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3312 Views 10 Replies Latest reply: Mar 12, 2012 9:41 AM by BuddhaMaster RSS
rdmarshall Just Startin'
rdmarshall
4 posts since
Nov 26, 2008
Currently Being Moderated

Mar 13, 2009 10:22 PM

My guitar is too quiet for Backtrack. How can I boost the sound?

Ok, I have a classical guitar, it does have a built in pickup but it is not a battery powered one. My backtrack recordings are too quiet. Another side effect of the quietness is that it breaks up my songs (which have quiet spots in them) into multiple files. The third side effect is that each file is missing a few notes in their beginnings because of the automatic startup nature of the Backtrack, makes it wake up just a second later.

 

I think this is a cool product. By far the best feature to me is the portability factor. So, how can I boost the sound without complicating the setup (e.g. carrying some kind of portable preamp??)

 

Thanks in advance,

Dan

  • Jeraxle Just Startin'
    Jeraxle
    184 posts since
    Nov 28, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    Mar 13, 2009 10:30 PM (in response to rdmarshall)
    Re: My guitar is too quiet for Backtrack. How can I boost the sound?

    Open your configuration software (should be preloaded on the backtrack, if not, go to the downloads page and grab v1.03).

    Depending on if you have the backtrack or backtrack+mic, the config utility will look slightly different.  Either way, check to make sure that you have the autocapture settings set to "Soft".

    • rdmarshall Just Startin'
      rdmarshall
      4 posts since
      Nov 26, 2008
      Currently Being Moderated
      Mar 13, 2009 11:13 PM (in response to Jeraxle)
      Re: My guitar is too quiet for Backtrack. How can I boost the sound?

      Ok, I've set the settings to soft. However the recording is still extremely quiet.

       

      I've also done the "Force recording" scenario (with the red light) and it is still way quiet.

       

      I'm sure this is just my crappy low-power pickup, and not the Backtrack's fault.  Unless there is some super secret way to change the settings to "Charmin ultra soft".  If not, what would you suggest for a power up?

      • Jeraxle Just Startin'
        Jeraxle
        184 posts since
        Nov 28, 2007
        Currently Being Moderated
        Mar 13, 2009 11:27 PM (in response to rdmarshall)
        Re: My guitar is too quiet for Backtrack. How can I boost the sound?

        This seems like a PITA, but if you have all of your settings set to soft and the volumes cranked, my next step would be to force capture all my recordings and run the wav files through my DAW (Reaper) for a signal boost.

         

        That's a bit extreme however.  I mainly do stuff like that just to see if it'll work. =)  Other than that, do you have another guitar you can use to test out your BT?  If we can isolate the problem down to your pickup, it may save you time, money, and frustration in the long run.

        • rdmarshall Just Startin'
          rdmarshall
          4 posts since
          Nov 26, 2008
          Currently Being Moderated
          Mar 22, 2009 6:25 PM (in response to Jeraxle)
          Re: My guitar is too quiet for Backtrack. How can I boost the sound?

          I tried my 2nd guitar, a Fender Strat with stock pickups. The sound was still very quiet. So maybe I've got a defective unit???  Probably not.

           

          I've run it through a little Behringer preamp I've got, which gave good results.  However, this is not how the unit is advertised to work, it should just work straight from the guitar. It's supposed to be a nice portable deal.  My preamp isn't portable.

           

          I think the concept is great, and if I pretend that my preamp isnt in the loop, I think it is one of the best ways to record in my home "studio". It is remarkably easy to use, and it sure beats going through a menu (File > New > Do you want to save this file > Can I please just record music > etc ). But I'm not getting the value without the signal.

          • howellnorfolk Just Startin'
            howellnorfolk
            15 posts since
            Mar 22, 2009
            Currently Being Moderated
            Mar 22, 2009 8:10 PM (in response to rdmarshall)
            Re: My guitar is too quiet for Backtrack. How can I boost the sound?

            I wasn't having trouble getting a good level once the thing records but I was having trouble keeping it recording on autorecord - I tried raising my neck pickup a little and that helped but then I changed the settings for the amount of silence it will handle before it cuts off - so I maxed that out to the 5secs and then I lowered amount of time it takes to split into another event..down to the lowest setting. This seems to work ok now. It seems to record continuously even at light touches on the strings. If your not getting volume out of it there may be something wrong with it..I have a nylon string guitar with a bridge type pickup and I will try that and report back.

  • Rowbi Expert Line 6 User
    Rowbi
    7,745 posts since
    Nov 25, 2006
    Currently Being Moderated
    Mar 14, 2009 1:57 AM (in response to rdmarshall)
    Re: My guitar is too quiet for Backtrack. How can I boost the sound?

    yeah using a normalise function in a DAW would hopefully increase your volume on the track, but that isn't ideal.

     

    if you can't adjust the backtrack any more to get more gain on the record level, how's about this for a thought... are you just plugging your guitar straight into your backtrack?  if so, is your volume at full?  maybe you usually play with your volume low to get the right sound, but that may mean the volume level of your recording isn't high enough.  do you play into an amp that might have a recording direct output?  another option if you aren't trying to lower your guitar output to get a specific tone, you could try boostingyour volume level by getting an EQ pedal, and turning the level control up a little?

     

    just some ideas to think about

     

    regards

     

    rowbi

  • rmeason Just Startin'
    rmeason
    1 posts since
    Mar 15, 2009
    Currently Being Moderated
    Mar 15, 2009 2:53 PM (in response to rdmarshall)
    Re: My guitar is too quiet for Backtrack. How can I boost the sound?

    I just purchased Back Track and found that the only way I can get a signal strong enough to import was to use the Phones jack or mono out on my amp.

    Worked ok, crappy sound.

    Pushed everything up to fill volume and barely got a wisper directly out from the Guitar.

    Playback through the amp was ok just not a stong enough signal to be read by anything except I tunes.

    Equipment:

     

    Martin dcme w/fishman

    Breedlove G5

    Roland amp

    Martin HD 28 w/fishman

     

    I had hopes for a $100.00 solution.

     

    Rob

  • BuddhaMaster Just Startin'
    BuddhaMaster
    5 posts since
    Aug 31, 2011
    Currently Being Moderated
    Mar 12, 2012 9:41 AM (in response to rdmarshall)
    Re: My guitar is too quiet for Backtrack. How can I boost the sound?

    Hey everyone I got the exact same problem.

     

    I have to hit the strings pretty hard, I also set BACKTRACK 'capture' level to soft.

    Setting pickup position to middle or neck-middle helped a lot.

    It makes me able to play a whole passage hitting pretty hard and keep recording.

     

    The resulting audio file is still about 5% maximum volume of 100%

    Thats a lot of quality waste!

     

     

    If Line6 PLEASE could update their firmware with freedom of dB capture level lower than soft that would be very good for a lot of people.

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