How To Use Computer As Amp

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As technology became more than accessible and less expensive, independently recording and editing your ain songs and covers became a reality. Today, guitarists of all levels can produce raw recordings or create stylized masterpieces from the comfort of their own home. You don't need fancy equipment to tape and distribute your music, but a laptop, guitar, a few cables, and possibly a pre-amp.

1

Locate your figurer's audio-in port. It is possible to connect your guitar direct to your laptop through the device's audio-in port. This port is typically located on the side of laptops, well-nigh the headphone-out port. Yous may see ane of the following icons adjacent to it: a microphone or a circumvolve with two triangles.^[1]
2
Buy the correct cable or adapter. While the average guitar cable has a ¼" phone jack on each end, the audio-in port requires a ⅛" stereo plug. You may purchase a guitar cable with a ¼" phone jack on one end and a ⅛" stereo plug on the other end OR you may purchase an ⅛" stereo plug adapter to use with your standard guitar cable.
- Your laptop'due south sound-in port may require a stereo plug with a TS (Tip/Sleeve) connexion or a TRS (Tip/Ring/Sleeve) connection. If you are unsure which tip your computer requires, consult your laptop'due south manual.^[2]
- If your laptop does not take an audio-in port, you will need to purchase an interface or a special cable that plugs into your audio-out port, besides known as a headphone jack. These products allow you to use your audio-out port every bit an audio-in port. These products are sold at a variety of price points and vary in quality. You may besides apply these devices with your phone and tablet.
- If your laptop does not have a headphone jack, you tin can purchase an adaptor that plugs into your USB port.^[3]
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3

Plug your guitar into your computer. Insert the ¼" telephone jack into your guitar. If you are using a ⅛" stereo adapter, place it over the remaining ¼" phone jack. Insert the ⅛" stereo plug into your laptop's sound-in port.^[4]
four
Test the signal. You tin can mind to your guitar through your computer's speakers, a set of external speakers, or a pair of headphones. If you are using external speakers or headphones, insert the speaker cable or headphones into your laptop's audio-out port. Strum your guitar to test the signal.
- If you are using your laptop's internal speakers or a pair of headphones, you may notice that the signal is relatively weak. This is due to the fact that the laptop'due south audio-in port are not capable of amplifying the signal. A prepare of external speakers, however, will act as an amplifier.^[5]
- You may also experience a significant delay, or a gap betwixt when a sound is inputted into the computer and when you hear that sound.^[6]
- Earlier you can hear your instrument, you lot may need to download and/or open recording software.
- If you lot can not hear your guitar, open your computer'south sound settings. Brand sure your sound is not muted. Brand certain the right port or device is selected (audio-in, sound-out, headphone, microphone, etc.). For specific instructions, consult your computer or device's transmission.^[seven]

1
Purchase or find a device with a pre-amp. If you are unsatisfied with the forcefulness of your guitar's betoken, enhance it with a pre-amp. Pre-distension is the outset stage of amplification. These devices heave your guitar's indicate. You can purchase a pre-amp specifically designed for guitars. However, if you are looking to save coin, several guitar accessories come up equipped with pre-amps. These include, amp-modelers, pedals, drum machines, and direct boxes.^[8]
- The best pre-amps use tubes.
2
Connect your guitar and pre-amp to your laptop. Insert your standard guitar cablevision into your guitar. Plug the other end of the guitar cable into the input port of your pre-amp. Insert a ⅛" stereo in cable into your pre-amp's PA Out or Line-Out port. Put the opposite cease of this cable into your laptop's audio-in port.^[nine]
- If your laptop does not have an audio-in port, you will need to purchase an interface or a special cable that transforms your audio-out port, too known as a headphone jack, into an sound-in port. These products likewise work with phones and tablets. There are also adapters that plug into USB ports.^[10]
3
Exam the betoken. If your guitar is connected properly to your laptop, you tin hear the musical instrument through your computer'south speakers, a set of external speakers, or a pair of headphones. If you lot are not using your' computer's speakers, insert the external speaker cable or headphones into your laptop'south audio-out port. Strum your guitar to test the signal.^[xi]
- While the pre-amp will improve the strength of the signal, it may not decrease any delay y'all are experiencing. Filibuster, or audio latency, is the gap that exists between when a audio is inputted into the computer and when that audio is really heard.^[12]
- In order to hear your guitar, you may demand to download and/or open recording software kickoff.
- If you are experiencing sound problems, open up your computer's sound settings. Check to meet if your sound is muted and that the right port or device is selected (audio-in, audio-out, headphone, microphone, etc.). For specific instructions, consult your calculator or device'due south manual.^[13]

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one

Purchase or observe a pre-amp device with a USB or Firewire out port. For the all-time results, bypass the analog connexion entirely and connect your guitar digitally to your computer. You tin can connect your guitar digitally to your reckoner through a pre-amp with a USB or Firewire outport. Before you purchase a pre-amp with 1 of these out ports, check to see if the guitar accessories you already own volition work. These accessories may include amp-modelers, pedals, drum machines, and directly boxes.^[14]
2

Connect your guitar and pre-amp to your laptop. Place your standard guitar cable into your guitar. Plug the opposite end of the guitar cable into the pre-amp's input port. Insert a USB, Firewire, or Optical cable into your pre-amp'southward USB or Firewire out port. Plug the other cease of this cablevision into your laptop's USB or Firewire in port.^[fifteen]
3
Test the point. When your guitar is properly continued, you will be able to appraise the force and quality of your guitar'due south signal. Listen to the instrument through your figurer's speakers, a set of external speakers, or a pair of headphones. If you're using external speakers or headphones, insert their respective cables into your laptop's audio-out port. Play a few chords on your guitar to test the signal.^[16]
- This method will produce the crispest and clearest recordings.^[17]
- You may need to download and/or open up recording software in order to hear your instrument.
- If your guitar's sound is non coming through, brand sure the instrument'due south volume is turned all the style up. Open up your computer'southward sound settings and double check that your book is not muted and that the right port or device is selected (sound-in, audio-out, headphone, microphone, etc.). For specific instructions, consult your reckoner or device'southward transmission.^[eighteen]

Add New Question

Question

My laptop has a single input jack for the microphone and headphones. How would I connect my electric guitar to my laptop?

The third method (digital connexion) in this article should work the best for you.
Question

What is the link to the software mentioned in the article?

They are referring to recording software like Audacity. It'southward pretty unproblematic and piece of cake to empathise. Another instance of such software is Amplitude, a program that emulates amplifiers and outcome boards/ pedals.
Question

How do I do abroad with the latency?

By using a low latency kerneled operating systems and sound applications designed for the purpose ie: AVLinux, KXStudio, Ubuntu Studio (much better Stabilty wise now, but not sure about the onetime VST support whines ) with monothithic kernels and low latency apps like Jack, Ardour, "Guitarix" Virtual Amplifier, Rackarack , Burt's Cybernetic continentally joined Twin and effects processing program :) and many Drum machine.Sampler and other groovy software all quite professional person and to all intents and purposes, free. (Read GNU licening documents). Standard operating systems describe to many resources in the desktops amongst other things then are non suitable, every bit even their CD players oft drop out.

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There are several recording programs to choose betwixt. If you are a Mac user, consider using Garageband, Logic Express, and Logic Studio; if you lot are a Windows user, consider using Cubase Essential v or Cubase Studio 5.^[19] You lot may need to download and/or open recording software in guild to hear your musical instrument through your estimator.
Instead of plugging your instrument into your estimator to record, you tin record your music with an External Digital Recorder.^[20]
Brand sure you are tuned up before recording!

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Things You'll Need

Guitar Cable and ⅛" Stereo Plug Adapter
Guitar Cable with a ¼" Telephone Jack and a ⅛" Stereo Plug
Headphones or a Set up of External Speakers (optional)

Guitar Cablevision
Pre-Amp
⅛" Stereo Cable
Headphones or a Ready of External Speakers (optional)

Guitar Cable
Pre-Amp with a USB or Firewire out port
USB, Firewire, or Optical String
Headphones or a Set of External Speakers (optional)

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Article Summary X

If you want to plug a guitar into a laptop using a straight audio-in connectedness, buy a cable with a 1/4-inch phone jack on one end and a i/8-inch stereo plug on the other end. You tin also purchase a ane/8-inch adapter to convert a standard guitar cablevision. Plug the 1/viii-inch end into the audio-in port on your laptop, and the 1/4-inch end into the guitar. You tin listen to your guitar through the computer's speakers, a set of external speakers, or a pair of headphones plugged into the audio-out port. To learn how to use a powered audio-in connectedness, read on!

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