{"id":23234,"date":"2022-10-14T16:01:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-14T20:01:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/?p=23234"},"modified":"2025-03-20T13:38:13","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T17:38:13","slug":"analog-vs-digital-effects-recording-guitar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/analog-vs-digital-effects-recording-guitar\/","title":{"rendered":"Analog vs. digital effects for recording guitar: Exploring the timeless debate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p style=\"font-size:15px\" class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Illustration:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.michaelgh.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\"Michael Haddad (opens in a new tab)\"><strong>Michael Haddad<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">From those creating in cramped bedroom corners to those with fully-equipped studios, many music producers today began their journey as instrumentalists.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As technology has become more integrated in our everyday lives, it\u2019s only natural for even the most old-school of instrumentalists to become increasingly curious about this mysterious \u2018in-the-box\u2019 approach to music creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re like me (which I suspect you are if you clicked this blog title), that first instrument was guitar. My craft\u2019s purpose was always working towards the goal of performing live. Therefore, physical gear became an obsession as soon as I memorized a <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/pentatonic-scale-music-theory\/\" target=\"_blank\">pentatonic scale.<\/a> I remember frequenting my favorite guitar shops, deciding between what felt like an infinite selection of picks, capos, slides, and of course, an array of stompboxes to equip myself with on my way to the stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is funny today, as that definition of infinite has proved to be quite short-sighted amidst the truly overwhelming possibilities of software (DAWs, plugins, presets, and so on) combinations. Which brings me to today\u2019s topic: With so much to decide between, how may guitarists capture their authentic, signature sound without placing undue limitations on ourselves in post?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Extrapolating further, what does it mean to have a signature sound as a producer against what live, traditionally hardware-exclusive musicianship has taught us? Here are some tips, facts, and exercises to work through when diving into this analog vs. digital debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-elements-c3706cc98d779b0d6fb864120a14adaa\" style=\"background-color:#62daff\"><strong>Voice to verse\u2014anywhere. With the addition of Splice Mic, you can instantly test and record ideas, explore genres, and unlock new creative possibilities, all from <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/splice.onelink.me\/vNNn\/sozstw8b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>the Splice mobile app.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How analog vs. digital effects work when recording guitar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Analog effects: Speed and variance<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Analog effects utilize physical electronic components to manipulate a sound. A guitar\u2019s sound is generated when the strings of a guitar are plucked or strummed in some way, although as we\u2019ve already explored in <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/hardest-sounds-software-instruments\/\" target=\"_blank\">our article on instruments that are challenging to emulate,<\/a> the variance of timbres based on things like picking style and hand position creates an ongoing challenge for the development of accurate software-based guitars. So, despite a broad acceptance and embrace of many physical-made-MIDI instruments, guitar players are generally showing up with their preferred physical products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Guitar pickups then convert the resulting frequencies to digital information with impeccable speed\u2014thus latency, as we understand it as producers, is a non-existent challenge for live performance with a guitar. Oftentimes, this signal will not be sent directly to an amplifier or <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/what-is-a-di-box\/\" target=\"_blank\">DI box<\/a> to the house, but rather one (or let\u2019s be real, upwards to a dozen) guitar pedals. These boxes, often with visual design as fascinating as their sonic output, utilize relatively basic internal electronic hardware such as inductors, transistors, and capacitors to manipulate the sound before reaching the next signal source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The resulting output is a changed version of the signal, altered in accordance to parameters customizable by various knobs and switches visible on the finished commercial product. Although, as touched on later, some pedals tout impeccably minimal user customization in order to serve a more singular purpose, or simply take up less space on pedalboards and bank statements alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The digital domain: ADC and DAC<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>When effects are imposed upon a signal from a plugin equipped within a DAW, the process requires more time. This is because the initial audio file must be converted from analog to a digital signal, quite literally into binary code using an <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/analog-to-digital-conversion\/\" target=\"_blank\">ADC (analog-to-digital converter).<\/a> This will enable the plugin to manipulate the sound digitally, much like how we regularly do so in MIDI signal processing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once it\u2019s passed through, but before we&#8217;re able to monitor the results, the signal must return to us as an audio waveform yet again. This change from (post-processed \/ post-effect) binary requires a DAC (digital-to-analog converter), and therefore, due to a higher number of conversions than analog signal processing, creates latency as we know it today. We often avoid this by activating direct monitoring through <a href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/what-is-an-audio-interface\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">an audio interface,<\/a> if this function is available, or some prefer to track without monitoring at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also considerations and crucial knowledge as it pertains to powering these tools. Traditional guitar pedals either operate on battery power, most commonly with 9V batteries, or a power adapter with a wide range of signal options that can affect the effectiveness of the pedal, if not its ability to turn on entirely. This can create quite the headache for guitarists who run even just a few pedals, and is why it&#8217;s often recommended to invest in an isolated power source. Learn more about the considerations (and risks of buying cheap) <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarworld.com\/features\/reasons-you-need-a-pedalboard-power-supply\" target=\"_blank\">via <em>Guitar World<\/em>.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Conversely, many plugins beyond those specialized for guitars have a tendency to require a ton of CPU, which you as a producer may not have the luxury to use depending on your setup. So, in some ways, decisions when it comes to recording guitar could also be made by a recognition of basic device limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plugin investment can feel weird for instrumentalists<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you were an instrumentalist before a producer, making the leap to invest in software products for the first time can be strange. Here you are, about to finally click purchase on that plugin you\u2019ve been eying. After years and years of being able to carry, hold, inspect, and toggle with your music gear physically, you can\u2019t help but fear an email with an activation code being difficult to see on the same level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For those who <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/how-to-make-beats-for-a-song\/\" target=\"_blank\">started in beatmaking,<\/a> for example, and are now beginning to pick up physical instruments\u2014I\u2019m sorry that I haven&#8217;t yet addressed you here\u2014you may conversely have trouble purchasing a product with only a few knobs (<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.guitarpedalx.com\/news\/gpx-blog\/one-knob-wonders---17-of-the-best-one-knob-pedals\" target=\"_blank\">sometimes only one<\/a>) to manipulate your sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like any investment with gear, it comes down to what effects you most need, which you\u2019re most curious to experiment with, and how these can fit into your budget. With a wide range of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/free-effects-plugins-you-need\/\" target=\"_blank\">free plugins available,<\/a> the option of <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/features\/plugins\" target=\"_blank\">a Rent-To-Own marketplace,<\/a> and regular discounts and flash sales, the barrier to entry lower than it has ever been. This is also where analog effects can certainly feel <em>less<\/em> accessible, as short of taking the risk on used pedals, taking the step towards ownership of a stompbox will always come at a minimum cost. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An alternative to picking only one side of this analog vs. digital debate, however, is finding practice spaces in your area that provide access to gear lockers. If you\u2019re not sure about investing in <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.walrusaudio.com\/products\/mako-series-r1-high-fidelity-stereo-reverb?variant=37765773426887\" target=\"_blank\">something from the Walrus Audio Mako Series<\/a> just yet (definitely not this writer\u2026), finding a studio or other types of spaces for rent where you can give it a proper test run can help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does clean, direct-in guitar tracking affect performance?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you ever tried to play something with an electric guitar, unplugged lying down on your bed, and again plugged in, standing triumphantly with a galaxy of blinking lights against a velcro background at your feet? Spoiler: it sounds different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It sounds different in terms of timbre of course, but what we\u2019re talking about goes deeper than that. Is the actual performance of the music different when one can <em>feel<\/em> the sound, or more spiritually, embrace a deeper connection between yourself and the tone you\u2019ve found with your gear in that particular moment? Many musicians would argue yes, as everything from the amplifier (including microphone placement) to pedal settings, the number of pedals, quality of cables and power source, and much more come together to create a unique performance every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As was covered in <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/guitar-amp-simulator-plugins-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\">this guide to guitar amp and simulator plugins,<\/a> \u201cThe physicality of twisting knobs and hearing the warm vibrations of an amp in a room can generate different timbres as well as musical ideas.\u201d With this in mind, the decision between recording clean and directly into your interface may come down to how much this particular performance will rely on, and thrive with, the element of a performance done as it would be done live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The analog vs. digital debate isn&#8217;t new\u2014it just looks different<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to contextualize what we\u2019re talking about here. While the change from physical pedals to a megapixel dashboard is significant, some version of this decision has been present for guitarists since the commercialization of both <a href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/vacuum-tubes-in-music\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tube-powered<\/a> and solid state amplifiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More broadly, all major shifts in technology\u2014especially as they pertain to our creative selves\u2014feel scary, sometimes even violent against our very culture and identity. The electrification of guitars, for example, was notoriously controversial. First came the splintering off of blues music in the 1920s, where musicians in Chicago began to craft what would define music for decades to come in the American Midwest\u2019s largest city. Later, in a much more specific instance at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival, <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2015\/07\/25\/424977355\/50-years-ago-bob-dylan-electrified-a-decade-with-one-concert\" target=\"_blank\">Bob Dylan committed the treasonous act of plugging in a \u00bc\u2019\u2019 cable on stage,<\/a> yet again changing the course of a genre and causing an uproar among \u201cpurist\u201d fans. Creative expression is immensely personal, for both the creator and the listener who embraces it, and when we begin to pinpoint what a genre is, we begin to fear it becoming something that it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In many ways, our apprehension or outright rejection of analog vs. digital is normal, and for better or worse, a symptom of our \u201cothering\u201d so often committed as humans. Your first step may just be to unlearn the bias of whichever side you experimented with first, and give both sets of toys their fair shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I, for one, look forward to what you may unlock within yourself in doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Use Splice Mobile to instantly test and record ideas, explore genres, and unlock new creative possibilities\u2014all from your phone:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button aligncenter\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.onelink.me\/vNNn\/l2edvqvz\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Download Splice Mobile<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Explore some tips, facts, and thoughts that pertain to the timeless debate between using analog vs. digital effects when recording guitar performances.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":126,"featured_media":23238,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1700,1696],"tags":[1721,1724,333,1473],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Analog vs. digital effects for recording guitar: Exploring the timeless debate - Blog | Splice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Explore some tips, facts, and thoughts that pertain to the timeless debate between using analog vs. digital effects when recording guitar performances.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/analog-vs-digital-effects-recording-guitar\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Analog vs. digital effects for recording guitar: Exploring the timeless debate - Blog | Splice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Explore some tips, facts, and thoughts that pertain to the timeless debate between using analog vs. digital effects when recording guitar performances.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/analog-vs-digital-effects-recording-guitar\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Blog | Splice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Splice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-10-14T20:01:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-03-20T17:38:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Analog-vs-digital-guitar_BlogPost.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Matt Brooks\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@splice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@splice\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Matt Brooks\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/analog-vs-digital-effects-recording-guitar\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/analog-vs-digital-effects-recording-guitar\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Matt Brooks\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/3acfa22e84539606b1c09c470c6f7902\"},\"headline\":\"Analog vs. digital effects for recording guitar: Exploring the timeless debate\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-10-14T20:01:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-03-20T17:38:13+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/analog-vs-digital-effects-recording-guitar\/\"},\"wordCount\":1596,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/analog-vs-digital-effects-recording-guitar\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/splice.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/Analog-vs-digital-guitar_BlogPost.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"audio technology\",\"guitar\",\"plugins\",\"rent-to-own\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Recording\",\"Tips &amp; 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