kvscorpio

Looking to plug in an Acoustic guitar with built-in pick-up and was wondering if anyon has any ideas on sound card or what I need to be able to plug it in and record to computer with?

Thanks,

Fox

If you need a midi input, you'll need a different type of pickup. I believe Roland makes these pickups especially for certain models of guitar, although I'm not sure whether or not they make them for acoustics.

If you're just talking about running the signal from the guitar into the sound card- now that's much easier. All you'll need here is a 1/4" (the standard plug size for guitars) to 1/8" adapter. Plug your cable into the guitar, the other end into the adapter, and the adapter into the line in of the sound card. I would recommend starting with the active electronics on the acoustic set to low, since the card will want a line-level volume out of it. If it's just a piezo pickup with no battery or amplification, it'll be fine as-is.

kvscorpio

Thanks for the info Fox. So the midi input is more for keyboards and such. Guitar I can plug into the line in and be set. SWEET, Very much appreciated. Do you have any suggestions on good/decent software or cards; or, what-to-not-buy, or steer clear of?

I haven't looked at for sound cards for quite a while and have no idea about cards and or software. Guess I better get to googling huh. Thanks again, and any more help or suggestions from anyone would be surely appreciated.

Thanks again Fox !

Fox

Do you have integrated sound currently? You could probably try it out to see if it's adequate for your needs. Most people can't tell the difference between integrated and PCI... the line in should be a black jack, whereas the output is usually green and the microphone is usually a red jack.

kvscorpio

yeah, right now I have integrated sound. But looking to buy new system. Mainly for gaming, but wouldn't mind spending some money for a sound card and/or program to have some fun with.

I've got an acoustic guitar w/ built-in pick up. A cord to connect to an amp/ speaker with. It has a 9 volt battery in the pick up part.

As you can tell, not super in the know with the lingo for this, LOL But, I can play rather poorly if I do say so myself.

Fox

Definitely true.

If you're looking for a good PCI sound card, I've heard good things about the Creative Audigy series- I have the Value edition myself, and it's pretty good, but unless you find a deal on them, they can be expensive.

Turtle Beach makes good audiophile sound cards, but I don't know how they hold up in a gaming environment.

Wozer

somthing like this is what you need..it will solve various 'issues' and is pretty cheap all things considered...

Fox

I don't think that's quite a good idea. The GuitarPort is meant for electric guitars. It's meant to solve a problem of tone- when you plug an electric guitar directly into a computer, it sounds like crap, and rightfully so: there's no amplifier or speakers to color the sound.

Acoustics with pickups, on the other hand, have the sound colored to the point where most live performances can be (and are) done with a PA system.

It is for this reason that I recommend a $.50 adapter and the use of existing cords with the sound card of the computer.

Wozer

the level output of both electric and acoustic with a pickup is the same, so said device will work nicely...the effects can be used, and if one is 'brave' one can play around with distortion on an acoustic (actually sounds OK if you can get it 'dialed' in)...since this d00d is a beginner, I doubt the pickup in his instrument is all that great, and he may very well have some signal problems trying to directly connect to a computer/tape deck/stereo/whatever...I for one have never had any 'easy' success plugging directly into any such device, and have always found the use of a mixing board to at the very least 'condition' the signal to be adventageous if not required...

for 100 bucks thats a pretty schweet deal considering the included software and effects...

just the 2¢ of a guitarist/performer/home recorder of 25+ years....

Fox

Well then I guess I speak from the technological side of it when I tell you that you that the Guitar Port is not made for the acoustic, and whether or not it would work to some degree, the Line6 site says that it requires an electric guitar. In any case, I'm willing to bet it's 100 dollars that kv would rather not spend. Especially when you can get an effects program for your input devices for free at http://www.jesusonic.com/soft.php

That's not necessarily true. It would be if this particular pickup system used a passive pickup like the dimarzio line that sticks into the soundhole, but this particular guitar has active electronics, probably with a piezo, and I'd assume it probably also has a built in EQ and preamp.

kvscorpio

Gentlemen, no need to get too excited over this issue for me. LOL.

Although I must say your two divergent ways of looking at this issue have certainly enlightened me to issues I did not even have a clue about. For instance I did not consider a difference between hooking up an acoustic w/ pickup and a straight electric. Since I have been thinking (drooling more like it) of getting an electric, your posts have both helped me out.

Fox, thanks for the link to software stuff. I'll start by using that and plugging in my guitar and see how it goes. Since I'm probably tone deaf (LOL) that should get me started to see if this is a route I want to pursue.

Wozer, Thanks for the tip to the Line6. That looks awesome! I'm seriously considering to get it just for the play along and tab stuff. That's the software kind of stuff I was looking for and I was planning on up to $150 for a card and some software so that is a Thanks again you two, you've both been super helpfull to this neophyte guitarist!

Guitar in question: http://www.hsn.com/cnt/prod/default....rev=hp!sf!dept

Wozer

all things considered, I'm sure the instrument you gave a link for is an OK one...BUT, with any guitar it is always nice to play it first, they all sound different (even the same exact model, because of a different piece of wood) acoustics even more so..while I have never played an Esteban guitar, I am sure that he is able to have them built in vast quantities, and hopefully the price is not an indication of quality (i.e. I bet they are made ok)...

as far as electric vs. acoustic on the 'effects' side of things, well I've been plugging my acoustics into the same effects/boxes that I use for my electrics for about 20 years (you see, I'm not rich enough to afford a system specifically designed for each)...and yes Fox, that includes distortion, preamps, etc, etc, etc...sometimes it sounds good, other times not..it all depends upon the mood of the song and what I want...there have been times live I have 'needed' to use an acoustic with a dirty sound, and have...and so have many others...