ADA Depot - A Forum To Support Users of ADA Amplification Gear
Miscellaneous => Recording - Studio Talk => Topic started by: FoneBone on August 08, 2014, 02:02:04 AM
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Hi,
I've bought an GCS-2 and thought it would be easy to record with it directly on my MacBookPro. But the sound is crappy! Do I need an audio interface?
Here is my setup...
(http://i.imgur.com/5qtjO5Cl.png)
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Hey FoneBone, Interesting patch BTW. The MacBookPro has an audio interface (line in which you are using), albeit crappy, they all are (why we spend the $s on decent I/O devices). So yes a better I/O would help/be better, but would need to be USB or apple stuff??
That said, you should be able to get reasonable results with what you have.
Lets break it down:
MP1 A out > GCS-2 > MBP line in. So mono from MP1 to GCS-2 and mono from GCS-2 to Line in (line in is stereo, if the mini jack you are plugging into the MBP is mono ?? then try pulling it out a smidge, then the tip goes to left and right line ins ( suspect this is your main problem for now ?), otherwise it goes to one channel only and can cause noise/not sound good issues). So what will be recorded (sent to MBP) is MP1 and left channel of inteleflex (depending on MP1 loop setting)
What you listen to though, through your cabs, is stereo version + BBE (which is not being recorded).
Question ? when you play something back from your MBP what do you listen to/through ?
A "better?" recording patch to try: GCS-2 in MP1 loop (turn on loop/GCS-2 when recording) > MP1 A/B to Intellifex L/R > BBE L/R > (2x mono jack to stereo mini jack) > stereo MBP line in for recording.
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Thanks for your answer rnolan and sorry for the delay. I guess my rig is now complete.
I followed your setup:
GCS-2 into Loop of ADA-MP1
MP1 A/B to Intellifex L/R to BBE L/R to FastTrack C400 1/2 (Line) to MBP (USB)... Monitoring is still a little difficult, because the internal speakers are more than weak. I decided to monitor via headphones from the C400.
Now I need some practice or/and exercise to handle all this new stuff ;D
(http://i.imgur.com/Xd7JYlQl.png)
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Hey FoneBone, very cool :thumb-up: now the fun starts LOL. You diagram didn't show the C400 (looks nice, does it sound good ??) Its the best place to monitor, either headphones (cans) or 2 of the line outs (you have 4) into your stereo ? a pair of powered monitors ? So input and output from MBP is over USB (in/out C400).
If your new to this first thing is record a track, then work out how to play it back and record another (I tend to record MP1/2 as a stereo track but you can record it as 2 separate tracks left and right).
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Hey FoneBone,
Another thing to consider is that most cab sims simulate the cabinet but not the interaction with a microphone (air movement, etc.).
If you are using a DAW software that has the option to load Impulse Responses (IRs) (for example, you can use Space Designer in Logic Pro X), you can load a microphone IR and it will "fill" out the sound. Hughes and Kettner has a free download you can use. I think it's for an SM57.
You can find the link to the IR here:
http://hughes-and-kettner.com/products/redbox-5/ (http://hughes-and-kettner.com/products/redbox-5/)
Good luck and have fun :-)
-John
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Don't sweat the lack of proper monitors, a decent set of cans will do the trick for the meantime.....
I've learned NOT to write off a recorded tone as "crappy" UNTIL I've actually heard it in a mix.
These days I will usually quadruple-track rhythm guitars. Each track, on it's own, doesn't really sound good at all, BUT hearing all four simultaneously sounds enormous and full.