Home studio advice

So far my recording setup is:

Guitar -> red box -> alesis multimix 8 -> computer

Now the red box is by hughes and kettner and is a cabinet simulator it basically means I can record direct in and not have the recording sound like it's coming through a transistor radio.

Now before the red box (and after guitar of course) I have available the following pedals:

Boss mega distortion 2 (urgh, I use the overdrive on it)
MXR phase 90
Ibanez Weeping demon wah

Or

Boss Gt-10 multi-fx pedal

Now I don't like what I've heard of the boss when attempting to use it to record before it sounded like a guitar ran through a wet fart (pardon mon francais).

So I was hoping for any suggestions for getting the most out of this gear or anything you would deem necessary.

I was considering picking up one of these: http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/gfx8/ My guitar teacher uses them for our lessons and recording and he gets a very good sound for home studio work.

Oh and my DAW is cubase LE

I'm gonna have a hack at it now just wanted advice.

One final point (next time I'll organise my ideas etc before writing) in case anyone is interested the red box goes to the mixer via a XLR cable then mixer to pc via USB (2.0 maybe)

Well, first thing to consider is the actual sound waves when introducing pedals. Each pedal effects the waves in a different way. So if you have your Wah first (Great choice with the weeping demon by the way - I have one too), then only the sound directly from your guitar gets attenuated by the Wah and nothing after - which could muddy your distortion. I usually put my last, before of course any noise suppressors or compressors (which are always last). I'd also consider placing your Phase 90 after the distortion.

Here's an example of my old loop I used to use:

Guitar Noise Suppressor (Boss NS-2) Tuner (Boss) Reverb (Boss) Delay (boss) Distortion (Boss Metal Zone) Wah-Pedal (Ibanez Weeping Demon) Noise Suppressor USB interface (Lexicon Lambda) computer audio input device (EMU) Cakewalk.

I had a few other rigs that involved multi-FX pedals and amps, but that one was the one I liked the best.

Another thing to look into: Do you use just batteries or 9v adapters for your pedals? If you're using adapters, are they 50hz or 60hz? I'm pretty sure in the UK you guys use 60hz - so if you're using a 50hz power supply, you'll get a weaker, muddier sound.

If you are using just batteries, make sure they are fully charged, or buy new ones.

It shouldn't be a problem with your interface, if it was, all your pedals would sound bad.

You might also want to pop open the pedal and make sure all the wiring is intact. A loose wire can really screw up your tone.

Is the multi-mix a mixing station? or is that a computer program? Check your leveling... you could have messed a knob by accident. I've done that more times than I can count.

Hope all that helps! Good luck.

Rock on!

Mixing station, I've put channel inputs to around 2 or 3 and main mix at that volume as well and gain at zero to remove as much hiss as possible.

I've no noise suppressors but if I ever find some money lying around free to use I might pick up an ISP Decimator.

I'd probably only use the phase 90 for clean guitar sound trying to get a dreamy swirly pink floyd like thing going.

I'm getting a bit of a hiss with recording so I tried adding my amp into the mix:

Guitar -> Peavey Vyper -> red box -> alesis multimix 8 -> computer

But that didn't seem to do much, I have guitar rig with rammfire so if all else fails get a good clean sound going and digitise it (but I don't want to do that understandably)

I've just turned the 75Hz hpf on on the mixer and later I'll see what that's like (I don't have much faith it wasn't a low hissing as far as I could tell)

Everything sorted turned down the recording volume of mixer in control panel and boosted channel and main mix volume, hiss was gone and guitars at a good volume.

Tis all good

Glad you worked it out. What about the tone? You clean it up too?

Volume has a huge effect on tone in a few ways.

Volume pedals and volume knobs on your guitar, lower the volume by cutting the output of your pickups to the pre-amp. Its like limiting the horsepower on a car sports car.

Mixer Volume takes the max output and turns down an already existing sound wave so your tone is not really effected.

I always keep my guitar volume cranked, unless I want a dirty blues tone, but keep my mixer volumes as low as possible until I am ready to master the tracks. Then I slowly crank them up until just before they red line. Of course taking into consideration that certain instruments and hz ranges have a larger impact on the over necessary volume.

Rock on!