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Post subject: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:51 am
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I have been learning how to use my Mustang I with the Ableton software and see several tutorials on Youtube concerning the use of external USB interfaces. So far I can do everything I need/want, create MIDI tracks, record the Mustang through it's USB connection and all that, so I'm not sure I would need one. Any thoughts on that from people more in the know here?

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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 11:54 am
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The usb interface is a little box that you plug your guitar /keyboard/mic whatever into.. and the box converts the analog sound into digital that the computer can then deal with.

The only point of getting it with a Mustang is if you'd rather put a microphone in front of the amp and record the miced sound - that might make a better sound as you then record what you are hearing out of the speaker.
I have an external interface and if I do some proper recording, I plan to use that rather than the Mustang USB.
Mustang USB is great for quick results, but it seems thin compared to what I hear out of the speaker.


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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 12:04 pm
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Jim9guitars wrote:
I have been learning how to use my Mustang I with the Ableton software and see several tutorials on Youtube concerning the use of external USB interfaces. So far I can do everything I need/want, create MIDI tracks, record the Mustang through it's USB connection and all that, so I'm not sure I would need one. Any thoughts on that from people more in the know here?



The good news is that you already have (and paid) for a USB interface.. inside your mustang.
the only thing you don't have that way is the effect of the actual mustang speaker (but you still have the speaker emulation you choose in your preset) and the particular response of the mic you are going to use. Frankly I find it too cumbersome (and expensive if you need to buy it) to mic an amp and I think the USB interface on the mustangs is a great addition. If you are really purist and want to have the speaker and mic response in your sound you can:

-use an EQ plugin in your DAW that resembles the Mustang speaker response OR
-for more advanced DAW'S, use a cab emulation of a 12" miced with a virtual mic of your choice (overkill IMO)

this is the Mustang 3 speaker response curve:
Image


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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 12:14 pm
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Thanks markcc and jedi2b, your replies confirmed my thoughts. This is all pretty new to me and there is a lot to learn. It's fun stuff though!

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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 3:00 pm
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Just for completeness, another reason for getting an audio USB interface is if you want to feed the "pure" unprocessed sound from your guitar (or whatever...) directly into the PC, rather than the processed sound from the Mustang. For example, if you want to use Amplitube as your modelling/effects engine rather than the Mustang, and then feed the PC's audio output to a PA desk, power amp, etc.

But if, as you say, you can already do everything you want using the Mustang and its USB output, then you don't need the above.


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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 5:45 pm
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I'm new to this, and tbh was just rapt to find I could plug in the Mustang to my Mac, open Garageband and record my woeful playing in a matter of minutes, with nary a instruction manual in sight.

No matter how you shake it, you're going to be dealing with a software produced sound, whether it's at the front (Mustang) or back (DAW). It's matter of picking which sounds better. For me, the Mustang presets straight into Gband sounds much better than Gband's processed sounds added to a 'clean' Mustang preset.

I think you'd need some fairly decent equipment, time, and an interest in recording top quality sound, to get a much better result than that, and it depends on your priorities. I just want to hear how I'm going, and sitting behind the guitar doesn't always tell you the good and bad.


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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 6:18 pm
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I hear you. the bad news is that it always sound worse when you listen to the recording that when you are playing it... like: I didn't realize my tempo was SO off! that string buzz didn't sound so disgusting while playing! So warning, Could be bad for morale :)


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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 12:02 pm
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on the Fuse website there is a preset titled empty by a user named PITA, if you are wanting to record using an amp modeler program such as amplitube or guitar rig then you should definitely download and use this preset. it has no amp model or cabinet simulation, it is just a dry signal and will work the same way as any USB interface, you could also plug a mic with a 1/4" jack into the amp and record vocals over USB with your mustang amp, the choice is yours, you can use your Fender Mustang sounds to record, or you can load the empty preset and record using Amplitube or any other guitar amp sim plugins, Just thought I would contribute that info as it has worked perfectly for me, the empty preset is great


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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 3:35 am
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Kreature wrote:
on the Fuse website there is a preset titled empty by a user named PITA, if you are wanting to record using an amp modeler program such as amplitube or guitar rig then you should definitely download and use this preset. it has no amp model or cabinet simulation, it is just a dry signal and will work the same way as any USB interface, you could also plug a mic with a 1/4" jack into the amp and record vocals over USB with your mustang amp, the choice is yours, you can use your Fender Mustang sounds to record, or you can load the empty preset and record using Amplitube or any other guitar amp sim plugins, Just thought I would contribute that info as it has worked perfectly for me, the empty preset is great

Thanks Kreature, I'll look into that.

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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 11:40 am
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no problem,


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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 12:08 pm
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jedi2b wrote:
I hear you. the bad news is that it always sound worse when you listen to the recording that when you are playing it... like: I didn't realize my tempo was SO off! that string buzz didn't sound so disgusting while playing! So warning, Could be bad for morale :)


I think that most people's first recording experience is a traumatically humiliating one - especially if you're singing but playing your instrument is just as bad. The only exception to this, I've found, is to those with gargantuan egos.

I also think that it's a good thing and that recording is a very good teaching tool. You simply cannot allow it to make you quit playing. In fact, it should make you work harder to become a better player.

O.


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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 4:50 am
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There is one limitation of the Mustang USB interface: you can only use a sample rate of 44.1k.
If you want to record at another sampling rate you have to use a mic or line out.

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Post subject: Re: Is a USB Interface an Advantage?
Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 9:51 am
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denitronik wrote:
There is one limitation of the Mustang USB interface: you can only use a sample rate of 44.1k.
If you want to record at another sampling rate you have to use a mic or line out.


It's also a unidirectional device. You cannot output recorded audio to the Mustang via USB... nor would you want to. If you did have a dedicated interface, you could create an interesting stereo guitar track by using both the USB recorded signal and a mic'd signal and panning each signal hard left and hard right. The only concern might be some phasing issues for mono compatibility which is, more and more, becoming a rare concern.

Hmmm, I'm gonna have to try this in my studio.

O.


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