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What is your "play-along" set-up?

#61
In my country of origin I got a small practice amp with an auxiliary input, so I just connect my MP3 player to it and it's pretty good that way.

Unfortunately, in Canada I have another type of practice amp that doesn't have that input (and I thought I'd never use it)... I miss the aux input because it almost integrates my bass playing with the recording. Temporarily, I have no choice but to use my MP3 and headphones, and crank up the volume of the amp ever so slightly. Maybe soon enough I'll get some nice speakers to connect my MP3 player directly to them. Better than nothing.

As for a "louder, more professional" sound to play along recordings, I have no idea. Sorry. Good thing is there are plentiful people here who can provide with a good answer.
 
#62
I generally find what I am looking for on YouTube, and have a dedicated laptop, using multi-media speaker system with a subwoofer. That plays the source material, and I generally play -hrough my Peavey Max 158 combo. I don't record my play-alongs, but I have done it in the past.
 
#63
I love using technology in the shed. Typically, I'll use a drone combined with the iPod metronome "Metronomics", but wil sometimes play along with recordings as well. I'll have to check out Audiolobe - it sounds interesting.

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#65
Jack Clark said:
. . . I don't actually play the play-alongs through iTunes for practice. For that I use Audiolobe, which is a Mac program that can change tempo and pitch and make loops, all on the fly. . . . I really cannot imagine a better practice play-along set up for me.
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I should have said that for the money I couldn't imagine a better practice play-along set up. Audiolobe costs only $20, which is only 40% of what Amazing Slow Downer (ASD) costs ($50), but ASD has additional features that really do amaze me:

For example, when playing files from a commercially-made play-along—like an Aebersold or Hal Leonard product—when you slide ASD's "Mix" control (something like a "Balance" or "Pan" control) all the way to the right to eliminate the bass in the left channel, ASD automatically shifts the right channel to the center, allowing you to hear the right channel in both your left and right speakers or headphones. Audiolobe just keeps the right channel in the right speaker or headphone, which I find much less desirable.

Also, ASD has a "Karaoke" feature which it bills as being for canceling or minimizing a vocalist. But I find it does an even better job of pulling the bass out of commercial recordings. For example, I just used it to eliminate what I would estimate to be about 99% of Ron Carter's bass from a duet recording of Meditations he made with Houston Person. I don't think I could tell the bass was even there if I didn't already know it. This is all done on the fly without having to re-record or save anything. (But you can do that, too, if you want.)

And ASD allows you to select higher sound qualities for the slow-downing and pitch-changing effects. This uses more of your computer's processor, but gives noticeably better-sounding results. For these features and more, I think ASD is well worth its $50 cost, but if these features don't interest you, Audiolobe will do the basic job for Mac users for $20.

(ASD has a $15 version for iPhone, as well.)
 
#66
I've got a pair of bluetooth powered speakers in the dining room where I keep my double basses and all my music is stored on a NAS on my home network, so I can use my mactop or my android phone to stream music to the speakers if I need to learn some tunes.

I have a studio set up upstairs but I would rather not lug a DB up there if I'm not recording.
 
#70
christle said:
I use a Tascam Bass Trainer. Great investment and easily one of the best tools for learning new songs. I even got my son one so he could start learning songs by ear.
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+1

I have been using one for years. My wife has to be at work early in the morning and usually goes to bed at 8 PM. The bass trainer allows me to play through headphones without disturbing her and I can play as long and as late as I want to. I like the fact that you can change the key without changing the speed and change the speed without changing the key. It's a great tool.
 
#75
I use Reaper for recording, and when I want to play along, I either import the track into reaper, or put earbuds from my computer (playing along with youtube, spotify, pandora, etc) underneath my over-ear headphones that my bass is coming through.

Oh, and I have my bass plugged in through an M-Audio fast track USB something-or-other
 
#78
Johnny Morales said:
I used to jam along with my CD player and amp cranked. Just wondering with all of the new technology out there - what my options are in terms of playing along with tunes on my computer.

I currently have the small external speakers that came with the computer but they don't seem loud enough. Can anyone tell me what they use to play along with recorded songs?

Also - what programs can I use to slow down or iso songs to figure out the bass parts.
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I have a home theater PC, its full of movies and music thats all in FLAC 750gb worth

Its hooked up to my 42inch LED tv and my stereo system that pushes 4 tower speakers and a subwoofer :bassist:

to slow down music theres a program called Amazing Slow-downer. its very cool, you can slow songs down, play them in different keys and pan the mix to hear just the lead or drum and bass or however its mixed. PM me and I can get the App to you ;)
 

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