar Rig: I can play real time distorted guitar pretty easily, but when recording with proTools, the recorded track is in clean guitar.

The recording itself is still clean, and it will be affected by inserting the Guitar Rig plugin in an insert slot on the track. If you look through your plugin menu it should be there somewhere. Don't launch it standalone outside of Pro Tools; launch it by inserting it and then clicking the button for the insert.

[andrewggah]

Does Pro Tools Express has drums? Because i could not find any