Direct In Guitar Recording

[xBTWATWDx]

I recently started recording guitar passing the signal through my electroharmonics MetalMuff and into my M-audio fast track. I am enjoying the ease at which I can record with mediocre but reproducible tone for when I want to work on a song over multiple sessions. What I miss however, is the depth and character of my amp’s guitar tone. I am looking into buying some software that that will work with cubase and be able to give me some sweet guitar tones, as if I were playing through an amp when recording DI. Any suggestions? I am not looking to be cheap.

Thanks
Dan

[wheatgrinder]

The Guitar Rig plugin is prety cool. Depending on your PC power, and if you can achieve low latency you can even use it real time. I cant seem to run Guitar Rig AND or Drum Program (kitcore, or ezdrummer) at the same with acceptable latency. I can do direct recording no problem, but just cant use the VST plug ins in real time. (Well I can do some things, but its not really worth the effort)

There are some reviews on GuitarRig on this site so look around.

Alternatives are getting a better DI system. Iv used a Yammaha DG STOMP, Johnson J-Station, Sansamp. All which have there points. The Sansamp is just that, an amp and speaker emulator, no fancy effects.
The DG STOMP and J-Station offer full amps, effects, reverbs, stereo out, etc. There is also the ubiquitous POD, but Iv never used one.

What I might do, and haven't done yet, is to stick a regular DI (not an amp emulator) between my guitar and the amp emulator box. When recording I would record, the output of the amp emulator, AND the dry signal as separate tracks. Then If I want to "reamp" via Guitar Rig plugin, I have a clean signal to use as input.

Hope this helps..

[Bootstrapped]

Just curious what your DAW platfrom is. Mac or PC. I recently picked up the ZOOM ZFX Console package.

Samson - Zoom - C5.1t

There is a desktop version as well.

This is fairly new from ZOOM and comes with some convincing amp and FX models and is extremely easy to use. It works as stand alone and as VST however it currently is only for PC. I heard ZOOM will release the Mac version in Jan 2009.

It also comes bundled with GuitarRig LE which only gives you a sample of thier models however the ZOOM ZFX models do not dissappiont IMHO.

Also included Cubase LE 4 if you don't have decent DAW software. 48 tracks with same 32 bit mix engine as 4.

[xBTWATWDx]

I use Cubase SX3. I have been reading a lot of good things about guitar impulses. I think I might look into that.

[DolphinFace]

I like the WAVES GTR 3 plugin a lot. It's VST.