GarageBand For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 16

Recording Guitars and Basses without Mics or Amps

IN THIS CHAPTER

Direct recording with virtual amplifiers

Recording with a microphone and amplifier

Customizing your guitar tracks’ sound

In Chapters 14 and 15, I explain how to record software instruments and vocal and acoustic instrument tracks. In this chapter, I explain how to record another type of instrument: an amplified instrument, most notably an electric guitar.

Throughout this chapter, I use the electric guitar as an example because that’s the instrument I happen to own and play. However, the electric guitar is just one of many electronic or amplified instruments you might record directly. So, if you play another electronic instrument, such as an electric piano, synthesizer, violin, bass, or whatever, merely substitute the name of your instrument wherever you see the word guitar.

For the most part, electric instrument tracks are the same as vocal and acoustic instrument tracks (discussed in Chapter 15). The big difference is that you can record electronic instruments without a mic by plugging the instrument directly ...