I recently crossed over to the "other side" (no, not that side) and purchased a new iMac computer. The iMac comes bundled with Garage Band software. I would like to try recording my bass into Garage Band, nothing serious or fancy, just fool around some, practice loops, possible demo and some classes at www.musicdojo.com.

What's a good, budget way to get my bass plugged into the iMac for recording? Is a 1/8" x 1/4" adapter all I need to get going, with decent results? I do have a newer model SansAmp Bass Driver DI, should this be used with a 1/4" x 1/8" adapter and go into the iMac via "line out"? Is there a better budget ($$$) solution? I'm not looking for pro quality here, just decent enough for some experimentation and fun.

Thanks folks !

I recently crossed over to the "other side" (no, not that side) and purchased a new iMac computer. The iMac comes bundled with Garage Band software. I would like to try recording my bass into Garage Band, nothing serious or fancy, just fool around some, practice loops, possible demo and some classes at www.musicdojo.com.

What's a good, budget way to get my bass plugged into the iMac for recording? Is a 1/8" x 1/4" adapter all I need to get going, with decent results? I do have a newer model SansAmp Bass Driver DI, should this be used with a 1/4" x 1/8" adapter and go into the iMac via "line out"? Is there a better budget ($$$) solution? I'm not looking for pro quality here, just decent enough for some experimentation and fun.

Thanks folks !

i'l be interested in the responses to this, as i would also like to record onto my imac, at a very low cost!

ditto - three people need to know this! I actually am in the process of getting a sansamp too, btw. did you get the three button version?

I don't know how budget you are looking for, but I have one of these and it works well:
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWireSolo-main.html

There is also this one which is cheaper that should work fine:
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FastTrackUSB-main.html

I do not know how those "straight into the mic input adaptors" work or if they work.

guys-i dont think you can go into the line out, although my mac doesn't even have one so i dont know for sure. but get the m-audio fast track usb, i think the guy above me posted a link to it. it was a hundred bucks a few years ago, and it works great. it is really simple to use and really hard to figure out, i cursed the d*mned thing at first, but once i figured it out it's been smooth sailing. i cant beleive how good this thing sounds for as cheap as it is. it also feels like a toy. if anyone has any questions or gets one and needs help getting started with it you can ask me or probably find info on it at macjams.com.

I wouldn't do the line in thing, the quality just isn't there and impedence isn't right from your bass, even out of your Sansamp.

Smallmouth bass was right - the Firewire Solo is a great option... (I own it and it sounds fantastic) but could be a bit expensive for just jamming.

BUT... there is an even cheaper one - The Lightsnake USB cable:

http://www.soundtech.com/lightsnake/index.asp

Shows up for between $30 and $40 on the web, looks like it would work great for jamming out on your Mac.

I wouldn't do the line in thing, the quality just isn't there and impedence isn't right from your bass, even out of your Sansamp.

Smallmouth bass was right - the Firewire Solo is a great option... (I own it and it sounds fantastic) but could be a bit expensive for just jamming.

BUT... there is an even cheaper one - The Lightsnake USB cable:

http://www.soundtech.com/lightsnake/index.asp

Shows up for between $30 and $40 on the web, looks like it would work great for jamming out on your Mac.

The Lightsnake looks pretty cool actually. You think it's a better way to go than this?

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/garagebandcables/

Attn: Mods,

Sorry I started this thread in the wrong forum. :o

Could this thread be moved to the correct one?

:hiding:

The Lightsnake looks pretty cool actually. You think it's a better way to go than this?

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/garagebandcables/

Yes, absolutely. The lightsnake cable is basically a USB audio interface built-in to a guitar cable. Those Griffen Technology cables are no different than just hooking directly up to your iMac's line-in port - wrong impedence! It'll work but won't sound good at all and the volume will be low. Not as bad with an active bass as with a passive though.

Yes, absolutely. The lightsnake cable is basically a USB audio interface built-in to a guitar cable. Those Griffen Technology cables are no different than just hooking directly up to your iMac's line-in port - wrong impedence! It'll work but won't sound good at all and the volume will be low. Not as bad with an active bass as with a passive though.

Thanks

What do you guys make of this, and the video link on this page? :confused:

LINKIE (http://www.apple.com/ilife/tutorials/garageband/gb2-2.html)

Like I said, a plain cable works but it doesn't sound so great.

You're probably right.....still,I think I will start off with the 1/8" x 1/4" just to fool around, get my feet wet, and see where it leads.

If the iMac-bass connection is more than a passing fancy, then it will be time to break bad on a quality audio interface - Gas happens....

Thanks for your input

Good luck! Let us know how it goes. I've found that it's really easy to overdrive the inputs on my iMac and Powerbook when using a 1/4" to 1/8" cable. Hard to maintain a clean sound.

Ive got some experience with this, Ive recorded a few tracks with a 1/4" to 1/8" adapter on my computer with the free program called kristal, The only thing between my bass and my computer was a Zoom B2.1 multieffects pedal.

You can listen to these recordings at
www.purevolume.com/trevorbattista


the tracks called "Funk Improv" and "Rock Beat Improv"

I'm visiting a dear friend of mine who just bought an iMac. I'm going to be using my Bass PODxt as a USB interface. I'll let you know how it works out.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes. I've found that it's really easy to overdrive the inputs on my iMac and Powerbook when using a 1/4" to 1/8" cable. Hard to maintain a clean sound.

Well , gave the ol' cable a go last night....and it works better than I expected. But as bassbrock says, it could be better.....much better.

Garage band is a blast. Last night was the first time I tried to work in the program - a couple of hours later I'm modifying loops to fit what I'm hearing in my head...etc. Fun stuff.

NOW....not only do I need an audio interface, but a MIDI interface as well so I can hookup my daughter little Yamaha keyboard and use it to play some of the built-in instruments.

Well , gave the ol' cable a go last night....and it works better than I expected. But as bassbrock says, it could be better.....much better.

Garage band is a blast. Last night was the first time I tried to work in the program - a couple of hours later I'm modifying loops to fit what I'm hearing in my head...etc. Fun stuff.

NOW....not only do I need an audio interface, but a MIDI interface as well so I can hookup my daughter little Yamaha keyboard and use it to play some of the built-in instruments.

Instead of spending $30 on a MIDI interface, you could spend $49 on the M-Audio Keystation 49e.

I'm visiting a dear friend of mine who just bought an iMac. I'm going to be using my Bass PODxt as a USB interface. I'll let you know how it works out.
Any update on this? I have a powermac and just aquired an xt live. I haven't played with it yet (just got it out of the box last night).

The griffin imic usb has served me well for over a year now! To just plug in and get going it's great.

Well...received a M-Audio Fast Track USB yesterday in the mail. $30.00 bargin on Ebay. Will test it this weekend. I wanted a Presonus firewire unit, but it's not in the budget right now. This should work for now, we'll see.

my advice to record your bass or guitar too and make some demo, buy a m audio fast track interface, you connect it with usb cable you can plug a bass or a guitar and a microphone too
moreover it's really cheap and it's solid (it fell on the ground a lot of times and still working!)