Recording great guitar or bass tones doesn't have to be difficult. When using an audio interface, you have two main options:
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Recording direct – Plug your guitar directly into your interface's inst input using a standard guitar cable. This gives you a clean signal, ready for processing with amp simulators.
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Miking an amp – Capture your amp’s natural sound by placing a microphone in front of it, shaping the tone by adjusting mic position.
In this guide, we will walk you through each approach. You'll learn how to record directly with amp simulations, how to mic up an amp, and the pros and cons of both, helping you choose the best method for your setup.
To get started, all you need is your guitar, an audio interface, and a DAW (digital audio workstation). As we progress, we'll teach you different techniques to match the gear you have.
If you don't have any software, find out what software you can download by looking in your Focusrite account. Many of our interface owners can get the amp sim we'll be featuring in the first part of this article. Softube's Flow® Guitar Essentials is part of our Hitmaker Bundle, and you can get it for free from your Focusrite account:
Introducing Softube's Flow Guitar Essentials