What is the bare minimum I need to play through my laptop to watch lessons on Youtube

I'd go for one of these

http://www.easounddesign.com/first_1.html

I use mine everyday, i 100% recommend these to anyone.

Cheap, great sounding, fast shippping and a great and easy company to deal with.

i use mine with an ipod or laptop.

Just plug the laptop headphone output to the Aux in on the Earwing, plug you bass and headphones into the Earwing and off you go. Simple!

 

The bare minumum is going to be the sound card built into the PC but I assume that you don't want your bass to sound like poo. So the practical minimum is going to be a PCI audio interface that's designed for recording. The most affordable units are stereo input/output and they start around $99. Here's a sampling from Sweetwater.com (other retailers like The Fiend will be similar).


http://www.sweetwater.com/c703--PCI_Audio_Interfaces

Anything you buy will include virtual mixer software so you can monitor (and record) multiple sound sources simultaneously.

The Line 6 Pod GX is a decent mono input unit that outputs to PC via a USB port. $99.
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com/product/Line-6-Pod-Studio-GX-with-Pod-Farm?sku=250006

I like the EMU, myself. It's stereo and uses a PCI slot. $99.
http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/0404/



EDIT:
I just noticed that the thread title says you have a laptop but your OP says you have PC (which I assumed to be a desktop). Obviously a PCI card won't work with a laptop, so gonig USB is probably your best bet.

 

Give us your Computer specs ( software/hardware/ect )

Because you may just need a few connectors....

 

I have plugged mine directly into the mic input. Sounds like AM radio and lacks high end. Cost me zero to make the cable.

Or you can go to rat shack get a 1/8" mono to RCA then also get a RCA to 1/4". Bout 8 bucks.

 

Or.... You could just get a 1/8<1/4 connector because your bass ( most likely ) is a mono output.

 

I use an earlier model of one of these (Korg Pandora PX4B) to mix sound off my PowerBook (CD, MP3, Youtube, etc.) with my bass and hear it all through headphones. It has a tuner, metronome, and drum patterns. The effects are so-so, IMHO. It is about the size of a wallet or pack of cancer sticks. Useful little device!

 

Boyo, what are ye talking about, Cancer sticks?

My great grandmother lived till 101 smoking fags all her life.

 

Plug the output from your PC/Laptop headphone or Line out into the AUX on your pandora. Plug the bass to the INPUT on the pandora, and your headphones to the OUTPUT.

 

how about a cheap practice amp from the local pawn shop?

the minimum I would say is just the bass.. just turn the music down real low and play along unplugged. I use mostly use stainless steel rounds and the sound is bright enough to hear for practicing when my woman is sleepin..

 

I just use a Cable with a mini plug on one end into the MIC Input on my Laptop and the other end into my Bass. I have some Logitecs hooked up to my Laptop and it sounds as good or even better than some of the practice Amps I have used.

On my desktop - I take the line out of my BR600 into the line in on my Sound Card. I have a line out from my Bass Amp into the BR600 as well - allows me to adjust the level with whatever Music I am playing. I can use the onboard effects etc.... When I am using headphones only I go straight into the BR600 - set the COSM to Flip Top or one of the other Amp Models- and I am jamming. I could also just go straight into the Line in from the Bass too.

So you should not need to invest much- download Audacity or Reaper and you can record your playing and practicing etc... YMMV.