Technical Help Wanted - My Guitar and My PC, can they mate? (so to speak!)

Please don't laugh me off the internet, be kind if I'm being a fool.

Here goes....

Is it possible to play my guitar through my PC, kind of like a normal auxilliary?

For example, is there a lead out there that I can buy that will run from my guitar into a 3.5mm socket which will facilitate sound coming from my PC?

I'm not looking for any whizz bang amplification, just, in laymans terms....for noise of the bass variety to come out of my computer. It's would be a temporary fix to avoid frustration while I can't afford an amp.

Those who have read my posts since joining this great forum will know that i'm breaking the old girl out of her case for the first time in 15 years.

The ability to plug myself in to my PC and practice without disturbing the family would be a real advantage.

I run a vista machine with plenty of power behind it, a good Creative sound card and 7.1 surround which has its own dedicated sub. So plenty of imputs, the ability to control what comes out.

If it makes noise, i'll be happy until I can afford an amp and some sound insulation for the garage. So its a temporary fix.

Any advice would be welcomed

Matt

Hi Matt,

Nobody here would laugh at you for asking questions, I can guarantee that, and if they did, they would have me to answer to!
I can be quite scary for such a small person, when I want to be!

In answer to your question, yes you can plug your guitar into your PC without the need to buy any fancy gadgets. All you need, aside from your guitar (Duh!) is an ordinary guitar lead and an adapter to fit onto the other end of the lead which you can plug straight into the input on your PC and away you go!

Enjoy your guitar and happy playing!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

I sometimes run mine into my mac via a device called an iMic which is a USB cable and it whacks the signal into Garageband whereupon I can dick about with the sound in realtime, should I desire. Otherwise I use the line out from an amp in the same manner if I want the amp characteristics as well... (I don't have a Sansamp set up, obviously!)

Thats way too easy!!

Perhaps I was trying to take a sledgehammer to a nut. My experience with Mr Bill Gates' Vista is that nothing is simple, hence I assumed it would be over complicated.

But that's excellent news!

Off to hunt the tinterweb for an adapter then!

Thankyou so much for the help, this forum is the dogs dangly bits!

Matt

Hi Matt,

The adapter is just like a jack plug with a smaller narrower end that plugs into the input on the PC and you just plug it onto the end of your normal guitar lead. (Wide input, narrow output). Sorry I don't know the technical name for them (if they have one) or what sizes they are but you can get them in most audio suppliers or guitar shops.

I use a reverse type (narrow input, wide output) that I put onto the end of my headphones so that I can plug them straight into the amplifier. That way I don't annoy everybody, especially when I'm learning to play something new!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Thankyou Pauline,

I have a '1/4 inch to 3.5mm stereo adapter' (check out the terminology eh?) en route as we speak, so I hope to be making lots of noise by Tuesday/Wednesday as long as the Postie pulls his finger out.

I can then plug my headphones straight into the 'pooter' and deafen myself.

Following much discussion with the 'google-izer' it would appear that plugging straight into my 'stereo line-in' on my sound card will also enable me to record just how bad I am for posterity!

All for the grand price of £1.48 including postage!

Incidentally, I've checked out some of the threads on guitar restoration and have decided to spruce her up a bit.....well the brass anyway...might leave the laquer alone until I get very brave.

So consider another Westone saved thanks to this forum (assuming I don't make it worse).

Kind Regards

Matt

Cool! I'd bear in mind that bass freq's are a little more damaging to incy-wincy speakers than a guitar would be, so it may pay to keep the gain down, eh!!

mattcadders wrote:Thats way too easy!!

Perhaps I was trying to take a sledgehammer to a nut. My experience with Mr Bill Gates' Vista is that nothing is simple, hence I assumed it would be over complicated.

...and that's why I an an Apple convert/zealot...

You really need to check out Guitar Port from Line 6. It's a USB audio device that takes the place of your sound card. It has the same functions as a POD but it offloads all of the processing to the PC, so the Guitar Port is only like $69 while Pods start at about $200. The Guitar Port has a GUI interface not unlike a web browser. It's like having a studio full of vintage amps, cabs, and effects, all for $69. It's also a pretty good audio interface for computer recording.

That sounds similar to the Rock Frog. Spotted it whilst searching for solutions to the problem.

Comes in at £49

Anyone have any knowledge?

Goes from the 1/4 inch straight to USB via a seperate processer rather than using the soundcard.

The one review I read wasn't that promising and they don't appear to be flying off the shelves.

I can heartily recommend the Guitarport idea. I have a Line 6 Toneport (similar idea, little bit more advanced) and the sounds are great.

Admin wrote:I can heartily recommend the Guitarport idea. I have a Line 6 Toneport (similar idea, little bit more advanced) and the sounds are great.

Yeah, the Toneport(s) are more of an all-in-one recording solution with lots of good Line 6 modelling technology.

If you intend to record vocals or any live microphone, then a Toneport model with a mic preamp will serve you better than the Guitar Port.

...am I the only Apple convert in here?! I use a Griffin iMic and the Apple software; plug'n'play! All I really need to do is learn how to use it properly, eh! (Hey, remember, Apples are computers for the technically illiterate and I have only just gotten beyond the Watkins Copicat!!)

corsair wrote:...am I the only Apple convert in here?! I use a Griffin iMic and the Apple software; plug'n'play! All I really need to do is learn how to use it properly, eh! (Hey, remember, Apples are computers for the technically illiterate and I have only just gotten beyond the Watkins Copicat!!)

no...you're not alone! Garageband with a MAudio interface does wonders!

Hey chaps,

You are starting to get way too technical for me here!

However, I'm not one to be outdone that easily so, what about 'Amplitude'? I haven't used it but my son has it and it is awesome!

John and Hans, it even works on 'Mac's'!!!!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Hmmm, I'm now officially out of my techno depth.

I'll stick to plugging it into my pooter for now, although i'll have a gander at some of the options.

mattcadders wrote:Hmmm, I'm now officially out of my techno depth.

Hooray!

I'm so glad that I'm not the only non-techno one around here! Welcome to my very elite little club, Matt!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Pollyanna wrote:

mattcadders wrote:Hmmm, I'm now officially out of my techno depth.

Hooray!

I'm so glad that I'm not the only non-techno one around here! Welcome to my very elite little club, Matt!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

...oh, boo hoo!! Ya gotta get with the 21st century, Polly.... (much sniggering)

corsair wrote:...am I the only Apple convert in here?! I use a Griffin iMic and the Apple software; plug'n'play! All I really need to do is learn how to use it properly, eh! (Hey, remember, Apples are computers for the technically illiterate and I have only just gotten beyond the Watkins Copicat!!)

I'm a Mac man too!

Pollyanna wrote:Hey chaps,

You are starting to get way too technical for me here!

However, I'm not one to be outdone that easily so, what about 'Amplitude'? I haven't used it but my son has it and it is awesome!

John and Hans, it even works on 'Mac's'!!!!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Amplitube

colt933 wrote:

Pollyanna wrote:Hey chaps,

You are starting to get way too technical for me here!

However, I'm not one to be outdone that easily so, what about 'Amplitude'? I haven't used it but my son has it and it is awesome!

John and Hans, it even works on 'Mac's'!!!!

Pauline :flower: :queen:

Amplitube

....