garageband...etc

[willbassyeah]

this looks like my best choice------thank you----will go to guitar center or sam ash to check it out

for the record, i have that pedal for about 3 years until i sold it and upgrade to a better recording setup...
and i recommend getting a software called amazing slow downer for your PC, its about 20 bucks if i recall correctly. It allows you to transpose songs and slow down songs really a good tool for practice.

 

[lowerclef]

I go Bass>Cable>Apogee Jam>Garageband and have great results. All you should need is the Jam assuming you have Garageband. And play bass. Garageband has bass amp modeling (I use the DI modeler)

Apogee Jam is ridiculously good. Love mine!

 

[Boom_Stick]

Hey Blake. If you are looking for something small and easy to connect to your PC try to find an iRig Pro for cheap. I got mine for $75. You can connect it to a PC, Android Phone, Mac, iPad or iPhone. So you can practice anywhere at anytime. The software is a free download ( http://www.ikmultimedia.com ) and you get a few free virtual effects and head/ cabinet setup with it (you can buy more in the app). On my PC setup it even gives has a 4 track recorder with metronome if you wish. The unit is about the size of a candy bar.

 

[SplinteredSkull]

Apogee Jam is ridiculously good. Love mine!

It's affordable and it works well. Eventually I'll upgrade to a Focusrite interface so I can simultaneously mic and DI, but right now I have no problem getting solid recordings

 

[Icemanaroonie]

For software, take a look at REAPER. It comes with a full version free trial for a few months. After that, you just pay $60 when you get the chance too. Kinda like WINRar.

 

[FirewalZ]

any advice for somebody who wants to connect my bass to my windows pc for easier practicing? I know there is cords needed,etc...is their software I need also?

In the last few months I also took the plunge into digital recording. I already had a pretty good mac with Garageband and bought an "M-Audio Fast Track Pro" from a guy at work. The M-Audio has 1/4 inputs for instrument and USB's right into the mac, no drivers needed. To get some experience and working on sounds, etc, I've been going to wikiloops, finding good tracks and recording bass parts. Here is my typical setup:
Bass=>Diamond Compressor=>M-Audio=>mac.
Im generally happy with the sound, although its a bit to clean, I'm seriously considering something like the Tonehammer as a good preamp and tone shaper. The onboard amp sims with GB are fine, but they can do wonky things to the mix, also having a lot of processing within GB while recording (amp sims, compression, etc) can use too much memory and slow things down enough that it can't keep up with the input signal. It seems better to keep things within GB as simple as possible and use external gear, pedals, preamps, etc to shape your tone......Thats all i know so far, but its been fun learning. The SoundCloud link in my signature has stuff I've done so far.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

yup.
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that's a decent place to start.

I use one of these through my Mac into Garageband; works fine. A caution on M-Audio: They've changed ownership a couple times. I used to use an M-Audio Firewire Solo, and liked it a lot, but when the company was bought by something called InMusic Brands, they stopped updating drivers. Thus my M-Audio device suddenly became a brick. I can no longer find the relevant customer support thread, but people were very angry at the company's series of non-answers to requests for updates.

 

[LT131]

Pick up a Zoom B3. Usb to your computer, hear your mp 3 files.

It's like a Swiss Army knife for bass. Drum machine, looper, interface, di, tons of effects, amp sims, headphone practice. Tuner. Free editor software so you can tweak away on your computer, and set up a save patches

I like my B3 so much I bought a G3 for a guitar rig. For $150 new.

I use my B3 with my computer for the vast majority of headphone practice, lessons and studies. Then I use it as a pre amp and effects.

Did I mention it'll run on triple a batteries. And it's built tough.

I second that emotion. The Zoom has changed the way I practice. I can practice along with mp3 or set up a simple drum track, choose any setup that fits the mood and go to town, all thru phones. I practice more to more diverse stuff and no one in my household ever notices.

I haven't used it enough live but the few patches I created for a couple of song was fun and the tuner is very functional.

I also own the Focusrite. It is very nice also if you have the rest of the stuff.

 

[Kmonk]

Presonus makes an interface with software which can be purchased for around $100.

 

[blakelasvegas]

Hey Blake. If you are looking for something small and easy to connect to your PC try to find an iRig Pro for cheap. I got mine for $75. You can connect it to a PC, Android Phone, Mac, iPad or iPhone. So you can practice anywhere at anytime. The software is a free download ( IK Multimedia. Musicians First. ) and you get a few free virtual effects and head/ cabinet setup with it (you can buy more in the app). On my PC setup it even gives has a 4 track recorder with metronome if you wish. The unit is about the size of a candy bar.

View attachment 710596

thank you-------I appreciate it !

 

[Bassamatic]

I just bought a Behringer 2 channel interface for $30 at Sweetwater. They may still have them. I'll use it with Audacity, a great FREE audio recorder, editor app.

 

[cadeallen]

I'd just get an interface. I have a Blue Icicle interface, and a homemade active DI box. Personally I wouldn't get a Blue interface, Focusrite is pretty good.

 

[Bassamatic]

The Behringer is still on sale - I really hate to support the master ripoff artist, but the price is too good to pass up.

Behringer U-Phoria UM2 | Sweetwater.com

 

[MDBass]

any advice for somebody who wants to connect my bass to my windows pc for easier practicing? I know there is cords needed,etc...is their software I need also?

I highly recommend one of the Focusrite Scarlett units and Cubase Elements.

The Focusrite units are much higher quality than anything else in that price range, and Cubase is easily the most user friendly DAW; you'll be recording within minutes.

Addictive Drums/Keys both have free demo downloads as well, and MIDI programming in Cubase is very straightforward.

 

[willbassyeah]

FYI...i recorded this through my focusrite 24 DSP the firewire version



The other video below is recorded through the zoom b3,

 

[static0verdrive]

I use an ART Pro Audio TubeMP with USB. It's awesome, a simple USB interface that any OS (win/lin/mac) understands, and a real tube to warm up your tone. Works equally well with guitar, bass, and vocals. It has a few other very useful features too, such as a limiter, phase switch, etc.

EDIT: That's the interface to go from instrument or mic to USB... then you still need a DAW like Cubase, ProTools, GarageBand, Logic, whatever you like.