If anyone is interested the TubeBaby VST plugin works on the Audio track for guitar. Use at your own risk. Sounds good coupled with the PG Reverb plugin.

Download Tubebaby Here
http://www.ndzeit.org/guitar/tubebaby.html

1. Download and unzip TubeBaby into your VST plugins folder Example: C:\VST\Guitar
2. Create a BIAB song in the usual way
3. Plug in your guitar into your computers, USB Interface Soundcard or Mixer to Soundcard Combo, etc.
4. Click the R.Aud button on the toolbar to record the audio track for your guitar
5. After recording your Take/track click on the Plugins button on the toolbar
6. Click the first drop down menu then click Add VST Plugin and navigate to the folder where the TubeBaby.dll is, click on it and then click the open button, the TubeBaby.dll will load into the VST/DirectX/Plugins window.
7. Click the drop down menu on the TubeBaby and select a preset to get you started
8. Leave the VST/DirectX/Plugins window open, now click the Play button to start the song.

As the song plays you can now go back to the TubeBaby window and make adjustments to the sound of the amp and hear the results immediately, also you can right click on the TubeBaby title and select Amp style and Cabinet type. Set the volume using the Tubebaby volume knob since it overrides the audio tracks volume control. If you would like to add Reverb or Chorus you can do so by clicking the second drop down in the VST/DirectX Plugins window to choose a second plugin 'PG Reverb'. Up to four plugins can be chosen for the audio track.

BIAB 2009.5 User
Warren

P.S. I highly recommend visiting and reading Mac's Audio Minds web site, this information is very valuable if you are just starting out in recording or have been in it a while.

Audio Minds
http://audiominds.com

TIP: Most all soundcard inputs are not high impedance and therefore will change the sound of the standard electric guitar electromagnetic pickup by both loading it down and reducing available gain and also truncating frequency response.

All 1/4" inputs are not created equally.

Matter of fact, the 1/4" inuts on soundcards and even most mixers are designed as LINE level inputs and not as High Impedance guitar level inputs.

This is a case where, just because you can hear some sound when you play, it doesn't mean that you are hearing the *correct* sound.

For best results when using Guitar Amp/Cabinet simulator plugins and the like, I recommend the use of a device designed to accept High Impedance guitar input.

The Art Tube preamps have a dedicated High Impedance input, as do many other Mic preamps. Placing one between your guitar output and soundcard line input is highly recommended.

One can also press certain Direct Box designs into service here, the specs and the dreaded owner's manual will tell you if the DI box can handle High Impedance input and convert it to Low Impedance output properly.

Line Level input is typically around 2K to 10K ohms mark.

Proper High Impedance guitar input should be at least 100K with 1M (1000K) ohms being the preferred.

That's a HUGE difference.

Don't hand your VST a wimpy, truncated signal to begin with.


--Mac

Mac,

A POD or a J-Station would serve that purpose as well?

Quote:

---

Mac,

A POD or a J-Station would serve that purpose as well?

---

Aboslutely.

However, I would see no reason to need a VST Amp/Cab simulator software plugin at all, since the Pod or the J-Station both contain their own DSP for the purpose.

I still love my old J-Station's sounds, BTW. That thing is a gem amongst these devices IMO. Especially so when using the S/PDIF output to record. If you have one, hold onto it. This is the one that will likely go up in value someday, because of that factor. It is my opinion that most folks who buy these things just don't have enough experience with the "target" amplifier types to be able to differentiate the quality of the simulations. For example, if you've never spent time with a real Rectifier amp, night in and night out, it is not very likely that you would be able to qualify the simulation of same. Or VoxAC30, or Marshall Stack or Fender Twin, or whatever. And top that off with the fact that one needs to spend a bit of time getting used to the way one must play when the first thing the signal path sees is an A to D plus the small amount of latency. Nothing that can't be overcome, but something often overlooked.

Another great amp/cabinet sim is the venerable old all analog Sansamp, too. Amazing little box.


--Mac