Curt-Mitchell.com

[Smoke]

I am starting out on this whole computer recording thing.

I have clicked around a little bit and looked for clues in previous posts. I am not sure what I am looking for but here is the problem I am having. I think I need a volume control, something in the middle of the connection.

I plug my laptop into my amp from the headphone jack to record. And I have to use the jack converter in order to plug into the smaller laptop jack. But, I can't really turn the volume down enough to keep the sound from going into the red.

I also plug my Iphone into the CD input jack on the amp and play with backing tracks.

What is the trick to turn down the volume enough for the laptop to handle the load? Do I need something in the middle of the connection?
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[Tom5150]

If you're recording from the headphone jack, is there any need to have the volume on the amp set so high? Because surely plugging in there disconnects the speaker?


Also, with the amount of good plugins and things like GuitarRig, it might be worth trying just your guitar straight into the laptop also
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[Marvin]

Are you running the signal into "Line In" or "Microphone" jack?

Headphone signal is pretty much line level and doesn't need a preamp to run into AD converter, but microphone signal is very weak and needs a preamp. So if you're running line level signal into mic preamp then that would be the " I can't really turn the volume down enough to keep the sound from going into the red" thing.

If you don't have separate jacks for line in and mic, then you might want to check your computer's recording control panel and tick the line in box instead of microphone.

Hope that helps.
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Sharpest pencils in the box: 2000 USA Tele; 2005 LTD MH-1000; 2004 MetroAmp 69' 1959 clone.

[revjes]

If I understand your situation correctly, you are using the headphone output from your guitar amp as an input to your computer in order to record guitar tracks. The headphone output on your guitar amp is an amplified signal done internally in the guitar amp. That is why the computer is going into the red. What you need is a line level output to feed into the computer. A line level signal is a low level signal intended for a secondary device to do the amplifying (your computer). Marvin is correct that you need to be using the line level input on the computer. If your amp setup has a preamp section to it, you may find a line level output there. If you don't have a line level output on your amp, maybe you can use an aux output from an effects pedal/effects bank.
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* Playing For Fun! If it ain't fun, its work!