Guitar Input Deceptive

[drutgat]

Hi,
I'm finding it difficult to get a good signal on the guitar input of the Micro BR.

If I set it too high, it distorts when I'm playing clean, and I can't always hear this when I'm monitoring, i.e., in these cases it's only apparent when I play back what I've recorded.

If I set the input lower, it lacks that oomph and also is incapable of competing with other signals recorded at higher gains.

What I don't understand is how I can't always hear the distortion via the guitar input.

In all cases, I'm monitoring through my headphones.

I would greatly appreciate any help.

Thanks,

[hewhoiscalledj]

It can certainly be tricky. Make sure you are finding a good balance between the input's SENSITIVITY (on INPUT screen) and the physical INPUT level using the little wheel on the right side.

a guitar with a hot humbucker will require a lower setting than a single coil pickup. the trick to a good recording to get the highest INPUT level possible without getting clipping (OVER message.)

start with the INPUT wheel set between 90-100 and then hit the INPUT button, choose GTR and then adjust the SENSITIVITY with the cursors/+,-  Probably around -2dB or so for a hot guitar. (Also make sure your guitar volume is at max)

not hearing distortion? make sure the guitar volume is maxxed and that you have selected a distortion effect or amp model. hope this helps...

[drutgat]

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it.

[Spiderbite]

well that answer/advice worked for me(TYVM!!) im using a EMG 81 and no matter how low i set the input level it still went "over"

[dragonshade]

Yep, tricky at first. I'm running EMG 85's. I set the input sensitivity all the way to
-12db, and the input level at about 80-85, has no clipping, and LOTS of punch. Remember all you need is to be able to hear yourself, all balancing and making everything match comes into play when you're bouncing and mastering.

[Satchwood]

This is a problem that I've sEEN as wEll....EspeCially when I'm plaYing clean open chord stuff.  I'm going to tRy some of the adVice here, THX!

[launched]

Dragonshade, you just changed my life! I'm kind of embarrassed to say it, but I thought the Input Level was just for monitoring  I read that manual from cover to cover and thought I saw that the thumbwheel didn't really affect the actual recording. Always had that thing at 100% (Thanx everybody for the sweet "Wall of sound quotes", though! ).

I agree with lower input, higher mixing because white noise is better than clipping any day in my book, if it ever comes to having to choose. Digital clipping is becoming an increasing problem - Have even read articles about people asking for their money back due to crappily engineered albums. I won't dig myself a hole and mention names, but I have a couple bad CD's like that myself.

A re-read quantified what you said perfectly. On one hand I feel like a dumb blonde, but on the other I feel sweet relief. It was so hard to keep from clipping, and like what drutgat was saying, I had a hard time managing distortion due to turning down my pickup output knobs in order to avoid clipping. And then I would get no powah!!!! 

I gotta say this made my day - Thanks a bunch!!!

Mark

[cuthbert]

Thanks to all - I too did the set-and-forget on the input wheel and was relying only on sensitivity (and wasn't liking my results).

Going to try balancing two next time.

Cheers,
cuth

[Davo]

Also check your phones volume slider.

[Sprocket]

I kinda ran into a similar issue last night...and Im not totally convinced my "OVER" light is working.
The track sounded good while I was playing along, but after I recorded it it sounded too loud and clipped.