This comprehensive guide is meant to walk you through all possible ways of connecting electric guitar or bass guitar to PC or Mac computer.
Of course, not every suggested solution will work equally good for everyone's needs out there. That's why you should choose guitar plugging option that suits your personal home recording demands, your budget and the equipment you already have.
But first, just in case someone missed it, let me answer possibly the most frequent and the most important question on this topic:
The answer for plugging guitar straight to computer is rather straight: no, don't do it!
Let me explain why:
Electric guitars send very different electric signal from the one your computer inputs are designed for. In other words, guitar signal is too weak for computer inputs and figuratively speaking - it can't get through to your computer. Well, at least not without loss in tone resolution, quality, clarity, dynamics and color. That's why even the most valuable guitars won't sound any good if connected straight to computer.
Possibly the most important downside of plugging guitar directly to computer is high level of noise, and we all know the noise is very unwelcome guest in the recording studio.
Trust me on this one: there is no software solution to fix this problem. Not even the best plugins or guitar modeling software can change anything.
Plugging guitar to computer requires at least one piece of hardware equipment in between your guitar and computer input because guitar or bass guitar pickup signal must be modified according to the requirements of computer inputs.
So let's move on to the types of equipment we need to use for proper guitar to comp connection.
Guitar links are the simplest and probably the cheapest way to connect your guitar to USB port of your computer.
Basically, these are small AD (audio/digital) converters that transform audio signal from your guitar to digital form and then send the digital signal to your computer USB port input.
The simplicity and the low price is what made guitar links very popular and among all the models in the market the most sold is certainly Behringer guitar link UCG 102.
The overall opinion on guitar link products is somehow ambivalent. While some seem to think it's a great value for the money with great recording quality, the others complain about various technical issues over making it work. All in all, it is an average line of products with both good and bad sides that usually come hand by hand with the low price tag.
The amplified signal will kill your computer.
Also, try to avoid connecting guitar amp to computer from your amp headphone output jack. It's not likely you'll damage any hardware this way, but it's highly unlikely you'll get anywhere near decent tone recording quality using headphone output.
There are two good ways to connect guitar to computer using guitar amp:
Sometimes I think how happy we all are living in digital age that makes so many things much, mush easier to cope with!
Just look at this cute little Yamaha THR 10 home amp. It is one of the world's best home recording guitar amps with absolutely unprecedented tube and amp modulation sound and instead all the fuss over trying to mic it properly all you have to do is plug it to your computer via simple USB cable to get the huge guitar tone with big headroom at really affordable cost!
OK, I'll cut my excitement here and let you see and hear it for yourself. Just check this video, I bet you won't be disappointed :)
Line outputs (often labeled as "Direct output" or "DI out") are balanced audio outputs usually located at the back panel of your guitar/bass guitar amplifier. You may want to check if your amp is equipped with one. In most of the cases you'll recognize these outputs as female XLR connectors. Some older amps do not have this kind of output (for example my silverface '78 Fender Twin Reverb does not have DI output), while the most of the modern amps (even the entry level ones) come equipped with these balanced audio outs.
Direct outputs are practically DI boxes integrated to your guitar amplifier and they are designed to convert your guitar high impedance unbalanced signal to low impedance balanced audio signal and that is exactly what your computer needs.
The most elegant way is to connect amp DI output XLR cable to a sound mixer first and then from the mixer to your computer audio input, but if you are on low budget and without a mixer, there's nothing wrong in connecting from amp DI output straight to computer audio input.
Please note that the sound quality from DI outputs differs from amp to amp. General rule is that the more modern amp is, the better direct out sound quality is... but take this with a grain of salt.
Connect your guitar to computer using preamp
Connecting guitar preamps to your computer audio input is definitely way to go for your home recording sessions. But before you go for any guitar or bass guitar preamp please take time to reconsider all your recording needs. Would you want to record vocals as well? Would you want to record some acoustic guitars or any other acoustic instrument like tambourine or harmonica here and there?
I'm asking this because right choice of home recording preamp may be one-stop solution for all your recording needs! And guess what? It does not necessarily cost much more than a preamp for recording electric guitar only.
For example, Art PRO MPA II offers the possibility for recording two instruments or two microphones to your computer at the same time. It means you can simultaneously record two guitars, or bass and guitar, or two vocals... or any way around. It's complete home studio solution.
But aside from a great price and recording capacities, there's at least several other features of this preamp that made me decide to recommend it to you and I think you'll be glad to hear about them.
Here's what I love about this particular preamp model:
Audio interfaces are basically external sound cards equipped with instrument and microphone preamps.
There are different types of audio interfaces depending on the way they are connected to computer: USB interfaces, firewire interfaces and thunderbolt interfaces (Mac). Picking audio interface with the outputs that suit your computer inputs is the most important step in choosing right interface for your needs. However, the rule of thumb is that you can't go wrong if you go for USB version.
The second step is to determine the number of inputs you need for your home recording: one or two mics? Or more? One or two instrument inputs? Or four?
Luckily, audio interface models come in various sets of inputs so you can decide on your own what's best for you without having to make big compromises.
For example, the best selling and highly regarded Focusrite Scarlett interface series come in versions from single mic and single instrument input to up to 20 inputs per unit. If you're interested you can check all the Focusrite version options with the actual prices at this link.
Connecting guitar to computer via mixer is useless unless your mixer is equipped with at least one "Hi Z" instrument input.
Instrument inputs designed for electric guitars and bass guitars used to be quite rare feature of analogue era mixers.
Luckily, today we are living in the era of home recording revolution and that's why some music equipment manufacturers go for this option a bit more often now than before.
What I like about mixers with guitar inputs is that aside from providing solution to record electric guitars properly, these mixers offer large variety of recording studio quality audio from vocals and other instruments too. Some of them are even more advanced, featuring USB connection capability and warm tube sound like the one you see on the photo.
The truth of the matter is that the mixers are the most versatile and the most maneuverable pieces of equipment when it comes to setting your instrument signal level and that is possibly the most important single step during the recording process.
Therefore I encourage you to read my article on mixers with guitar inputs and possibly choose the model that suits your personal home recording needs.
Of course, not every suggested solution will work equally good for everyone's needs out there. That's why you should choose guitar plugging option that suits your personal home recording demands, your budget and the equipment you already have.
But first, just in case someone missed it, let me answer possibly the most frequent and the most important question on this topic:
Can I plug guitar to computer directly?
 |
| Always remember that plugging guitar straight to computer won't do you any good... |
Let me explain why:
Electric guitars send very different electric signal from the one your computer inputs are designed for. In other words, guitar signal is too weak for computer inputs and figuratively speaking - it can't get through to your computer. Well, at least not without loss in tone resolution, quality, clarity, dynamics and color. That's why even the most valuable guitars won't sound any good if connected straight to computer.
Possibly the most important downside of plugging guitar directly to computer is high level of noise, and we all know the noise is very unwelcome guest in the recording studio.
Trust me on this one: there is no software solution to fix this problem. Not even the best plugins or guitar modeling software can change anything.
Plugging guitar to computer requires at least one piece of hardware equipment in between your guitar and computer input because guitar or bass guitar pickup signal must be modified according to the requirements of computer inputs.
So let's move on to the types of equipment we need to use for proper guitar to comp connection.
Connecting to computer via "Guitar link" a.k.a. "Guitar to USB interface"
 |
| Behringer guitar USB interface |
Basically, these are small AD (audio/digital) converters that transform audio signal from your guitar to digital form and then send the digital signal to your computer USB port input.
The simplicity and the low price is what made guitar links very popular and among all the models in the market the most sold is certainly Behringer guitar link UCG 102.
The overall opinion on guitar link products is somehow ambivalent. While some seem to think it's a great value for the money with great recording quality, the others complain about various technical issues over making it work. All in all, it is an average line of products with both good and bad sides that usually come hand by hand with the low price tag.
Connecting your guitar to computer using guitar amp
Whatever you try to experiment combining your computer and guitar amp, always remember: never connect your guitar amp speaker output to your computer because that would be the best way to fry your computer, your sound card and your guitar amp too. Your amp's external speaker outs (a.k.a. cabinet outs) are amplified outs. What your computer needs is pre-amplified guitar signal.The amplified signal will kill your computer.
Also, try to avoid connecting guitar amp to computer from your amp headphone output jack. It's not likely you'll damage any hardware this way, but it's highly unlikely you'll get anywhere near decent tone recording quality using headphone output.
There are two good ways to connect guitar to computer using guitar amp:
1. Connecting your amp USB out to your computer USB port
 |
| Yamaha THR10 guitar amp with USB output for computer connection |
Just look at this cute little Yamaha THR 10 home amp. It is one of the world's best home recording guitar amps with absolutely unprecedented tube and amp modulation sound and instead all the fuss over trying to mic it properly all you have to do is plug it to your computer via simple USB cable to get the huge guitar tone with big headroom at really affordable cost!
OK, I'll cut my excitement here and let you see and hear it for yourself. Just check this video, I bet you won't be disappointed :)
2. Connecting your amp "line out" to your computer audio input
 |
| VOX AGA 70 DI Out |
Direct outputs are practically DI boxes integrated to your guitar amplifier and they are designed to convert your guitar high impedance unbalanced signal to low impedance balanced audio signal and that is exactly what your computer needs.
The most elegant way is to connect amp DI output XLR cable to a sound mixer first and then from the mixer to your computer audio input, but if you are on low budget and without a mixer, there's nothing wrong in connecting from amp DI output straight to computer audio input.
Please note that the sound quality from DI outputs differs from amp to amp. General rule is that the more modern amp is, the better direct out sound quality is... but take this with a grain of salt.
Connect your guitar to computer using preamp
Connecting guitar preamps to your computer audio input is definitely way to go for your home recording sessions. But before you go for any guitar or bass guitar preamp please take time to reconsider all your recording needs. Would you want to record vocals as well? Would you want to record some acoustic guitars or any other acoustic instrument like tambourine or harmonica here and there?I'm asking this because right choice of home recording preamp may be one-stop solution for all your recording needs! And guess what? It does not necessarily cost much more than a preamp for recording electric guitar only.
 |
| Art PRO MPA II preamp: one stop solution for all your home recording needs |
But aside from a great price and recording capacities, there's at least several other features of this preamp that made me decide to recommend it to you and I think you'll be glad to hear about them.
Here's what I love about this particular preamp model:
- It has two Hi Z instrumental audio inputs specially made for guitars and bass guitars and from what I've heard from it, the guitars sound just gorgeous.
- PRO MPA II is tube preamp and I absolutely love the sound of the tubes
- The level of the noise is next to nothing audible
- 48V phantom power for professional studio condenser mic
Possibly the only downside is you can connect it to your computer audio inputs only.
Still, there's digital version of this preamp as well, so if you'd prefer to connect from this device to your sound card digitally via S/PDIF, please check digital version of this preamp that allows digital recordings at professional 24 bit/192 kHz sample rates.
Here's a little demonstration of how Art PRO MPA II sounds with the acoustic guitar:
Still, there's digital version of this preamp as well, so if you'd prefer to connect from this device to your sound card digitally via S/PDIF, please check digital version of this preamp that allows digital recordings at professional 24 bit/192 kHz sample rates.
Here's a little demonstration of how Art PRO MPA II sounds with the acoustic guitar:
Connecting your guitar to computer using audio interface
 |
| Focusrite Scarlett USB audio interface pack is the best selling audio interface in the world |
There are different types of audio interfaces depending on the way they are connected to computer: USB interfaces, firewire interfaces and thunderbolt interfaces (Mac). Picking audio interface with the outputs that suit your computer inputs is the most important step in choosing right interface for your needs. However, the rule of thumb is that you can't go wrong if you go for USB version.
The second step is to determine the number of inputs you need for your home recording: one or two mics? Or more? One or two instrument inputs? Or four?
Luckily, audio interface models come in various sets of inputs so you can decide on your own what's best for you without having to make big compromises.
For example, the best selling and highly regarded Focusrite Scarlett interface series come in versions from single mic and single instrument input to up to 20 inputs per unit. If you're interested you can check all the Focusrite version options with the actual prices at this link.
Connecting guitar to computer using audio mixer
 |
| Art Tube Mix - tube home recording USB mixer with guitar inputs |
What I like about mixers with guitar inputs is that aside from providing solution to record electric guitars properly, these mixers offer large variety of recording studio quality audio from vocals and other instruments too. Some of them are even more advanced, featuring USB connection capability and warm tube sound like the one you see on the photo.
The truth of the matter is that the mixers are the most versatile and the most maneuverable pieces of equipment when it comes to setting your instrument signal level and that is possibly the most important single step during the recording process.
Therefore I encourage you to read my article on mixers with guitar inputs and possibly choose the model that suits your personal home recording needs.
Connecting guitar to computer using DI Box
 |
| Electric guitar active DI box for passive pickups |
DI boxes (direct input or direct injection boxes) and their application are known to be some kind of mystery for the entry level recording. It's really not that complicated when it comes to guitar recording and all you have to do is just remember these facts:
- It is OK to use DI box in between your guitar and your computer/sound card audio input, but only if you connect from DI box to your mixer XLR connector first, and then from the mixer to your computer audio or USB input.
- If your electric guitar has passive pickups you should use active DI box. If your electric guitar has active pickups you should use passive DI box. It's the same for acoustic guitars and for bass guitars.
Please note: you have passive pickups if your guitar does not have battery. If your guitar requires battery, your pickups are active. The same thing works for DI boxes: passive DI boxes do not have battery or the power adapter connector, while the active DI boxes do.
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