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practice area setup question

1dreday

1dreday

Nov 22, 2009
928
51
#1
if i wanted to have my bass and backing/playalong music both running into my headphones what would i need to do that, i can play the backing music either off my windows computer or my iphone .
it seems like a basic dumb question but im not very tech savy atleast not yet any help appreciated
 
#2
let me also say i got the idea from watching alot of youtube videos and all of the players are wearing headphones and playing along with the song
and im curious how there doing that, are they listening to the bass with the headphones or the backing music or both?
 
#4
Couple questions.

1) What will be your entire bass signal chain? By that I mean, are you running straight off the bass (1/4" cable), straight out of a pedal (also usually 1/4" cable), or out of a preamp or DI or line out from an amp (usually XLR cable)?

2) What's your budget?

There are all kinds of gadgets that will get you there. Clear up those details and we can point you to the proper gadget for your needs.
 
#5
There are several ways to do it, but mine is not via a computer interface like I think you're thinking of.

Fortunately I don't have to use headphones when I practice most times, but when I do I plug both them and my audio device (usually phone) into the back of my class D head, since most of those offer an 'auxiliary in' and a 'headphone out.'

A small mixer will get you the same results. I'm sure some computer users will be along to guide you better in that setup.

Cheers
 
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#7
1dreday said:
let me also say i got the idea from watching alot of youtube videos and all of the players are wearing headphones and playing along with the song
and im curious how there doing that, are they listening to the bass with the headphones or the backing music or both?
Click to expand...
Some people have a click track in the headphones. If you're recording into a DAW, the headphones are a monitor, so yeah they probably have the song playing if that's what they're recording to.
 
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#8
i'm not recording anything as of yet, just wanting play along abilities comming off bass into pedals, then not sure were to go , to get my bass and my
song i'm playing along with to both go into my headphones, just looking for suggestions, mostly what i'm seeing on youtube is for artists that are using interfaces specifically for recording online,
 
#10
If I'm understanding you correctly a "Vox AmPlug2-BS" (the BS means it's designed for bass-go figure), around $35.-, is what I sometimes use. It's not exactly my preferred way to practice but it works when necessary.

Edit: I just read that you want to come off your pedals, I don't think the AmPlug can help you there.
 
#12
I use an inexpensive recording interface a computer. I plug my bass, computer, and headphones into it. Then it has a “blend” knob in which I can blend the mix between my bass input and iTunes. Then I eq most of the mid bass out of the music using the eq in iTunes and mix my bass signal a tad louder than the music itself. Works very well.

I have an older Mac Pro and an Presonus Audiobox interface.
 
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#13
Renaissance said:
I bought a cheap mixer, used from a pawn shop for almost nothing. I use Transcribe on my laptop plugged into the mixer. Bass into pedalboard into mixer. Headphones out. Easy peasy and inexpensive.
Click to expand...

This for sure. Everyone is listening to the same thing. Use an aux out on any board into a headphone amp and done. Your bass won’t be louder unless you use a separate aux output but it’ll get the job done for sure. This is what they are all doing when you see them in a studio. Well basically anyway.
 
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#14
Two main ways to do it:

1. Amp with headphone jack and AUX in. Most amps have this now, so if you have a practice amp of almost any type, chances are you can use that.

2. Headphone amp. There are loads to choose from, from the cheap and cheerful VOX offerings, to more expensive types like the Phil Jones Bighead. There are also a lot of devices that will do the same job, such as audio interfaces or mixers.

There are also completely digital devices such as the iRig, which lets you connect a bass and headphones, and plugs into your PC. This works with an app called Amplitube with lots of virtual amps and effects.
 
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#15
Easiest way for me was to buy a cheap mixer. 4 channels. Bass through the pedal board to the first Chan... playback through the next channel that has a stereo in. Think the mixer cost 60$. The 1/8 inch trs to two 1/4 inch ts another 10-15$. Easy and I can use whatever playback source I want. Though if I use my phone it’s another 10$ for the adapter cause of it not having a headphone jack....
 
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#16
1dreday said:
i'm not recording anything as of yet, just wanting play along abilities comming off bass into pedals, then not sure were to go , to get my bass and my
song i'm playing along with to both go into my headphones, just looking for suggestions, mostly what i'm seeing on youtube is for artists that are using interfaces specifically for recording online,
Click to expand...

If you just want to hear your bass and music in headphones:

1. You could get an amp with an aux input. I believe this one will do: MB 200 Specs — Gallien-Krueger Plug in your bass and a media player. There are also headphone amp that do this.
2. You could buy a mixer with a high Z input. I believe this one will do: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] Plug in your bass and a media player
3. You could equip your computer with an interface with a high Z input. I believe this one will do: Scarlett 2i2 | Focusrite Plug in your bass, play the media on the computer. This option is the most complicated and problematic.
 
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#17
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/AudioBoxUSB96--presonus-audiobox-usb-96

You could plug one of these into your computer..

With this you could likely plug your bass directly into it, or run a direct out pedal, or if your amp has a direct out that would work too. Would also likely cover your needs for any recording you need to do in the future.

There's a knob so you can blend your PC audio's playback and the direct signal from the inputs.

It will act like a sound card, and has outs for headphones and powered speakers.

Has midi in and out - so I imagine you could route midi devices through it as well if you ever start playing with writing midi tracks in a DAW.
 
#19
I use headphones for practice everyday. A nice unit for either the laptop or Iphone is the Sonic port VX. Small package and it links easily between the two. For the PC I am running Amplitude or Sonar, but there are many programs that will work fine. On the Iphone I also use Amplitude or Jamup. But again plenty of decent options. I prefer the PC for practice since on the Iphone it is not easy to mix the bass level with what ever I am listening to. But it is super convenient if I am traveling and don't want to schlep a laptop.
 
#20
Not headphone related, but another practice room option is one of those little Bluetooth receivers for your old-school home stereo system. That way you can crank the tunes on your phone or IPad through your stereo and play along with your amp.
 
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