Cheap, Easy Way to Record?

[grifff]

I'm looking for an easy way to record some of the passages I've written on bass. I plan on using Audacity as the program, but I'm clueless on how to get the sound from the bass into my laptop.

Any help is appreciated.

[DanAleks]

I just picked up one of these on ebay

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/stealthplug/features/

Haven't tried it yet...

[JohNLA]

1/4 to 1/8 adapter from radio shack is $3.

[grifff]

Originally Posted by JohNLA

1/4 to 1/8 adapter from radio shack is $3.

I might try this. Do you know how it sounds?

[hbarcat]

First of all, do you have a bass amp with a line out or preamp out. If you do, then this will greatly help in getting a decent line level signal into your computer which is what you want to use to record.

You want to avoid going directly from the bass output jack into the computer sound card because the mic preamp in the card will sound like poo. Does your laptop have a line level input or only a microphone input? If only the mic input, then you may be stuck using this option and putting up with the poor sound quality unless you want to invest in a recording interface (about $60 and up) which usually has USB or Firewire outs. You'll have to be careful with the levels set going into the mic input as it will want to record very hot. Overloading the mic pre by setting the levels too high will cause horrible distortion. Be conservative and never exceed about -6 dB just to be safe.

If your laptop does have a line in then you can go from your amp line out but you need to get an adapter that will convert from your 1/4" mono signal from the amp to the 1/8" stereo input.

[grifff]

Originally Posted by hbarcat

First of all, do you have a bass amp with a line out or preamp out. If you do, then this will greatly help in getting a decent line level signal into your computer which is what you want to use to record.

You want to avoid going directly from the bass output jack into the computer sound card because the mic preamp in the card will sound like poo. Does your laptop have a line level input or only a microphone input? If only the mic input, then you may be stuck using this option and putting up with the poor sound quality unless you want to invest in a recording interface (about $60 and up) which usually has USB or Firewire outs. You'll have to be careful with the levels set going into the mic input as it will want to record very hot. Overloading the mic pre by setting the levels too high will cause horrible distortion. Be conservative and never exceed about -6 dB just to be safe.

If your laptop does have a line in then you can go from your amp line out but you need to get an adapter that will convert from your 1/4" mono signal from the amp to the 1/8" stereo input.

My laptop only has a mic input I believe. The amp I would be using would be an Acoustic B200 which has a XLR Direct Out. Could I just use a cable to connect the Direct Out of the amp to the microphone input of my laptop? http://bass-guitars.musiciansfriend....mbo?sku=482902

If I choose to get an interface, is there a particular one that you would recommend?