Newbie Question #3

[epiphany_79]

I'm not a great guitar player, but if you give me enough takes, I'll get it figured out. Can I record guitar straight into my MBox and once I'm satisfied with my recording run the signal out to my amp and mic the amp. It's my understanding that this is called reamping? I would also call this my neighbors thanking me for not having to listen to me play so loud for so long. Would this help take off that digital edge. Would this be any better than just using a PODXT or Amlitube for that Southern Rock sound I love so much, or is it overkill. Any thoughts, and again please be specific and assume I understand nothing. Are there any potential problems I need to be aware of?

[Shan]

You will need a good D.I. box and a reamp device. You could probably get away with using your POD XT as a D.I. Some good reamp devices out there are Radial JD7, Radial X-Amp, Reamp and there are a few more.

Another thing to mention is that a clean D.I. guitar signal is way easier to make edits than a full blown squashed distorted guitar track. If you keep that in mind, you might not have to do a gazillion takes.

Another idea would be to use your PODXT to record a D.I. signal and the guitar tone that your after. Then reamp later. That way you'll be a bit more inspired recording with the sound you want instead of just a clean D.I. tone and your neighbours will still be happy.

Shane

[epiphany_79]

I'm looking to get rid of the podxt alltogether. The only reason I have the thing is for quiet direct recording, but I'm not getting enough oomph out of it. If I pick up one of those direct boxes and reamp would the sound quality be better than the podxt, or because I'm still going digital first, will I still have the problem. I also have a personus eureka, should I be using this anywhere in the set up?

[jre3132]

The only problem with recording it in, sending it back out, and re-recording it back in is you are converting analog to digital/digital to analog each time. If you're ok with that, its fine, but the Mbox isn't that great on conversion quality. If it is all you have, I would only hit the converters once and use a internal plug-in re-amping device such as Amp Farm, MCDSP Chrome Tone, or Amplitube. Each time you run through MBox converters, you lose a lot of quality.

I try to only convert once on each track (when it is inputed to the I/O) to keep the sounds as clean as possilbe.

[epiphany_79]

I guess my question is this... Is there a way (economical) to get a less digital (edgy) sound by reamping rather than using my pod. Is it not safe to assume that anyone who reamps uses this analog to digital and back method?

[jre3132]

I'm not saying you shouldn't, I'm just saying I wouldn't. Reamping can give you good results and you still have the quality of the original track to work with. Also I would try the Digi plug called LoFi. It does wonders taking quality away from tracks and giving it more character. I use it a lot of times on organ to dirty it up and give it a touch of distortion.

I usually work with the idea of: You can always take a high quality signal and knock the quality down, but if the original signal is low quality, you are very limited in your options. Through LoFi, a reamping plug, EQ, and an 1176 or some other compressor. I like Amp Farm because you have a bunch of different amps and cabinets. You can also mix and match the different amps with any of the cabinets for a bunch of different sounds.

The only time I've used the hardware insert feature of Protools is when I've had a digital effects unit. I routed it using AES/EBU so there was no conversion, it stayed digital through the entire path.

I hope that helps, or somewhat addresses your question.

[epiphany_79]

So in your opinion, using a plug in will sound more like real amped guitars than the reamping method. I just want to make sure that's what your saying. Would useing a plug in ala ampfarm or amplitube sound better than just useing my podxt? I realize this will come down to pref. but I'm asking for your opinion.

[spkguitar]

Ampfarm isn't available for LE.

In my opinion, none of the simulators sound as good as a real amplifier, even with the AD/DA/AD issues. Some, like Guitar Rig, come very close, but if I was going for pure guitar tone, and I had the option/choice of re-amping with a real amplifier or using a plugin/simulator I would chose a real amp every time.

But that's just my opinion.

[jre3132]

I think it all comes down to opinion. Either way you would be reamping, whether its physical (running back out of PT and into your amp and back in) or reamping through a plug (keeping everything internal). I agree as far as amplitube goes, it isn't as good as the real thing. I would look into LoFi if you have it, however, it won't be good by itself, you'll have to team it with another plug.

In my opinion keeping everything internal after the input conversion is the best option, unless you have a digital insert (AES/EBU). You have so much more flexibility at that point. I feel confident that I can get just as good of a tone through a direct guitar and re-amping plug as others can get through a real amp. It may take a little more work though, I'm not denying that.

You might try blending the tones too. Duplicate the track (under the File menu) and go to town. Some of the best ele tones I've done have been through 3 different amps and 3 different cabinets. One focusing on low tone with big bottom Pro, one on mid with a different amp, and one on high tones through another brittle amp (all running through) amp farm. Just blend the tones into one and you have a great tone with huge dynamic.

[Bastiaan]

Reamping is not possible with the M-box 1. It will not allow you to loop the audio. You need something else for that. On the other hand, there are other solutions (put the track on CD, and play that through the amp....gonna need some editing though...but it should work)