Recording electric and acoustic elec guitars in Kronos

kfwa · Post by **kfwa** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 7:02 pm

Hello Kronos users:

I am considering purchasing Kronos 2, and will appreciate knowing about your experience of recording electric guitar and acoustic electric guitar with cable connected directly to K2 or connected with a guitar effects processor in between?
I ask this because my online search reveals numerous comments from some years ago that there is too much unwanted hiss/noise in this scenario and the reason cited is that signal from elec guitar or acst elec guitar tends to be low and as kronos does not have a preamp, the hiss/noise is unacceptably high.
I intend to make compositions using sounds including percussion from within K2 but would like to play actual guitars for guitar parts. I would like to use K2 sequencer for all recording and not Garageband etc because frankly I would rather face one learning curve than two plus recording everything within kronos sequencer sounds more convenient at least at this stage.
Apart from kronos stellar sounds its external instrument recording ability is a big attraction to me. But if the aforementioned hiss problem will be there and is unsolvable I will then go for Krome, which does not have input for ext inst but has many good sounds.
Sorry for the long background in my question.
I am mentioning my current equipment below so if the solution requires a permutation of connections/tools, you can advise me better:

Les Paul electric guitar with humbuckers,
Acoustic electric guitar with Yamaha system 63SRT preamp/pickup,
Digitech RP 250 guitar effects processor,
Apogee Duet 2 audio interface,
Studio monitors,
IMac 2011

kronoSphere · Post by **kronoSphere** » Thu Aug 11, 2016 8:48 pm

Hello,
As fas as I'm concerned I never had any problem when recording acousic guitar (with inegrated preamp) or electric guitar. (which were not expensive guitars but good guitars) Now I prefer to use the Ample Sound VSTi guitars which are just a dream to use. A real miracle is their software.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 11:42 am

https://soundcloud.com/jeremykeys/01-times-awastin

This is a song that I recorded on y Kronos. The electric guitars first go through my Zoom G1Next pedal and then directly into the Kronos.the electric bass was plugged straight into the Kronos but I used one of the amp sims. Vocals first went from my microphone into a tube preamp and then the Kronos.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 11:53 am

I wouldn't buy anything without trying first. In theory, an electric guitar needs an active DI to match impedance with the Kronos inputs (or any mixer/interface unless it has a specialized input).
But going through your FX machine may have the same effect. An acoustic with a preamp should normally also be sufficiently hot to go straight in.

amit · Post by **amit** » Fri Aug 12, 2016 11:59 am

I use a behringer ultra DI box, works great with direct guitars as well as my mic'ed amps

I'd avoid direct piezos (electro acoustics) into the system as they an produce magnitude of volts (for protection).
I do have a multifx pedal but I don't use it while recording.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Sat Aug 13, 2016 4:16 pm

I try to get a tube preamp of some kind before all my microphones when recording. I need to relocate my rack so that I can also use my stereo Behringer tube preamp when I'm recording my Kronos into my Cubase system.
I don't record into my Kornos much anymore but when I did I always used a preamp after any microphone. I like to use the Behringer pres. They're inexpensive and I think they sound pretty good.

kfwa · Post by **kfwa** » Sat Aug 13, 2016 8:20 pm

Thank you all very much for your helpful replies.

SanderXpander,
Unfortunately very few music stores in NJ have KX or K2 on display (none in my area). But if I can find one I will certainly want to try out my scenario.

Jeremkeys,
Like your rock song. Well played too but respectfully, I found the recording muddled, in that drums and guitars particularly are not clear unless you went for that sound intentionally.

All responders,
My understanding from you is that unless I go through my guitar effects processor (whose effects are not that special to begin with) I will require an Active Direct Box (DI) with one or two outputs. That way I will be able to make use of the guitar effects within K2 too.
I forgot to mention however that I have a Marshall MG15dfx guitar amp and it has an "Emulated line out" (never knew what it meant), which when I searched online shows that it is for connecting amp to mixer. I suppose that connection (connected to K2 directly) may possibly be one way to avoid the high hiss situation as well?

By the way my elec guitars are all Gibson les pauls with usual stock output jacks (think they are unbalanced). Understand that I may not face the high noise issue with acoustic elec guitar since it has a preamp inside it already.

Your help encourages specially non-tech savvy like me to begin to take the plunge.

amit · Post by **amit** » Sat Aug 13, 2016 8:40 pm

1: You don't need an active DI box, a passive DI box would work fine too.
2: Your marshall emulated output is through it's amp, so its not a DI signal. if you are fine with that then you don't need a DI box, as it's Line output impedance would match kronos line in without any loss in tone.

SanderXpander · Post by **SanderXpander** » Sat Aug 13, 2016 9:13 pm

A passive DI box is not a great idea for an electric guitar. It's fine for high output signals like keyboards or acoustic guitars with built in preamps though. At least in theory.

But like I said, just try before you buy. I didn't mean the Kronos, I'm assuming you'd get one. I mean once you get it, see if you get satisfactory results using the equipment you have before you buy a DI or preamp.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Sat Aug 13, 2016 10:15 pm

[quote="kfwa"]Thank you all very much for your helpful replies.

Jeremkeys,
Like your rock song. Well played too but respectfully, I found the recording muddled, in that drums and guitars particularly are not clear unless you went for that sound intentionally.

Thanks! Glad you liked it!
As for the sound being muddled. I don't hear that but it's probably my poor old deaf ears! That and usually when I record I'm going really fast. Trying to get it all down quickly because I have another 3 or 4 songs pushing from behind. Also; and you're not the first person who has said things like that btw so it must be true; I think I need to learn to take a step back away from my music for a bit before I commit to a mix.
All criticism is greatly appreciated! It can only help to make me sound better. Maybe for me it's just a case of not being able to see the forest for the trees. Or my monitors!

I'm really surprised that you can't find a kronos to check out near you. I may have read that wrong.

Best of luck though! I have never regretted getting my Kronos. In just under a month I'll have had mine for 5 years and it still has a truckload of features that I haven't figured out! It really is the gift that keeps on giving!

All the best!

kfwa · Post by **kfwa** » Thu Sep 01, 2016 8:11 pm

Thank you, I will try first with what I have presently before getting any DI.

Jeremkeys,

Thanks. I hope my day will come in not too distant a future when I can also produce something on its sequencer. Got Kronos 2 yesterday. Right now much to learn starting from operation basics. Good to know you have had good experience with Kronos.

None of the two Guitar centers (largest musical instruments retail chain in US) near to me had any Kronos or other Korg keyboards. Sweetwater only had Krome and Kross.

By the way strange that unless you have images on a url you can't post a pic on this forum.

jeremykeys · Post by **jeremykeys** » Thu Sep 01, 2016 9:35 pm

That's just the way it is here. Welcome to the Kronos world! You're gonna love it. In 9 days I will have had mine for 5 years and it still has a truckload of abilities that I don't yet know. Nothing else comes close except if you get into a serious computer based system, but this all comes as a self contained unit. Perfect!

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