Reference Guide

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Set up to record digital audio
Hardware setup
Set up to record digital audio
In general, the inputs of sound cards take 1/8 inch stereo mini-jacks. Sound cards usually have two
inputs—one for line level inputs and the other for microphones (at mic level). The line level input is
stereo; the mic input could be either stereo or mono. If your final output does not terminate in a 1/8
inch jack (and it probably doesn’t), you will need an adapter to plug it into your sound card.
Most sound cards use the Windows Volume Control to adjust the master input and output volumes
and to control which recording inputs are active. If you don’t hear audio tracks, or if you can’t easily
control the audio volume in SONAR, go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Volume
Control (Windows 7) and check the settings there. See your sound card’s documentation for more.
Electric guitar direct-In
You can connect an electric guitar directly to your sound card using a 1/4 inch mono to 1/8 inch
stereo adapter. The following diagram shows this setup:
The 1/8 inch jack should be plugged into the sound card’s mic input, although plugging into the line
input may also work.
Electric guitar through effects rack
You can also plug an electric guitar into an effects rack, then send the output of the rack to the sound
card’s input, as shown in the following diagram:
1/4 inch instrument cable
To sound card microphone input (mono)
1/4 inch to 1/8 inch adapter