Real-time guitar sound processing on PC
Guitar is a simple tool. And playing it is, in principle, not a tricky business. But one has only to replace the old battered acoustic six-string with a lacquered electric guitar - the problems begin immediately.
An electric guitar without an amplifier and a processor (amp, lotion, pedal) is a dumb instrument. The easiest and most effective way to voice it is to connect it to your computer. So, I want to share my experience in processing sound from a guitar on a PC.
Connect an electric guitar to a PC - a matter of two minutes - you just connect the guitar cord to the line (or microphone) input of the sound card. Only now it will sound normally. To color the sound - it is necessary to process it in a special program. But first things first.
')
Built-in sound card in most cases - not suitable for our purposes. A strong distortion of the input sound and a long delay between the sound input from the guitar and the output of the processed sound is all that the built-in sound card can boast of. We also need reasonable support for ASIO.
And so, closer to the body.
The cheapest option - an EMU 10k1 / 2 DSP card is Sound Blaster Live !, Audigy 1/2. Such glands cost from 100 to 500 rubles, depending on fray. For them were written great kX drivers that allow you to work wonders with the card. I had SB LIVE! 5.1 with kX drivers is a good bundle, but after a year of use it burned with me. And I had to change to another. I decided to take a modern, beautiful and expensive ...
More expensive option - Creative X-fi. If you are not a gamer, and you do not need EAX effects - then it makes sense to take only x-fi elite - it has a remote unit with inputs and preamps.
The thing is professional, and the truth is as good as a processor. But if you are serious, then a very good choice. I had x-fi fatality - though it did not justify itself (I am not a gamer) - I had to sell it.
Professional version - E-MU series from Creative. I had an E-MU 0404
Excellent pay. Native drivers are great. A lot of settings. A bunch of interfaces. And the price of about $ 100 makes it the best choice. The only drawback is the bundle of cords on the panel, and the linear outputs and inputs divided into left and right channels.
Also, there is a large selection of professional sound cards that will satisfy even the sophisticated sound processing business. But I try to describe only what I had personal experience with.
The hardware part of the issue highlighted, now let's talk about the software. The undisputed leader in software audio processing is Guitar Rig from Native instruments. The interface is clear at first glance, a large number of presets, the sound is above all praise. All versions of this program (there are as many as 4) are equally good. Differences only in the interface.
There is also a program Amplitube
Not to say that this is the height of perfection, but a very good sound puts it on a par with Guitar Rig. Its main purpose is VST plug-in, which is integrated into all sorts of sonars, cubeys and other professional monosonic sound programs. But as a stand-alone product has very good performance. By the way - this program is on the disk along with the E-MU 0404 card.
In addition, there is a lot of programs for easier, allowing you to modulate the sound in real time. But they are all scant compared to those described above. I will not cover them.
This is all I wanted to tell you about the processing of guitar sound on a PC.
Also from the personal experience of playing the electric guitar comes a couple of recommendations.
- the cord from the guitar to the PC / processor / amplifier should be soldered as best as possible, shielded as best as possible, the core should be thick. Also, do not make the cable too long - 2-3 meters will be enough, especially if you have an expensive guitar with poor quality pickups
- Built-in sound cards poorly amplify the input signal. Therefore, if you are going to seriously engage in sound processing on a PC, you should pay attention to external sound cards.
- Bass guitar is also well voiced in the same Guitar Rig.
PS Now I have a home computer - a laptop, and I have given my “musical” staff in good hands. As a processor for the guitar I use POD 2.0 from LINE6. Very powerful thing ... but I could not repeat the effects obtained in Guitar Rig.
An electric guitar without an amplifier and a processor (amp, lotion, pedal) is a dumb instrument. The easiest and most effective way to voice it is to connect it to your computer. So, I want to share my experience in processing sound from a guitar on a PC.
Connect an electric guitar to a PC - a matter of two minutes - you just connect the guitar cord to the line (or microphone) input of the sound card. Only now it will sound normally. To color the sound - it is necessary to process it in a special program. But first things first.
Sound card
')
Built-in sound card in most cases - not suitable for our purposes. A strong distortion of the input sound and a long delay between the sound input from the guitar and the output of the processed sound is all that the built-in sound card can boast of. We also need reasonable support for ASIO.
And so, closer to the body.
The cheapest option - an EMU 10k1 / 2 DSP card is Sound Blaster Live !, Audigy 1/2. Such glands cost from 100 to 500 rubles, depending on fray. For them were written great kX drivers that allow you to work wonders with the card. I had SB LIVE! 5.1 with kX drivers is a good bundle, but after a year of use it burned with me. And I had to change to another. I decided to take a modern, beautiful and expensive ...
More expensive option - Creative X-fi. If you are not a gamer, and you do not need EAX effects - then it makes sense to take only x-fi elite - it has a remote unit with inputs and preamps.
The thing is professional, and the truth is as good as a processor. But if you are serious, then a very good choice. I had x-fi fatality - though it did not justify itself (I am not a gamer) - I had to sell it.
Professional version - E-MU series from Creative. I had an E-MU 0404
Excellent pay. Native drivers are great. A lot of settings. A bunch of interfaces. And the price of about $ 100 makes it the best choice. The only drawback is the bundle of cords on the panel, and the linear outputs and inputs divided into left and right channels.
Also, there is a large selection of professional sound cards that will satisfy even the sophisticated sound processing business. But I try to describe only what I had personal experience with.
Guitar sound processing software in real time
The hardware part of the issue highlighted, now let's talk about the software. The undisputed leader in software audio processing is Guitar Rig from Native instruments. The interface is clear at first glance, a large number of presets, the sound is above all praise. All versions of this program (there are as many as 4) are equally good. Differences only in the interface.
There is also a program Amplitube
Not to say that this is the height of perfection, but a very good sound puts it on a par with Guitar Rig. Its main purpose is VST plug-in, which is integrated into all sorts of sonars, cubeys and other professional monosonic sound programs. But as a stand-alone product has very good performance. By the way - this program is on the disk along with the E-MU 0404 card.
In addition, there is a lot of programs for easier, allowing you to modulate the sound in real time. But they are all scant compared to those described above. I will not cover them.
This is all I wanted to tell you about the processing of guitar sound on a PC.
Also from the personal experience of playing the electric guitar comes a couple of recommendations.
- the cord from the guitar to the PC / processor / amplifier should be soldered as best as possible, shielded as best as possible, the core should be thick. Also, do not make the cable too long - 2-3 meters will be enough, especially if you have an expensive guitar with poor quality pickups
- Built-in sound cards poorly amplify the input signal. Therefore, if you are going to seriously engage in sound processing on a PC, you should pay attention to external sound cards.
- Bass guitar is also well voiced in the same Guitar Rig.
PS Now I have a home computer - a laptop, and I have given my “musical” staff in good hands. As a processor for the guitar I use POD 2.0 from LINE6. Very powerful thing ... but I could not repeat the effects obtained in Guitar Rig.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/91876/
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