Audacity

kraggy

Hi folks,

tried doing a search on this but to no avail...

i use Audacity for messing around with recording on the pc.

up to now i've been using the microphone on a cheap headset to record but then thought that if i plug my semi-acoustic into the same slot in my pc that it would record the guitar. but it didn't...

anyone know why? basically, is there a difference between the microphone in the headset and the pick-up in a guitar? obviously not too well up on technical stuff!

thanks in advance:)

Thomas_S_Hunterson

AFAIK:
The microphone on your guitar is a dynamic microphone, i.e. it needs no power and is totally passive
the microphone on the headset is called a condenser microphone and needs a small voltage to run which is supplied by your computer.
Thus the two types may not be compatible. Your best bet would be to get some form of guitar-specific preamp for the guitar and connect it to the line input on your computer, and you will get much beter sound quality

kraggy

how about if i run lead from amp into pc? would that work and how's the quality if it does?

thanks a million!

Thomas_S_Hunterson

if there is a Line Output on the amp, use that, do not use a headphone amp, as these are 'unbalanced' and you won't get very good quality
also it may be worth your whil in investing in some formof sound card made for the purpose

kraggy

just did a search on "plugging guitar into pc" and loads of sites are saying that you should be able to plug it straight into the soundcard.

maybe i'm doing something wrong...but have the jack adapter and all so can't figure it out....

kraggy

maybe it's my soundcard???

dr zoidberg

You can plug it into the mic slot with the right adapter but the quality is crap, if you have a line in slot use that. If you don't then you'll need to install a new soundcard with a line in slot.