Lyon Lightsnake Guitar/Keyboard USB cable

6stringlady · #1 October 4th, 2006

Hi,

Is anyone familiar with the Lyon Lightsnake usb plug n play cable?
I use it to connect my A/E guitar directly to my laptop. I can record my playing in the programs Sony Sound Forge, Blaze audio rip n burn, or windows sound recorder.
(Nothing fancy, just want to record my guitar directly to my laptop)

Problem: When I record, the volumn is extremely low on playback. I can adjust it somewhat in the programs that I have by using "normalize", but then it is extremely loud or distorts the signal into jibberish. if I try to adjust it by using the volumn control, I get a lot of unwanted noise.

Help!!!! is there a better way to get the sound to an appreciable level.

randomaire · #2 October 4th, 2006

The only thing I know of personally is maybe adjusting your recording levels. If you use xp... then follow these few steps.

Click Start
Click on Control Panel (Control Panel window pops up)
Click on Sounds and Audio Devices (Properties window pops up)
Click the tab labled Audio
On the sound recording part (middle section) click on volume. (Recording control window pops up)
Select which device you're using to record with (the little box at bottom of each selection)
Turn the volume bar up on these. (If you use the mic, click on advanced and make sure that mic boost is selected).

Now this is only the basics of it, the other programs maybe some of the others here could lead you further along. Sorry couldn't be of more help to you.

randomaire · #3 October 4th, 2006

Oh and the playback volumes are like above, but instead of clicking on the volume for the sound recording section you click on the volume for MIDI music playback (Volume Control box will pop up) make sure nothing is muted and make sure the volumes are at least half way.

This may help on your volume in playback.

Matty22 · #4 October 4th, 2006

Another simple point, that i have noticed is often overlooked.... Is the level on the guitar turned down low?

6stringlady · #5 October 16th, 2006

Thanks all, for the suggestions. I've tried everything and still no good volumn control. It might be in my guitar so I will have a friend take a look at it to see if that is indeed the problem. if that is not it, then I will have to look at other ways to record my guitar and voice directly to my pc, or, not recorded directly to pc at all, and just record live with all the ambient noise.

But You're all great to have offered suggestions
again - Thanks

allthumbs · #6 October 16th, 2006

Probably a stupid suggestion, but have you checked the battery. Mine had a led light that goes on when the battery is low, does yours?

randomaire · #7 October 16th, 2006

After reading the above again, if you're using a laptop, maybe you should try playing it back on a regular desktop with a good set of speakers also. Maybe the laptop doesn't have very good speakers, or try plugging headphones into the jack and listen to it on playback, see if you notice any difference.... could just be your speakers.

fly135 · #8 October 16th, 2006

Try recording with Audacity. It will show the signal amplitude as it's recorded. Your waveform should exceed 80-90% of the size of the window in the loudest passages. If you aren't able to get the amplitude high enough then make sure you're adjusting the volume in the *recording* section of the volume control panel and not the *playback* section.

Other than that, allthumbs battery suggestion is your best bet. Most A/E have a higher output than electric guitars because they have a battery powered preamp. But even if yours isn't preamped it still should be louder than what you describe.

What's interesting though is that you say that you get a lot of noise when you up the volume. Is it hum or crackling? Maybe your cable is bad.

6stringlady · #9 October 17th, 2006

It's the Laptop, Just tried the lightsnake out on my desktop and it works fine, for recording, volumn and all. I really don't use the desktop much any more, but it seem as though I will be using it more now.

Thanks guys

randomaire · #10 October 17th, 2006

Not a problem, glad you found the problem.

Hey fly that crackling problem is probably just due to the speakers on the laptop being overdriven and causing feedback, pops, etc. A good set of plug in speakers or a set of headphones could take care of that.

allthumbs · #11 October 17th, 2006

Glad it worked out for you.