Amateur recording on lap top

[KhKhKh]

Hi,

If this has been discussed before, my apologies and link me to the thread.

See, I'm a living room guitarist and only jam the blues with my collection of backing tracks. I enjoy it.

Now I would like to record my playing but haven't got a clue on how to record my lead guitar and the backing track (which is played on the laptop).

So, how do i start? Do I need a software? Is audacity sufficient (haven't really explored the freeware)?

Any advice? I'm using Vista or XP

Thanks

 

[johnwtuggle]

KH right?

Use Audacity and get a USB mic. Play the backing track through the laptop and record your amp with the USB mic. You should be able to just listen and play along.

Now you can mix your guitar track with the backing track. Don't worry about the track getting in the mic of the amp. If you point it away from the speakers you will barely be able to hear it.

 

[KhKhKh]

KH right?

Use Audacity and get a USB mic. Play the backing track through the laptop and record your amp with the USB mic. You should be able to just listen and play along.

Now you can mix your guitar track with the backing track. Don't worry about the track getting in the mic of the amp. If you point it away from the speakers you will barely be able to hear it.

Yeah, John it's me

Btw, thanks. Will try.

But one question. When you say "mix", does it mean that we cannot record the lead and the backing track at one go?

 

[johnwtuggle]

It will sound better if you just record a track on top of the backing track. This will give you 2 tracks. It will sound way better than trying to record the sound from your laptop.

 

[KhKhKh]

It will sound better if you just record a track on top of the backing track. This will give you 2 tracks. It will sound way better than trying to record the sound from your laptop.

Appreciate that John. Thanks.

Keep the goodies coming

 

[vintagephile]

Hey KH,

Just thought I'd add my two cents - don't have huge amounts of recording experience, but old-timer when it comes to gigging.

In terms of the value:usefulness ratio (free:bloody useful) Audacity is spot on, especially for the kind of thing you're after. It's got some annoying quirks (having to 'stop' playback to do anything since it's locked in 'pause' mode is one) but it's one of those applications that does exactly what it says on the tin and you can't go wrong. I'm yet to find a freeware or even low-priced piece of software that rivals it.

As John says, grab yourself a USB mic and you're set. The only other thing I find with Audacity is it's lacking on the equaliser tools. Rather than faff on with a complicated pedal board/guitar set up, I put the laptop at the other end of the room and plug my axe direct into a vintage fender tube amp which covers the clean/rock/blues range of sounds straight from the box. They're not expensive for what they're worth, and would probably suit you down to the ground.

Hope this helps?