Advice on ampless practice setup for new player

[amess]

Hi

I'm coming back to playing bass after about a 15 year break.

I'm looking to put together a practice setup that involves something like what this guy is writing about.

Ampless Bass Set Up | The Bass Guitar Blog

Which is basically

Guitar > (PreAmp / Modelling > Headphone Amp) > Headphones

The part in brackets is where I am struggling.

I want to go the headphones route as I live in a block of flat and noise will be an issue otherwise. Although it would be good to use speakers/power amp on occasion.

The article above was written in 2009 - considering how fast tech moves these days Id imagine things have changed a little in the meantime.

What I'm looking for really is a setup where I can program or use existing drum beats and chord progressions to play along to.

As I'm coming from such an elementary level its hard to know where to start as there seems to be some much out there so just a few pointers would be helpful.

So far i've looked at
KORG PX5D : the ultimate guitar accessory

Which looks a little old now, I think it was made in 2008.

And the guy in my local music was showing me the following items. As he trying to sell not sure if they are entirely suitable / overkill.

BOSS DR-880 Dr. Rhythm :: Overview - drum machine.
BOSS BR-800 Digital Recorder :: Overview
Roland UK - Production » PC Music » V-Studio Controllers » V-STUDIO 20

A guy in my office also mentioned there is stuff like this available on smartphones as well.

I'd also be prepared to go down the route of just running software on my laptop which does all of this if that's possible?

If anyone could give me a few pointers that would be handy. I'm doing a lot of research myself but as I've said coming from a position of knowing next to nothing about any of this its hard to know where to start.

I'd probably spend up to $1500, maybe a bit more.

Hopefully this is not to many questions to start with.

Cheers!

Simon

[guroove]

If you only need a simple headphone amp, you can get one of these:

Rockman Guitar Ace Headphone Amp at zZounds

If you don't mind practicing in front of your computer, you can just plug your bass into this, and go into your PC sound input:

1/4" Mono Jack to 1/8" Mono Plug Adapter - RadioShack.com

These are just some low budget options, because that's just how my mind works. You shouldn't have to spend much at all. Some small practice amps also have headphone outputs and auxiliary inputs.

[GrooveWarrior]

Lots of options. You could get a GK MB200, a GK Neo 112-II and an iPad for that money. Get DM-1 The Drum Machine app for the iPad, and run it into the auxiliary in on the MB200 and use headphones. When you want an amp, just plug in the cabinet. You would have a smokin' amp, a great practice setup, and a fun toy in the iPad.

I use this setup all the time. You could also get GarageBand for the iPad and use it as a recording device to play back your practice sessions to get better.

[RDUB]

All good suggestions. I sometimes practice with my TH500and phones. Most often, though, I sit in front of my computer. Bass into the mic in. Then you can mix with songs being played back as well, and choose either phones or desktop speakers.

[Robf]

I'm thinking about the same question. I live in a small condo, and with a baby on the way, don't have space for a combo amp. I would like to have something where I could bring my laptop to the kitchen and bass, then start playing.

But also have the option to have multiple effects.

Has anyone suggestions on this?
NATIVE INSTRUMENTS : HOME | HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE FOR MUSICIANS, PRODUCERS, DJS, GUITAR AND BASS PLAYERS

Their DJ software is pretty decent and currently enjoy using their external sound card.

[MalcolmAmos]

Most of my practie is unplugged, i.e. no sound beyond what the unplugged bass makes on it's own.

Or I use this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GH4H3W/...SIN=B001GH4H3W
This can be taken to the park and no one will hear you, patio, back yard, even with the family as they watch TV.

All kinds of ways you can go. Good luck.

[mambo4]

Not the cheapest option, but I use and recommend Cafe Walter HA-1A headphone amps.

1/8" Aux in for you iPod/Laptop/etc, and a 1/4" aux out for your tuner / mixer/ etc.

"Unlike most music equipment, the HA-1A is not designed to make you sound good. Instead, it is designed to tell you the truth about how you sound. If your fingers make squeaky noises on the strings when you move, if your E string is twice as loud as your D, if your intonation is lousy - the HA-1A will tell you. And if you sound great, it'll tell you that, too. "

[MNAirHead]

I have zero amps at my house.

Behringer small recording mixer... or Alesis mixer....

Vox Amplug

Recording interfaces

Korg Pandora (if you like playing with effects)

Zoom b2.1u

GK MB200

Rolls PM351

------

I own the ipod/ipad stuff.. not what I'd suggest.

----

Overall... I like keeping all the stuff setup and small... the Behringer mixer (used about $25) gets the most use.

IF starting over, I'd be rebuying a Vox amplug or small mixer.

[ThingsAbove]

I have a couple of those old Korg PX* units. A guitar version from the 90's and a bass version from around 2002. I still use the bass version for pitch shifting the input of songs I practice with and slicing a riff for repeat that I want to work on. Nice little units but IMO 95% of the amp effects sound cheesy.

You should be able to find them used very cheap.

[sammyp]

I whole heartedly embraced practice with computer interface and headphones years ago...anything else is a step backwards....all the little jam boxes like roland etc are pretty well a waste of money imo sinse almost everyone has a computer.

With computer you have your music library,.pdf tabs, internet access all at your fingertips. Windows media player does half speed playback very well.

All you need is a single or dual input interface.....the cakewalk stereo interface even has a built in compressor.....great for.bass.

Personally, i practice guitar and bass thru a pod 1 and into an m audio usb pre.....made me happy daily for years.

[ksandvik]

Used Zoom B2 and headphones.

[thumbs&fingers]

Originally Posted by mambo4

Not the cheapest option, but I use and recommend Cafe Walter HA-1A headphone amps.

1/8" Aux in for you iPod/Laptop/etc, and a 1/4" aux out for your tuner / mixer/ etc.

+1

[sammyp]

With computer you can also download numerous free drum machines and metronomes for pc.

If i wanted a super compact headphone rig i'd go ipod touch and irig.

[P Town]

I am in the same position. I havent played in over 40 years, and right now I am using headphones with an Ampeg PF500, with a drum machine in the FX loop, the footswitch can mute the FX, and you can blend the drum machine with the fx mix knob, so this works nice. But, I find it difficult to bear the sound, and the weight of the headphones. I would like to find a set of headphones that are more comfortable. I am using Senheiser HD 515s. The weight becomes annoying after an hour. Is there a hedphone designed to reproduce a realistic Electric Bass sound? If there is, they are probably not light.

[P Town]

I like the idea of the ipad, or Macbook. I have been trying to justify buying one. Add a little four channel mixer, and you could jam with a group almost silently. I am sure many have done this, so maybe someone can recomend some compact mixers that would work well with an ipad. Not sure how many head phones you could split out from an ipad. When I buy any computer equipment, I say to myself, "This thing will eventually become less than worthless, and it will likely be considered hazardous waste, so do you really want to spend X $ on it?" And that has kept me from springing for a MacBook, but if the ipad works, I would think about it. Anybody using Garage Band, or something else on an ipad?

[dhyayi]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

Most of my practie is unplugged, i.e. no sound beyond what the unplugged bass makes on it's own.

Or I use this http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GH4H3W/...SIN=B001GH4H3W
This can be taken to the park and no one will hear you, patio, back yard, even with the family as they watch TV.

All kinds of ways you can go. Good luck.

It performed perfectly right out of the box. Matched with nice headphones, it feels like it must be too loud, but, it's not.

[wrench45us]

not mentioned thus far Tascam Guitar trainer
mp3 or CD models have the built in amp/headphone, but also function for play along to whatever you put in CD or mp3 with added feature of slowing the pace w/o changing the pitch or pitch control as well
plus some added cheesy guitar effects

This is what I use when I have to have a weekend away from the pratcice amp

[ThingsAbove]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

Most of my practie is unplugged, i.e. no sound beyond what the unplugged bass makes on it's own.
. . .
even with the family as they watch TV.

I get scowled at when I practice bass unplugged near my wife whilst watching TV

[Naceo]

For me, this is the answer on the OP :

http://www.voxamps.com/amplug/

[MrLenny1]

Tascam bass Trainer MP3 version.
Best gizmo I ever bought for bass guitar.
Tuner, metronome,effects, 250 Tune memory & more.
Fits in my shirt pocket.