How to Record Guitar to a Laptop

There several ways to record your guitar to your laptop. These vary from purchasing a simple computer guitar cable to using a dedicated USB product. Most of these ways are relatively straight forward, easy to set up and easy to use.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Connect the headphone/line out from your amp to the line in of your soundcard. All you need to do this is a Computer Guitar Cable which has a standard jack on one end, and a mini-jack on the other.
2. Plug your electric guitar directly into the mic-in socket on your sound card. This may not give the high quality performance needed for a more professional sound but will suit amateurs.
3. Use a USB device for perhaps the simplest means of recording. JamLab is one of the most popular entry-level USB devices designed specifically for guitarists. JamLab turns your PC or Mac into a personal guitar system without the need for any other hardware except your guitar. JamLab connects directly to your computer via a simple USB connection, and features a ¼ inch input for your guitar.
4. Using the M-Audio Fast-Track USB is another simple item that allows easy recording to your laptop. Connect the MAudio Fast Track USB to the USB port of your computer and you're ready to record. Fast Track USB has an input for instruments like guitar, bass and keyboards, plus a microphone input for recording vocals or other acoustic sounds.
5. More professional musicians should use a USB device that combines both Audio and MIDI inputs and outputs. These are good for a guitarist who wants a complete home studio solution on his PC or Mac. Tascam produce two units, (the US-122L and US-144) which are very popular because of their ease of use.
6. A less professional method of recording your guitar is to use a microphone to record the output of your amp (for electric guitarists), or your acoustic guitar. This will produce a less clear sound, but some guitarists (who want to create something like a White Stripes sound) may prefer this “retro” sound.