Audacity

[ynie92992]

Hey! I just bought a 1/4 to 1/8 inch wire to plug my bass directly into audacity to record. But, when i play, it doesn't record. I tried putting it into the 3 different input holes in my IBM thinkpad.Do you know what is wrong? I tried all the settings in audacity.

[ynie92992]

Anyone? Please help! We're all family!

[cheapbasslovin]

I've had some issues with my inputs not liking some stereo jacks, or some mono jacks. It's been a while, so I can't remember specifics.
Sorry I can't be more helpful, but hopefully it's a start.

[GreggBummer]

I am not an expert, but try this:

Make sure that your input channel is not "muted". Check your setting in windows first.

Next check to make sure that Audia is "listening" to your soundcard. I am not as familiar with Audiacity as some other programs, but I beleive that it can "listen" to more than one input at a time. I beleive that each track can listen to a separate source. Audia may be listening to the wrong one. Think about it like it is a mixer or soundboard.

You might want to look into a cheap breakout box to record through. I think you can get an Maudio or something for $30. Even the really cheap ones improve sound quality. I recommend a USB or firewire one. You can use it on any computer.

Lastly, there is a brit magazine called Computer Musician that is a really good source of information for learning about recording and making music. It is geared tword club, dance, and hip-hop but there is a wealth of information there. The DVD it comes with each month a shload of useful stuff on it.

Questions? PM me.

[Questor]

It's probably the signal strength. Guitars weren't meant to be plugged directly into sound cards. Sound cards - if I recall - require line level signals (-10 dBV) while pickups output something far less than what is required.

You can plug your bass directly into a pre-amp or even a mixer, which will bump up the signal strength to line level.

[mellowgerman]

check to make sure that your recording source is the line in.
go under edit, then preferences.
that's probably where your problem lies.

[Flizzy21]

go to edit then preferences then under where it says recording, change the device to your sound card, whatever it is called.

for example my sound card is called "soundblaster LIVE! 24" so I put it on that and it works fine.

[5andFretless]

Devices designed to provide input to loud speaker amplifiers will not work with computer sound cards. Wrong input level and impedance. And now a word from the experts:

http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Produc...connectingmics

[Questor]

Originally Posted by 5andFretless

Devices designed to provide input to loud speaker amplifiers will not work with computer sound cards. Wrong input level and impedance. And now a word from the experts:

http://www.shure.com/ProAudio/Produc...connectingmics

What we said

[HT Paul]

One simple solution for straight to computoer recording is the Lightsnake 1/4 in. to USB cable. You can get these at Target for $40.