Newbie Bass Player Needs Interface Help

[timwiththeband]

Hello everyone,

I am new here on these forums and relatively new to the bass guitar (been playing Drums for 20 years). I just purchased a Yamaha BB434 and I am excited about getting stuck into learning properly and having fun.

I have been looking for a simple 'bedroom' set up that I can connect my Bass to, to learn/play along to my favourite songs on Spotify/iTunes/You Tube etc. I have noticed a few different audio interface options - The iRig 2, TC Helicon Go Guitar & the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. I plan on using headphones (until I buy an amp eventually down the road) and have a MacBook Air, iPad and a iPhone to connect to, and I would use GarageBand on these devices. Before I buy one of the above interfaces (leaning towards the Focusrite Solo), I just wanted to see if anyone here can confirm these would work well for my needs, or if someone has any better ideas. I don't really plan on doing much good quality recording, but it would be nice to have that option.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[equill]

Look into the Vox Amplug Bass - it's tiny, cheap, and sounds surprisingly good.
It has an aux. input, so you can connect it to the headphone out of your phone, computer, or whatever. It also has a built-in drum machine with a few patterns.

 

[Bodeeni]

I have had great luck with the Focusrite products. The Itrack Solo might be a good choice for desktop practice. I do this everyday, but mainly through a PC. I also use IOS but more for travel. The Irig might have issues doing both Mac and Ipad and they are flimsy and not as versatile. FYI, For IOS practice it can be a pain with volume between your bass and your browser. EI, not being able to get the bass volume up enough, because you only have one master volume level for the unit.

 

[timwiththeband]

Look into the Vox Amplug Bass - it's tiny, cheap, and sounds surprisingly good.
It has an aux. input, so you can connect it to the headphone out of your phone, computer, or whatever. It also has a built-in drum machine with a few patterns.

Thanks for the tip. It looks like it has really good reviews! I will check this out for sure.

I have had great luck with the Focusrite products. The Itrack Solo might be a good choice for desktop practice. I do this everyday, but mainly through a PC. I also use IOS but more for travel. The Irig might have issues doing both Mac and Ipad and they are flimsy and not as versatile. FYI, For IOS practice it can be a pain with volume between your bass and your browser. EI, not being able to get the bass volume up enough, because you only have one master volume level for the unit.

Yeah that seems to be the problem - getting the bass volume up above the audio from the IOS device, or mac that I am playing along to. The iRig is far cheaper in price than the Focusrite, but im guessing the quality of sound could be far superior.

 

[And I]

If you do want to record and not just jam along, the Tascam US-1x2 or US-2x2 are good alternatives to Focusrite.

 

[DirkP]

I would recommend the new Motu-interfaces. Very good D/A, but more important: it has a loopback function most other interfaces in that price-class lack. This simply means: with the Motu M2 you can record yourself playing along to tracks from Spotity for example. This isn't possible with most other interfaces, for example the budget Focusrite ones. The budget Focusrite stuff isn't bad, but Audient and Motu deliver better audio-quality for nearly the same price.

 

[fourstringdrums]

I have an irig2 and am currently trying to return it. It was noisy. I bought the Scarlett Solo and couldn't be happier.

I saw an open box one on Reverb for $89. I would go with that.

 

[timwiththeband]

I would recommend the new Motu-interfaces. Very good D/A, but more important: it has a loopback function most other interfaces in that price-class lack. This simply means: with the Motu M2 you can record yourself playing along to tracks from Spotity for example. This isn't possible with most other interfaces, for example the budget Focusrite ones. The budget Focusrite stuff isn't bad, but Audient and Motu deliver better audio-quality for nearly the same price.

Ok cool, thanks for the info. Here in Germany the Motu M2 is almost twice the price of the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. Price is a considering factor especially since i was first looking at getting an irig 2 for 35 Euros. But i do like the idea of being able to record playing along to spotify.

I have an irig2 and am currently trying to return it. It was noisy. I bought the Scarlett Solo and couldn't be happier.

I saw an open box one on Reverb for $89. I would go with that.

thanks for the advice re: the irig 2. I think i might pass on that one. I have read that i might need a powered usb hub for the solo? Is this correct? It would ideally be going straight into my macbook air.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Ok cool, thanks for the info. Here in Germany the Motu M2 is almost twice the price of the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. Price is a considering factor especially since i was first looking at getting an irig 2 for 35 Euros. But i do like the idea of being able to record playing along to spotify.



thanks for the advice re: the irig 2. I think i might pass on that one. I have read that i might need a powered usb hub for the solo? Is this correct? It would ideally be going straight into my macbook air.

No. They supply a USB cable that just goes straight to the computer. As soon as you plug it in for the first time the setup program runs.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Oh and it comes with Ableton Live Lite and a basic version of Protools

 

[the federalist]

Consider the Yamaha SessionCake device, SC-01 or SC-02, which someone here recommended in a similar thread. I got it on Amazon for $63 or so.



I have, use and like a Focusrite, but you may not need it if you only want to play along to songs. With the Focusrite you need a DAW, which for me was not a breeze to learn. I use Reaper, which is another $60.

With the Yamaha device you can plug in your bass and whatever music source you choose. The device allows you to control the volume of the bass and your headphones. It's about 3 inches square and battery powered, which makes it super portable.

I also have a Vox Amplug but prefer the Yamaha.

Good luck!

 

[Guild B301]

IRig 2 is the most simple and straightforward by far.
It comes with their virtual amp simulation and usually comes with a simple version of Cubase recording software. I have an original iRig. I also have the iRig PRO DUO I/O and they are extremely transparent sounding.
Also, I recommend the Vox Amplug for just headphone monitoring.

 

[filmtex]

I've been using an Amplug for years, works great. I just bought a PreSonus Audiobox USB 96 two channel interfact a coule weeks ago and am mightily impressed with it. It's very solidly built, sounds great , and works as indicated right out of the box. BOth options are highly recommended, though for two different uses obviously.

 

[4stringfarley]

I'm currently using a Focusrite solo. I like the 2i2 better, but for my current needs this works. I run a DI out from my head into the solo and use it standalone with headphones for practicing. Or, I'll run free software with a drumloop as a metronome and record what I come up with to the send bandmates.

 

[rohi]

Get a proper USB audio interface for your computer. The focusrite will do you right.

 

[LoTone]

Hello everyone,

I am new here on these forums and relatively new to the bass guitar (been playing Drums for 20 years). I just purchased a Yamaha BB434 and I am excited about getting stuck into learning properly and having fun.

I have been looking for a simple 'bedroom' set up that I can connect my Bass to, to learn/play along to my favourite songs on Spotify/iTunes/You Tube etc. I have noticed a few different audio interface options - The iRig 2, TC Helicon Go Guitar & the Focusrite Scarlett Solo. I plan on using headphones (until I buy an amp eventually down the road) and have a MacBook Air, iPad and a iPhone to connect to, and I would use GarageBand on these devices. Before I buy one of the above interfaces (leaning towards the Focusrite Solo), I just wanted to see if anyone here can confirm these would work well for my needs, or if someone has any better ideas. I don't really plan on doing much good quality recording, but it would be nice to have that option.

Any help would be appreciated.

I have an iRig2 and, in the past, I had a Focusrite Scarlett Duo. The iRig 2 works but it does not have any other source of electrical power than USB. So, you mind find that you have a hard time hearing yourself in the headphones. It simply won't be loud enough. There is no gain knob for the headphones. The gain knob is provided to adjust the input level of your bass. To fix that issue, I bought a small headphone amplifier; an M-Audio Bass Traveler [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and that fixed the problem.

The nice thing with the iRig2 is that you will be able to use it with an iPhone, an iPad or a Macbook.

However, if you go for the Scarlett, you will have access to a gain knob for the headphones and you will be able to hear yourself without having to use a separate headphone amplifier. The Scarlett is a quality product and it works just fine without any latency. However, the Scarlett will work only with the Macbook.

If your OK with working only with the Macbook and you have a bit more disposable income to work with, I would recommend to go for IK Multimedia's AXE I/O interface. This is what I have right now and it is the best audio interface that I have ever had. Over the years, I had several. It has specific bass/guitar features. It sounds great, there is no latency and it has all the features you may which for, IMHO.

Good luck.

 

[DigitalMan]

Consider the Yamaha SessionCake device, SC-01 or SC-02, which someone here recommended in a similar thread. I got it on Amazon for $63 or so.

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I have, use and like a Focusrite, but you may not need it if you only want to play along to songs. With the Focusrite you need a DAW, which for me was not a breeze to learn. I use Reaper, which is another $60.

With the Yamaha device you can plug in your bass and whatever music source you choose. The device allows you to control the volume of the bass and your headphones. It's about 3 inches square and battery powered, which makes it super portable.

I also have a Vox Amplug but prefer the Yamaha.

Good luck!

Focusrite works fine with or without a DAW.

 

[seamonkey]

You'll want to play along some tunes, but to improve your technique it will help quite a bit to record yourself.

A good USB interface will do both at the same time.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Focusrite works fine with or without a DAW.

+1 and as I said, they give you two free options if you want one.

 

[the federalist]

Focusrite works fine with or without a DAW.

I suppose that's a correct statement, but without a DAW it has no more functionality than the Yamaha or the Vox Amplug, costs $50 more and has to be connected to your laptop or another power source.

Also correct that the Focusrite comes with free 'lite' software. Audacity is free, too. All the software, free or not, takes more than a little time to learn.

If the OP only wants to listen to himself play through headphones over recorded music, I don't see why he'd want the more expensive, more complicated solution. If he wants to record himself at some point as he suggests, of course the USB interface is the way to go. The Yamaha and Vox devices cannot record.

I'm not bashing Focusrite or Reaper at all. They're both excellent products that I own, use and like.