How To Record The Positive Grid Spark Amp Using Logic Pro X - Headphone Jack vs. USB Out 

Thanks for watching Hector!

Thank you Aaron!

Thank you and thanks for watching. I really enjoy the Spark amp. I just upgraded and I really like the new amps. But the EQ pedal is a game changer! Best wishes for your recordings.

Why do u have to use the splitter? Why can’t u just run it into one guitar input on interface. I have volt 276 and recording through camera adapter for iPhone/ipad into GarageBand I want these spark sounds in GarageBand but don’t have laptop. Seems like this would work but why the splitter?

Aloha and best of health to you brother! Thank you for watching.

Thank you for watching Arman. I hope it helped.

ayy is that bobby lee as your profile pic?

@@huss2600 certainly is :) from an episode of the stevie weebie show

@@_arman_ damn and now bobby and khalyla broke up (Kinda).

Aloha and thank you MeArkitek. Thanks for watching! We gotta stick together and play good music:-)

Thanks for watching!

Me too! Thanks for watching!!!

Thanks for watching Charlie!

I hope it helped and thanks for watching!

Gràcies! És molt amable per part teva. M'alegro que el vídeo t'hagi ajudat i gràcies per veure'l.

@@StevenParente a tu, sempre a tu per ser tan explícit i bó ensenyant. Gràcies de nou. Des de Barcelona, Catalunya!

Splitting the signal is ok, but I prefer USB into the computer and duplicating in the DAW and pan left and right. It's faster. I don't hear much of a difference between USB and the Headphone Out port. The way to get the fat sound of guitar in stereo in a recording, like for a lead, is to play the same guitar track twice, as closely to the original as you can. Because humans are imperfect, there will be slight differences and when mixed together, the sound is amazing. You can kind of get the same effect by duplicating a guitar track (or any instrument) and making it slightly different (in any way) and it will fatten the sound up. I would agree with you about Bias FX, as well as other modeling amp software, including the tools in Logic Pro (which is also what I use), they are much more flexible. But if all you can afford is the Spark, you can still get some amazing sounds and recordings. I've heard some recordings using just Spark that were well mixed well and EQ'd, and you really couldn't tell is was the Spark. It sounded as good as any other recording. I guess it would also depend on the style and genre of music, but rock, blues, etc. with distortion, I couldn't tell. Thanks for watching and commenting! You've got a cool channel started. I subscribed!

@@StevenParente That totally makes sense that re-recording would give a nice full sound, but duplicating tracks and panning sounds like a nice lazy hack (i.e., my kind of hack)!

Yes, you can do that Marcelo. But you have to purchase the splitter cable I have in the video, otherwise it won't work. FYI - I did try another single cable. You have to split or it sounds terrible.

Thanks Alex. Broadcasting from Hilo, Hawaii. 🎸

Aloha Greg, I don't have that issue. In fact, I prefer going USB out to the computer versus the split connector. Check the Master volume and output on the Spark and see if that helps. You also may need to turn up the gain a little. Make sure Logic's audio setting is sensing and using the Spark. You can also use the Spark App to adjust the preset amp volumes, along with gain pedals, etc. Let me know if any of this helps. I wonder what's going on?

You are correct. In order to eliminating phasing, you need to alter the tracks sound and offset the track by a small amount. Although not perfect, it comes close to replicating the recording technique that most of the iconic guitar lead solos from the 60's and 70's did. They would record a lead solo and then re-record the same exact solo. But humans being humans, the solos weren't exactly the same and that difference made the solos sound magnificent and full. A similar thing happens in autostereograms, when two images are almost identical but not quite, and the image looks 3D. Interesting how our sense, like vision and hearing, react in a similar way. Thank you for watching!

@@StevenParente Why do u have to use the splitter? Why can’t u just run it into one guitar input on interface. I have volt 276

Also does your interface not have a reg 3.5 headphone jack or r u plugged into one of your monitor inputs with headphones?

@@StevenParente also is that wireless guitar Jack you have listed just a preference? You would think you could just plug it in as normal run that splitter from the headphone jack into your interface.

@@feedthewolf6930 I have adapters for any situation. The only special situation in this video, was the splitter into the Spark headphone jack and into the Scarlett. Then the Scarlett to the computer via USB. That's the only way to use the headphone jack to record to your DAW, from what I found. With the USB method, I plugged my guitar into the Spark and USB to my computer. Some people swear that the headphone port was superior, but as I said, I couldn't hear a difference.

Thanks for commenting and watching.

Aloha Mike. Thanks for watching! Before I address your question and concerns, I am not an electrical engineer or technician. You should always consult your equipment manuals and the companies. Having said that, I "think" Postive Grid may have understood you to mean plugging the Spark USB out to your audio interface, which you wouldn't do. The USB Out should go directly to your computer because the Spark Amp is an audio interface. I have not seen anything by Positive Grid, explaining about recording from their Headphone Port. And I suspect they purposely designed the amp not to record their backing tracks or anything from streaming media, which is why only your guitar is recorded when using the USB cable. That's my speculation only. And you'll notice in my video, that I didn't hear a quality difference in the sound with USB out vs Headphone Port out. If you search RU-vid, you will find that many Spark demo videos are using a splitter out the headphone port into their audio interface. Consider this a "hack". This is how I did it in this video. I provided a link to both the 3.5mm 1/8" TRS to Dual 6.35mm 1/4" TS Mono Stereo Y-Cable Splitter Cord and an article as to why the signal needs to be split "How do I record from my guitar amp’s headphone out?" If you didn't see those, click "Show More" under my description and I'll add the links to this conversation. Regarding your question about phantom power, I haven't tried that yet with my Scarlett interface, although I plan to, because I'm putting together a Ribbon Mic Kit and another condenser mic. I also bought a Cloud Microphones "Cloudlifter Mic Activator", which was recommended on several sites. And from what I understand, using phantom power affects the signal out only. Again... just my opinion, but I am going to try it because I want to record an acoustic guitar with a mic and also try some vocals while playing guitar. I use my DAW (LogicPro X for creating backing tracks) and have been experimenting with using the Spark for the guitar tones. I also use the amp modeling software with Logic Pro. Here are the links in my Description. www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/q-how-do-record-my-guitar-amps-headphone-out www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZKM3SHK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00ZKM3SHK&linkCode=as2&tag=stevenparente-20&linkId=c4770f21ae8233f3842151cfb61010c0 Here's a couple more interesting articles: www.jensign.com/Spark/index.html. www.sweetwater.com/insync/headphone-outputs-used-line-outputs-for-line-level-gear/

G'day from DownUnder Steve and thanks for your reply. I look forward to seeing how you go when you test Phantom Power. I'm the meantime, you have inspired this old codger to buy the same cables that you tested so thank you for your help/advice......

Yes you can Jeff. I plan on creating videos about this. Start your Spark app and connect your app to the Spark amp. I use an iPhone, but it should be similar on other smart phones. You can also go to Positive Grid's forums. If you want to play songs from your Apple Music account or Spotify, make sure you have paired Spark 40 Audio, as well as Spark 40 BLE. Select the musical notes icon from the app (bottom). You can then find Smart Jam, with several pre-made backing tracks. You can also choose "Create" and start strumming your own chord progression and in about a minute, the app will put something together. As you scroll down you'll find many other choices, including playing your own playlists. To do that, choose the icon with the 3 short horizontal lines and select Apple Music or Spotify.

Yes, you can hear the speaker of the amp, unless you have your headphones plugged in like I did. I live in a condo, so can't crank up the volume. You don't have to wear headphones, but it helps to hear exactly what's going on with Logic (or any DAW) You are hearing my guitar going through Logic. When I record video, I sync the video recording (from my iPhone) with the audio exported from Logic. I do this with Adobe Premiere (video editing program). I can hear my guitar on the video recording enough, to help sync. I also make a loud clap which helps. Then I remove the audio from the video recording when I'm playing guitar. I'm also screen recording my computer with Apple Quicktime, to show the Logic window and I mix that with Adobe Premier as well. Thanks for watching!

Are you trying to use the Spark as an interface only, to go into your computer and into your DAW? I do that with my Focusrite Scarlett. I don't think you can bypass the Spark pre-sets. I think you'll have to choose an amp. But you can choose a clean amp and remove all gain and turn off all pedals, save that to one of your Spark channels and send that to your DAW. Then you can use whatever amp models you have in your DAW. I use Logic Pro for my DAW and I can send a clean tone from the Spark. Thanks for watching!

Yes just turn off the amp on the app

I don't think the Spark is set up for Midi and I haven't used midi lately. I searched several Spark forums and also Positive Grid and didn't find anything. I saw something in the search with Google about a bluetooth midi pedal. Try asking the tech support on the Positive Grid site. Maybe this is a feature they could adding the future. Thanks for watching Scott!

You have Gain, Master, and Output controls, all of which can increase DB's to your DAW. Increase your Gain to the edge of break-up for a bluesy sound or pull back for a clean tone. Then adjust the Master and then Output to your DAW. You also have controls in your DAW to increase the DB's. For digital recording, The optimum recording levels for a DAW, (Digital Audio Workstation) is -18 to -12 db, which is way less than an analog set up. I remember with analog, we would run hotter. But for DAW's See: www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=www.sweetwater.com/insync/ideal-level-record-tracks-daw/%23:~:text%3DFor%2520dynamic%2520tracks%252C%2520the%2520recommended,between%2520%252D18dB%2520and%2520%252D12dB.&ved=2ahUKEwia_bTY9-uFAxXvHkQIHWl0AFwQFnoECA4QAw&usg=AOvVaw3C6ncqlrwgk8_7I42k4lgj

You have a great RU-vid channel! I subscribed.

Also, if you are going through an interface like the Scarlet, you need to adjust up, to just below the yellow for the highest DB's when recording, or a little red/orange to avoid distortion.

Many thanks for your advice! Seems like I have to increase gain then, when using USB. Master is at ten already and the output knob doesn't seem to affect usb. As I was going for a clean tone my gain is pretty low, other volume cranked, but over all way too quiet. Increasing in my DAW later on sadly brings a lot of white noise. Aux via focusrite scarlett has no volume issues, but strangely my tone sounds completely off. So it's either more gain using USB or getting a new sound profile for headphone out. I'll experiment a bit. Thanks again 👌

@@svenneudecker You hear a big difference between the headphone port vs. the USB when using the 3.5mm 1/8" TRS to Dual 6.35mm 1/4" TS Mono Stereo Y-Cable Splitter Cord? It's important to use the splitter, or it sounds really bad. As for the USB direct, you might double check the Master Volume and the Output just before recording. I have often had the Spark automatically cut the db's when I was switching between or modifying tones. Then I would just twist the knobs slightly and the output became much louder. I don't know why, except that maybe there is a global setting within the amp that reverts to a lower output until you manually override??? I don't know and I haven't asked anyone at Positive Grid, because they're not very responsive.

I prefer plugging the Spark into my iMac using the USB cable, because I don't hear much of a difference using the headphone jack and it's quicker. The Spark is an audio interface. Try setting your DAW's I/O buffer size lower when recording to reduce latency. I set Logic Pro to 32 and that is acceptable. Start watching around 5:50 and I show that. Also, make sure that no other apps are running while recording and your hard drive isn't full. That can also slow things down. Thanks for watching!

Thank you Bruce! My system is pretty fast, so I don't experience latency. What might help though, is if you are using Logic as your DAW, go to Logic preference, choose audio and set your Device buffer size to 32. This should eliminate any latency. If you aren't using Logic, this will probably work with any DAW. You want this buffer size to be as low as possible while you are playing. When you mix, you will want to increase this, but after you've recorded all the tracks. And you'll want to close any programs you have running. Thanks for watching!

Hi Steve That makes good sense, but I was getting the latency directly into the amp. No computer involved. I returned it through Amazon, so now I’m shopping again.

I've never had latency issues with the Getara wireless system, except with interference from a neighbor next door. I live in a condo. There's a little button on the side of the sender and receiver that reestablished the connection. But that only happened couple of times. I had the Spark go out once or twice, about a year and a half ago, but I did factory resets (they have a video on the Positive Grid help page) and everything has been fine. I upgrade the software now, fairly regularly. I hope your next wireless set works out, because it's a lot less hassle sometimes.

Some people like to record through the headphone port for the stereo. You have to use the splitter for that, otherwise the sound is terrible. Or, as you said, you can run direct via USB. In this video, I demonstrated both methods and compared the sound. I personally prefer using the USB direct, using the Spark as an interface, because it's easier to do and I really couldn't hear a difference. Thanks for watching!

@@StevenParente I could hear a little bit of a difference with the splitter and some of the areas I thought it sounded a little better and I’m running on an iPad so I’m having to use a camera adapter which only has one USB connection on it. I wouldn’t be able to plug the Spark right up to the camera adapter. From other videos I’ve seen people say it tries to connect automatically through Bluetooth, which obviously creates latency so I would probably have to use the splitter. Have you ever tried the iPad route or iPhone?

@@feedthewolf6930 No, I've never tried with an iPad. If you get it down, I bet some people would be very interested if you were to make a few "how to" videos about doing it!

@@StevenParente well if the splitter thing works than it should work even in GarageBand bc I’d just be running that splitter to the interface and then the interface into usb camera adapter for iPhone. I’m curious if just wasn’t sounding good without the splitter on your end because of the program you’re using. I wonder if it was on Reaper or just any other program if you would still need the splitter. All I know is I don’t wanna buy a splitter if I don’t have to use it lol have you tried using just a single 1/8 to 1/4 in a different program?

@@feedthewolf6930 You definitely need the splitter. Maybe you didn't see the link in my description, because it was down a ways, but check out this article "How do I record from my guitar amp’s headphone out?": www.soundonsound.com/sound-advice/q-how-do-record-my-guitar-amps-headphone-out

Thanks for watching!