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Recording with my setup?

G

grifff

Jan 5, 2009
1,211
58
#1
I'd like to be able to plug directly into my sound card because I hear it's one of the easiest and best ways to record. The thing is, I don't know how to plug into my sound card. I have a Sony Vaio FW series laptop with these inputs/outputs:

Headphone Jack
Microphone Input
HDMI Output
VGA Output
i.LINK connector
3 USB 2.0 ports

I know that several of those things are useless, but I'm really clueless here. I heard that recording through the microphone input sounds like absolute **** and that I should avoid it completely. I'm leaning towards doing something with the USB ports, but I don't know what I would need to record my bass through the USB.

My amp has an XLR direct out, and my bass is passive. Thanks for any help you can provide. :bassist:
 
#2
I use a Monster cable - they make one for the Mac, it's white. But it goes directly into the mic input on my MacBook Pro. I'd guess that it'd work for your laptop too.
Or, you can get (on craigslist, used) a USB interface for probably $20-30.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
#4
VroomVroom said:
I'd strongly recommend a USB audio interface. I use the M-Audio Fastrack USB, although there are certainly many others out there. With that, you can use the DI-out on your amp and I think you'll be much more pleased with the result than simply going from your bass to the mic input on your laptop.
Click to expand...

Do you like the M-Audio? I have no experience with this type of thing. I don't mind learning how to use it.
 
#5
I do - for my needs, which are very, very basic, it's a good solution. I only use the 'Session' software that came with it, so I can't speak to how - or if - it works with other packages. Now that M-Audio has stable versions of both the drivers and the application, I've got no complaints and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. For $100, and again for my requirements, it's a fine product. Here are some samples...

Demos of my Link Removed and Link Removed basses against a drum loop.

A little Latin deal with my Link Removed - using the canned samples in the 'Session' software.

All three were recorded via instrument > Radial JDI > M-Audio Fastrack > laptop.
 
#6
VroomVroom said:
I do - for my needs, which are very, very basic, it's a good solution. I only use the 'Session' software that came with it, so I can't speak to how - or if - it works with other packages. Now that M-Audio has stable versions of both the drivers and the application, I've got no complaints and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. For $100, and again for my requirements, it's a fine product. Here are some samples...

Demos of my Link Removed and Link Removed basses against a drum loop.

A little Latin deal with my Link Removed - using the canned samples in the 'Session' software.

All three were recorded via instrument > Radial JDI > M-Audio Fastrack > laptop.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the samples, that will really help.

My needs are also pretty basic, and I'll have to wait to get off my laptop to hear those samples through some decent speakers. I'm going to be using Audacity because I'm moderatly familiar with the program. What's the Radial JDI do?

EDIT: Nevermind, I just googled it and found out what it was. So instead of me using a DI box, I would just be using the DI from my amp?
 

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