9. Reamping

The chance to tweak your guitar or amp sound even after recording isn't just about plugging your guitar directly into the audio interface. You can also feed an amp modeler or tube amp with a previously recorded "naked" guitar signal and record the result again with an amp (modeler). In recording lingo, this technique is called reamping. The key is to record, along with the signal through the amp and speaker on one track, the direct guitar signal without an amp on an additional track during recording. Usually, you need a signal splitter that divides the signal into two paths: one for the amp and another to the Hi-Z input on the audio interface.

Instead of a signal splitter, you could use a DI box. Also, it's not mandatory to record the amp signal. Many guitarists comfortably play through modeling software at home, work on their parts calmly, and record the naked guitars in their DAW. Later, they head to the rehearsal space with their laptop instead of the guitar. They mic up the amp, play the guitar tracks through the amp, and record them again, swapping modeled sounds for the authentic amp sound. As logical and straightforward as this may sound, there's a crucial detail to consider:

Guitar amplifiers are designed to receive a high-impedance signal from electric guitar pickups, and they respond to it in a specific way. Sending a line-level signal from the DAW via the audio interface output to the guitar amp input won't produce the same sound as connecting the guitar directly. Firstly, the level is too high, and secondly, the audio interface has a low-impedance and balanced output, while the amp requires a high-impedance and unbalanced signal. A small box called a Reamp Box solves this communication issue if needed. It sits between the audio interface output and the amp input, transforming the audio interface's line-level signal back into something resembling a guitar signal, suitable for the amp input. The Reamp Box also allows you to finely adjust the level to match the amp input using a knob. Good options for this purpose are the Radial Engineering Pro RMP or the Palmer DACCAPO Reamp Box. Here's a look at the signal flow in reamping.