Recording to PC with Microcube

The Saint

Hey folks.
I know this should probably be in the Recording section but I thought I'd get a better response here since this forum seems to be predominantly occupied by guitarists so you'd probably have a better idea about the Microcube.

I'm trying to record some guitar (semi-acoustic) to my laptop through the Microcube. I'm running a cable from the Rec Out/Phones output on the back of the Cube to the microphone socket on my laptop. When the cable is plugged in the sound is cut to the speaker on the Cube as I expected but when I record on the laptop I get nothing-silence. Can anyone tell me if there's something I might have missed? Is there anything else I need to get for this to work? Before you ask, yes, I did turn up the volume on both the Cube and the guitar.:p
Much thanks.

So Glad

Assuming you're using Windows, you open Volume Control > Options > Properties > Click Recording button & enable all options. Press ok and you'd want microphone to be selected/volume highered.

The Saint

Thanks for the quick reply So Glad. I did what you said and I'm getting something out but not much. I turned the microphone volume up full on the volume control. I turned the volume up full on the guitar and on the cube and I don't get a very loud recording and the guitar has distortion when I polay chords. I can just about hear it. The background static is louder than the guitar when I play it back. Any further ideas much appreciated.

stack

I record my guitar from the mircocube using Audacity, its free recording software that you can easily download.
I have always found it quite easy to do, and you can 'play' with the sound using the software afterwards.

Voodu Child

The recording output of the microcube is line level, check if your mic input is switched to line-level or mic (if indeed it is switchable at all).

The Saint

The mic input isn't switchable. I have microphone selected for recording on the 'recording control' with the volume up full on it as per So Glad's advice.

Voodu Child

If you're sending a line-level signal into a mic input, the signal level will be too high. Usually, you'll get awful clipping and distortion.

I don't know why it would result in a very low volume, but it might be some sort of overload-protection circuit, thats knocking the signal way down..? Maybe you've overloaded it and damaged it?

Just a guess though, probably way off

So Glad

The Saint wrote:

The mic input isn't switchable. I have microphone selected for recording on the 'recording control' with the volume up full on it as per So Glad's advice.

Turn on the "Advanced Controls" thing in options, then select the Advanced button below microphone and select the "Microphone Boost" that should do nicely.

The_g-man

I've found the boost option can add a bit of distortion, so you could try boosting the volume after you record. This could be done with many different free software or freeware programs.

The Saint

Hey folks,
Thanks for all the replies. You won't belive this but the problem was with the connection. I bought a step down jack connector so I could plug a guitar lead into the socket in my laptop. Turns out that even though its new it's buggered. It works with the lead plugged about 3/4's way into it. Bloody frustrating. At least I know not to assume that just because something is new doesn't mean it works. :rolleyes: I've managed to get it going anyway. Hey Stack, good advice on the Audacity software. I downloaded it yesterday. Nice and easy with some nice features for a free bit of software.
Again thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated.

P.S, Just bought a Takamine semi-acoustic classical on saturday. It's a sexy beast and a bargain for the price. You wouldn't have guessed it but it sounds fantastic through the Microcube with a bit of reverb. Sweet.

So Glad

The Saint wrote:

Hey folks,
Thanks for all the replies. You won't belive this but the problem was with the connection. I bought a step down jack connector so I could plug a guitar lead into the socket in my laptop. Turns out that even though its new it's buggered. It works with the lead plugged about 3/4's way into it. Bloody frustrating. At least I know not to assume that just because something is new doesn't mean it works. :rolleyes: I've managed to get it going anyway. Hey Stack, good advice on the Audacity software. I downloaded it yesterday. Nice and easy with some nice features for a free bit of software.
Again thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated.

P.S, Just bought a Takamine semi-acoustic classical on saturday. It's a sexy beast and a bargain for the price. You wouldn't have guessed it but it sounds fantastic through the Microcube with a bit of reverb. Sweet.

Let me hear what she sounds like!

Do you have it through Acoustic (for that acoustic X 2 sound :P) or mic or aux?

NeMiSiS

Sounds like to me.. possibly..
The guitar lead is mono.. but your converter is stereo... if it is mono then - The input on your laptop is also stereo, so when you pull it out 3/4 of the way, you get a signal. I'd bet money that's what it is.

You are trying to put a mono output into a stereo input.

TK

The Saint

I think you could be right Nemisis. I'm not very technical when it comes to audio stuff even though I'm an electronics technician. So Glad, I'm justy recording from the line out of the Microcube to the microphone socket on my laptop. The recording quality isn't fantastic. It doesn't give you a accurate idea of how it sounds just through the cube. Sounds decent enough though. PM me your email address and i can send you on a wee recording to see how it sounds. There's a digital tuner built into the preamp on the Takamine as well. Nice touch I thought.

NeMiSiS

I dunno what kind of output is on the Microcube. Google seems to suggest it is in mono, but Im open to correction. Without being patronising, the way to tell the difference on the leads/converters you have is, a stereo jack will have two (2) lines circling the top of it, a mono will have on (1).

What is happening to me sounds like, you are putting a mono output into a stereo input, so when you pull it out 3/4 of the way, the output and input lineup on one channel, so you get sound. You could just snip the lead, and reverse it, so the channel with the sound is at the bottom input, you will still only get one channel but.. the lead will be secure in the input, rather than hanging out.

Or maybe you are using a stereo step down with a mono lead.. or try a stereo lead from the back of the Microcube.. into the laptop.. my head is starting to hurt..

TK