[eliot-ness]

After listening to a few of the recordings on the forum I decided to have a go at this recording lark, so, after reading and digesting all the info on here I took the plunge. First of all I had to find out whether I have a sound card installed, (Yeah, I'm a total newbie to computers). Anyway, much to my surprise I have, it just wasn't switched on. So, armed with that information I moved on. A free program, "Audacity", was the next step. A quick and easy download and there it was. So, on I move. Jack plug adapter, got a few of those so plug into 'line in' and connect up the guitar. So far so good, all simple stuff that even a nerd like me can manage. Now on to the good stuff. Set all the volume controls as instructed. Easy. Twang a few chords,... Nothing, zilch, nada. Not a sound. Readjust all volume controls, try again. No improvement. Now it's looking serious. Got to be a computer fault I decide. Back to the drawing board. Next step is to let the "Wizard" loose and let him check the system. No faults there, but, I decide, he could be wrong. There's something in there called drivers. Maybe ones not working or hasn't got a license, (told you I was a newbie) better check the HP website and download a new one. Yep, and free. Whoopee. Click the download button and It'll soon be working. Now if any of you are still on dial up you'll know what's coming next. 52mb at 46kb a second takes a long long time to download, so long in fact that although I started at 4,30pm it still wsn't finished when I went to bed at 10,30. Not to worry, a new day in the morning and all I'll have to do is plug and play. 6am and there I was, all ready to go. Just a small matter of installation to take care of. Yeah, right. Somehow, the new driver disappeared, never to be seen again. I imagine it's floating around inside the computer looking for a home. Anyway, I'd had enough of all this technical stuff, it was time to get down to some old fashioned repair work. Decided against kicking it and got down to basics, which, to the uninitiated either means taking it to the repair guy or checking out what I'd already done. All connections were good, all plugs in the right sockets. New battery in the guitar pre amp. Speakers switched on. Still nothing, but I was getting a flicker on the recording level whatsit. Progress at last. Being an optimist I plucked out a few tunes and pressed play. Lots of action on the output level meter and strange sounds from the speakers. Better than nothing thought I, maybe that's what my playing sounds like to others. Back to work. Pulled out the line in adapter and inspected it closely. Looked just like any other adapter, sort of thin and shiny, (technical term). Had another in my box which looked just like it, but hang on. The other one has an extra little black ring near the end, maybe that means it's twice as powerful. Better check it out. EUREKA. It works. I can actually record,.... which just goes to show, a bit of knowledge, patience, careful analysis of the problem and a small amount of luck can surmount all problems. Now I have no excuses, I'll have to learn to play something to post on the forum,
Tony

[allthumbs]

hehe. I'm exhausted just reading that. Glad your up and running.

[X4StringDrive]

LOL, sounds as though your having fun with it at least...great start to your story..looking forward to hearing you! Keep us up-dated

[6string]

Can One get by without a preamp?

[carol m]

Ha ha Tony. Been there, done that! Tekker has lots of threads and lessons for newby recording wizz's, that can save your sanity. Welcome to the recording club.

[mattz196]

Pleased your sorted Tony, those sort of issues can be very frustrating , look forward to hearing your efforts.

[starsailor]

Glad you got sorted Tony, trying to get set up can be a nightmare, took me months to get anywhere near a decent recording I was plagued with hisses but still posted stuff, I still haven't got it totally right, one thing I've learnt is that the Members here are incredibly supportive and patient and want fellow members who take the plunge and post recordings to get it it right and will do anything they can to help them do this, so post a recording soon doesn't matter how technical, long or short it is just hearing you doing your thing will be great, could you pop over and sort my eq

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by starsailor

Glad you got sorted Tony, trying to get set up can be a nightmare, took me months to get anywhere near a decent recording I was plagued with hisses but still posted stuff, I still haven't got it totally right, one thing I've learnt is that the Members here are incredibly supportive and patient and want fellow members who take the plunge and post recordings to get it it right and will do anything they can to help them do this, so post a recording soon doesn't matter how technical, long or short it is just hearing you doing your thing will be great, could you pop over and sort my eq

Pressed the wrong button, didn't get to finish my sentence, you've got to laugh, hope you're well Tony

[Tekker]

Man, you sound like me trying to troubleshoot my computer.

Glad you got it working, but it is quite odd how you got it working.... Since putting the stereo adapter (the one with an extra black ring thingy - another technical term ) at the end of your guitar cable should do exactly the same thing as plugging the guitar cable straight into the line input. Does your guitar cable also happen to have an extra black ring? If not, then maybe the connector just wasn't pushed in far enough (or maybe this one is not pushed in far enough)? Hard to tell without being there to look at it, but it is strange because both ways should give the same result.

Anyways, all that really matters though is that it's working!

Originally Posted by starsailor

Pressed the wrong button, didn't get to finish my sentence, you've got to laugh, hope you're well Tony

Starsailor, you can edit your post if you do it within a certain amount of time after you post. Down at the bottom of your post you should see an "edit" button. This goes away after about a half hour (I think) after you post though, so yours won't have it now. But the next time you post, look for the edit button right after you post it then you can go back in and make changes to your post.

-tkr

[Rockerbob]

Ouch! My eyes hurt just looking at that large block of text. I'm old! I need it broken into bite sized pieces.

[starsailor]

Originally Posted by Tekker

Man, you sound like me trying to troubleshoot my computer.

Glad you got it working, but it is quite odd how you got it working.... Since putting the stereo adapter (the one with an extra black ring thingy - another technical term ) at the end of your guitar cable should do exactly the same thing as plugging the guitar cable straight into the line input. Does your guitar cable also happen to have an extra black ring? If not, then maybe the connector just wasn't pushed in far enough (or maybe this one is not pushed in far enough)? Hard to tell without being there to look at it, but it is strange because both ways should give the same result.

Anyways, all that really matters though is that it's working!


Starsailor, you can edit your post if you do it within a certain amount of time after you post. Down at the bottom of your post you should see an "edit" button. This goes away after about a half hour (I think) after you post though, so yours won't have it now. But the next time you post, look for the edit button right after you post it then you can go back in and make changes to your post.

-tkr

Hi Tekker,

I was writing the reply and went to make a cup of tea, didn't even realize I'd posted, only found out when I checked the thread out later, I'm not that old but I think I had a senior moment

[eliot-ness]

Hi all, thanks for all the replies. I too am puzzled by the fact that the stereo adapter worked Tecker. I can only assume that the other is faulty. Haven't had time to do much else this weekend but I'll get back to it tomorrow. Downloaded the manual last night, I didn't realise you could do so much with the editing program. I tried recording a tune, one I can normally play through without thinking, and couldn't play more than a few bars without a mistake. Must be stage fright.
Hi again Chris and Carol. Thanks for the encouragement. A long way to go yet but now I know that others have gone through the same thing I won't be put off so easily. Got myself a book of Chet Atkins arrangements. A bit optimistic but I found a few tunes that even I could manage The future is looking rosy.

6string. Your post seems to have been lost among the others but I seem to remember seeing on another thread that a microphone can be used to record an accoustic guitar. Whether that means a mic with a built in pre amp I don't know, maybe someone with more knowledge can reply.
Don't think my iq is up to sorting eq's Chris, but I do a pretty good job on a bbq. Get a few beers in and I'll be right over
Have a good day. Tony

[pipelineaudio]

Originally Posted by 6string

Can One get by without a preamp?

Depends on what the source is.

A mic is going to need some way to get loud enough for the line input to the analog to digital converter.

A guitar will likely need it as well (though I see people running active EMG's into line inputs and on into guitar sim vst plugins all the time with ok results). Also, in order to get a guitar to speak nicely to a mic preamp, you'll need a direct box, which will give the impedance change the mic pre is looking for.

[6string]

Thanks PipeLA
Not sure if I have that, prpobably not, I guess I'll just try it anyway.

[carol m]

[quote=Tekker;215521
Starsailor, you can edit your post if you do it within a certain amount of time after you post.
-tkr[/QUOTE]

But then he wouldn't have got the oldy's sympathy vote