3. How to connect
The signal chain is as follows:
- Guitar is plugged into audio interface.
- Audio interface is plugged into computer.
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Audio interface is connected into studio monitors/audio reference system.
Don’t forget to switch the power on! Check the volume levels on your guitar, audio interface and audio playback equipment before starting. Start with low volume on the playback.
Optionally, you can add stompboxes into the signal chain, between guitar and the interface. Signal deterioration is a slight concern, but you should be fine adding as many units as you would normally use in other guitar playing scenarios.
If you connected everything correctly, you should be able to hear your instrument live through your reference speakers.
If you happen to use your home audio equipment for the reference sound and worry about destroying it, you should be fine. Essentially, the audio interface is a sound card that modifies the instrument signal and makes it appropriate for the speakers.
Still, it is advisable to start from a lower volume level, especially if there are some guitar effects applied to the signal.
This is even more true regarding bass, as the resonances created by this instrument are sometimes hard to predict. So, when it comes to laying these low notes on your track - proceed with caution!
Additionally, apart from just recording, with this kind of setup you can also put on a playback track together with your guitar signal and jam along, be it a song you wish to learn or just for fun.