Looking for recording equipment, help?

[PFDbassist]

So I've only been teaching myself bass for the past two years so you'll have to excuse my lacking in termanology if I say something odd lol. But anyhow, I've been doing some bass covers and solo acoustic stuff on my youtube channel but sadly I don't have any sort of DI box (or whatever it is you technically call it) to run my sound through, so I've been stuck with my camera's mic and that just doesn't sound good. So with it being Christmas time, I figured I would ask for one. I was wondering if anyone could tell me a good quality one for decent price, if possible. And also, is there any sort of recording program that I would need to use while recording my videos?

[what the pluck]

If you are recording live to the camera there are some great cameras with good audio. A guy I play with just bought a zoom (not sure of the model) hd camera with inbuilt stereo mics. We recorded our gig last Friday and it sounds great.

If you want to actually record/ multitrack there are heaps of good programs. If you are a mac user you probably have garage band which is easy to use. Otherwise I would suggest looking at lite versions of either cubase or pro tools. A good DI helps if you want to keep it simple. I use a sans amp bass driver which works well for guitar as well. You could also just use microphones. Saying all that though, depending on your computer you may need to get an a/d converter (analog to digital converter) or alternatively there are some mic - USB leads around now that are pretty convenient,

Cheers

[bassgod0dmw]

The simple way to do it: Get a 1/4" to 1/8" cable or adapter and plug straight into your sound card. You don't need a DI for this. A DI just converts your signal from an instrument level into a mic level, so it better matches up with preamps in mixing consoles and recording equipment. Total cost: $20?

The better way to do it: You'll need an Audio Interface. You need a way to get your bass signal into your computer. You may be able to get by with your on-board soundcard for the time being but they don't work all that well. A lot of them are able to take a straight signal from your bass without the DI, as they have a built in preamp that was designed exactly for this application. Total cost: Anywhere from $50 to $1000's+ you can get a decent interface for somewhere in the $100-$200 range depending on what you want it to do.

[PFDbassist]

Originally Posted by what the pluck

If you are recording live to the camera there are some great cameras with good audio. A guy I play with just bought a zoom (not sure of the model) hd camera with inbuilt stereo mics. We recorded our gig last Friday and it sounds great.

If you want to actually record/ multitrack there are heaps of good programs. If you are a mac user you probably have garage band which is easy to use. Otherwise I would suggest looking at lite versions of either cubase or pro tools. A good DI helps if you want to keep it simple. I use a sans amp bass driver which works well for guitar as well. You could also just use microphones. Saying all that though, depending on your computer you may need to get an a/d converter (analog to digital converter) or alternatively there are some mic - USB leads around now that are pretty convenient,

Cheers

Okay, cool! I've thought of getting a zoom, but for right now my guitarist's girlfriend records our live stuff. Zoom's are bad ass though. But could you tell me any DI boxes that you would refer? I'm thinking about recording some stuff with my band in our home studio sometime, so for now I'm just wondering what specific one would be something good to work with at a decent price.

[DBCrocky]

A DI just converts your signal from an instrument level into a mic level

Not to be anal, but a DI converts a high impedence unbalanced signal to a low impedence balanced signal...

[PFDbassist]

Originally Posted by bassgod0dmw

The simple way to do it: Get a 1/4" to 1/8" cable or adapter and plug straight into your sound card. You don't need a DI for this. A DI just converts your signal from an instrument level into a mic level, so it better matches up with preamps in mixing consoles and recording equipment. Total cost: $20?

The better way to do it: You'll need an Audio Interface. You need a way to get your bass signal into your computer. You may be able to get by with your on-board soundcard for the time being but they don't work all that well. A lot of them are able to take a straight signal from your bass without the DI, as they have a built in preamp that was designed exactly for this application. Total cost: Anywhere from $50 to $1000's+ you can get a decent interface for somewhere in the $100-$200 range depending on what you want it to do.

Oh cool, I didn't know you could do that. Would running a XLR cable from the DI on my Acoutsic B200 amp to the soundcard work? Or is there no such thing as a XLR to 1/8"? haha. Or would I need an 1/8" adapter to put on a XLR to 1/4"?

[PFDbassist]

Originally Posted by DBCrocky

Not to be anal, but a DI converts a high impedence unbalanced signal to a low impedence balanced signal...

So should I look into the DI, or do the soundcard deal?

[DBCrocky]

So should I look into the DI, or do the soundcard deal?

I don't know enough about your recording/production setup and what you are trying to accomplish to make a recommendation.

You say you are currently using a camera and it's mic?

Does your camera have an aux mic input to override the built in mic?

Are you also talking on the vidoes, or will you only want the sound of the bass on the video?

Do you have video production software?

Do you have a mixer?

[PFDbassist]

Originally Posted by DBCrocky

I don't know enough about your recording/production setup and what you are trying to accomplish to make a recommendation.

You say you are currently using a camera and it's mic?

Does your camera have an aux mic input to override the built in mic?

Are you also talking on the vidoes, or will you only want the sound of the bass on the video?

Do you have video production software?

Do you have a mixer?

No aux mic. I want just the sound from the bass. I have not production software or mixer. But sometime in the future I would like to use the DI box to record some music of mine; mics, guitars, and the like. But if nothing like that would be cheap, something to get only the bass sound for my video would do for now.

[DBCrocky]

Well, the question is what are you using as a recorder?

If you record the video to a camera, and seperately record your bass onto a computer file, you'll need some type of software to put the audio and video together and sync it up.

Without an aux in on your camera, you can't record audio to it except by using the mic on the camera.

DI boxes are usually used to convert unbalanced signals like your bass to a balanced signal - usual so it can be plugged into a mixer with balanced mic inputs on XLR jacks. Plus you have a DI built into your Acoustic amp, so no need to buy a new one.

#1 - Upgrade to a better camera with an Aux Mic input, so you can record audio in sync with your video right to the camera.

#2 - Record the audio separately from the video (like direct to the computer, or to some other audio recording device), and then get some video production software so you can put the video and audio together and sync it up.

I know neither of these options are simple, but it's all I got.

[PFDbassist]

Originally Posted by DBCrocky

Well, the question is what are you using as a recorder?

If you record the video to a camera, and seperately record your bass onto a computer file, you'll need some type of software to put the audio and video together and sync it up.

Without an aux in on your camera, you can't record audio to it except by using the mic on the camera.

DI boxes are usually used to convert unbalanced signals like your bass to a balanced signal - usual so it can be plugged into a mixer with balanced mic inputs on XLR jacks. Plus you have a DI built into your Acoustic amp, so no need to buy a new one.

#1 - Upgrade to a better camera with an Aux Mic input, so you can record audio in sync with your video right to the camera.

#2 - Record the audio separately from the video (like direct to the computer, or to some other audio recording device), and then get some video production software so you can put the video and audio together and sync it up.

I know neither of these options are simple, but it's all I got.

Oh okay! Well thanks for the input though, I appreciate it. I'll probably go the upgrade camera route and go from there. I've been needing a new camera for other video projects that I do anyways. So I would need the DI box for the aux mic on camera though, correct?