Newbie-how to have distortion whilst recording

[panther265]

Hello,(first post)

Totally new to recording with computer, I have a umc22 and everything is working (well after it took my a couple of hours to figure out how to get two channels in windows working).
Question is bc I play metal I need a distortion effect to be active whilst Im playing and recording. is there a way to do this? preferably without needing to purchase other software. Checked the forum but couldnt really find an answer...I'm also thinking of recording via mic to the amp but thats for another time.
Any suggestions welcome, thanks.

[kozikowski]

Checked the forum but couldnt really find an answer

Audacity records whatever you send it. It doesn't apply effects, filters or corrections during recording/in real time. That's why it didn't show up in the instructions.

I'm also thinking of recording via mic to the amp

If you don't have a microphone now, what is the performance and how are you getting it into the UMC22?

As far as I know, you would be performing into a sound mixer that had special effects and the mixer, with effects, would be connected to Audacity through the USB (or other data cable).

What would normally happen is you would perform flat with no effects and then use Audacity's effects and filters to create your special sound later, in post production. You an use Audacity overdubbing to play multiple instruments or sing multiple different people, but again, Audacity will only record what you send it.

One problem with live effects is you're stuck with them. If you don't like how they came out, you get to record the song again. If you do effects later in Audacity, you can UNDO and keep changing it until you get the sound just right.

Koz

[panther265]

Thanks for the info. Koz!
Yeah makes total sense, just wanted to check if any effects can be applied live rather than post. Np, thanks for replying

To answer your question:
'If you don't have a microphone now, what is the performance and how are you getting it into the UMC22?'
Sorry I should clarify that I need distortion bc I play metal guitar .I just plug guitar straight into instrument line in the umc22. Performance is awesome, no lag. I do have decent spec laptops so that must help with this. i7, 2.5ghz, 16gb ram, SSD etc etc