Recording software

[gwEm]

ableton live...

[sgmypod]

on a toneport?

[Mr Ed]

I use Adobe Audition, it works perfectly well for me as it's completely no frills.

[Fourth Feline]

I use Mackie "Tracktion" too. the software came with my Mackie USB interface all for about £99. There are two inputs, so you can use a microphone straight from the amp, ( phantom powering provided if needed for condenser Microphone).

I use guitar straight into one input and then through 'Guitar Rig' effect/amp/cabinet/microphone modelling software. (It was easy to integrate FX modelling software into 'Tracktion').

I do not have/use a microphone as I just add bits to a mates pre-recorded studio tracks at home.

For Forum sound clips, I can imagine that the only 'true' representation of each pickup would be microphone on the amp for pure demonstration purposes.

[MDV]

For your distortion sound?

I'd only use software if you must play at low volumes.

In order of tone goodness I'd say its this:
VST
Amp modeller (pod XT, for example)
Mic'd amp.

This is just my experience of it though. Opinions may vary ;)

[rahnooo]

For your distortion sound?

I'd only use software if you must play at low volumes.

In order of tone goodness I'd say its this:
VST
Amp modeller (pod XT, for example)
Mic'd amp.

This is just my experience of it though. Opinions may vary ;)

or a low wattage valve amp? I've used Amplitube, Guitar Rig, and the original Pod. Out of the choice of those 3 I'd say Guitar Rig was the most convincing VST amp simulator. I never really got on with Amplitube though.

For my money nothing beats a good quality low wattage valve amp. I get far better tones out of my Matamp Minimat mic-d with a Rode Nt-1A than I ever did with any of the other 3 products I mentioned. It may not have the same uber-polished studio sound, but the tones are much more intuitive to dial in. And I sometimes find that the studio polished pod sounds don't always work in the context of a mix where everything else has been recorded in DIY conditions :)

*Rahnooo*

[JJretroTONEGOD]

I like to use Sonar 5 Studio Edition, it only cost me £60, and it's amazing! I use it with my M Audio 192 card, and (for now) a tapco mixer. I plan to upgrade to a Mackie Oynx desk soon though.

Prefer Sonar much more than Cubase, Logic, Pro Tools or any other I've tried, because you get unlimited tracks, fx and it has 64 bit proccessing, and a Lexicon Reverb plug in that really is proffessional quality. Compare the specs of Sonar to any other DAW out there.

The choice is yours in the end.

[carlaz]

I use GarageBand.  It's Mac only, but it's got pretty much all the power than most of us will need and is extremely user-friendly and effective, IMO. I might upgrade to Logic Express sometime, but I haven't exhausted what I can do with GB yet.

If you haven't got a Mac, I'd recommend going out and buying a Mac mini for 400 quid (list) and plugging your existing keyboard and monitor into it. ;) It comes loaded with GarageBand 3. 8)