Recording bass onto my MacBook - what do I need to get started?

[Gunsfreddy2003]

I want to start recording basslines at home and also adding to tracks sent to me by my bandmates - I have Macbook with Garageband on it. Is the best program to use and if so what is the most cost effective/best sounding way to record digitally?

I am new to all of this stuff and am not really sure where to start!

[Colledge]

some people say that for decent results you need a dedicated firewire/usb preamp but the soundcards on macbook and imacs are pretty good imo. I (and people that i've worked with) have gotten really good (well as good as di can get) results just using a preamp straight into the line in. if you have an amp that you like that has a di out then a di to jack cable would work (with a mini jack addapter) otherwise any preamp would do really.

[Gunsfreddy2003]

Thanks for your post - I have a Mark Bass Little Mark III so sure that I can take the DI from that - if not what kind of preamp do people use?

Silly question but where is the line in on the MacBook is it the socket next to the headphones out?



[quote name='Colledge' post='976317' date='Oct 3 2010, 07:18 PM']some people say that for decent results you need a dedicated firewire/usb preamp but the soundcards on macbook and imacs are pretty good imo. I (and people that i've worked with) have gotten really good (well as good as di can get) results just using a preamp straight into the line in. if you have an amp that you like that has a di out then a di to jack cable would work (with a mini jack addapter) otherwise any preamp would do really.[/quote]

[Colledge]

at a guess.. yes? i sold my macbook about a year ago to get an imac so i'm hazy on that one. i've started to use my boss gt6b with some (if i do say so myself) pretty good results. if your amp has a line out then that would work too, less hassle getting an appropriate lead. The only pain in the arse that i've encountered when using the line in is that the threshold of distortion is very low, you can have a great level then just a little bit more volume or harder playing will cause some horrible clipping. to overcome this i've started using a compressor in all my recording.

[waldemar]

Hiya Guns.

I was asking a similar question not so long ago after trying to go into my Mac's line in/mic whilst using a Tascam Bass Trainer as a kinda pre-amp. I also tried via the DI on my ancient Laney 30 practice amp, but in both instances I was pretty disappointed. Someone recommended that I try out a Line6 GX (http://line6.com/podstudiogx/) which I did, and I'm pretty impressed. It works great with GB and the Pod Farm effects are available to apply via the GB interface at a later stage should you want to record your bass signal clean. Furthermore, you can pick 'em up new for around £70. Bargain.

It's probably a long way off from pro-level, but as a 'sketch pad' it's great!

Set-up time is next to nothing - just drop the audio file you want to jam over into GB, create a new real instrument track, fire-up Pod Farm, hit record on GB and start playing!

I'm uploading a short audio clip of me playing over a track - at around 55 seconds I drop the levels of the master so that you can hear what the bass is up to more clearly (oh dear).

As ever, double-check that your laptop/OS is compatible with the extra stuff you're buying - although if you're on something new then you should be alright.

Hope this helps.

Edited October 4, 2010 by waldemar

[Gunsfreddy2003]

Hey Waldemar,

Many thanks for taking the time to help me out - I am definitely going to go for the Line 6 GX as it sounds like it does a really good job. It was good to hear what kind of quality you can achieve on your demo track.

Sounds like I am not the only one who hates to hear my basslines played alone!!! If it is any comfort I downloaded James Jamerson's bassline from What's Going On by Marvin Gaye and on it's own it sounded quite bad I mean almost amateurish but mix it with the track and it is one of the most divine basslines that I know!

Thanks again.

[quote name='waldemar' post='976617' date='Oct 4 2010, 01:06 AM']Hiya Guns.

I was asking a similar question not so long ago after trying to go into my Mac's line in/mic whilst using a Tascam Bass Trainer as a kinda pre-amp. I also tried via the DI on my ancient Laney 30 practice amp, but in both instances I was pretty disappointed. Someone recommended that I try out a Line6 GX (http://line6.com/podstudiogx/) which I did, and I'm pretty impressed. It works great with GB and the Pod Farm effects are available to apply via the GB interface at a later stage should you want to record your bass signal clean. Furthermore, you can pick 'em up new for around £70. Bargain.

It's probably a long way off from pro-level, but as a 'sketch pad' it's great!

Set-up time is next to nothing - just drop the audio file you want to jam over into GB, create a new real instrument track, fire-up Pod Farm, hit record on GB and start playing!

I'm uploading a short audio clip of me playing over a track - at around 55 seconds I drop the levels of the master so that you can hear what the bass is up to more clearly (oh dear).

As ever, double-check that your laptop/OS is compatible with the extra stuff you're buying - although if you're on something new then you should be alright.

Hope this helps.[/quote]

[phil.i.stein]

hey,

i need to know this too..

is a mini jack to a soundcard a reliable transfer as far as recording goes ?

not sure myself, just doesn't seem substantial for good audio transfer.somebody with better knowledge than i needs to clarify...pleeease..

[waldemar]

Hey Guns,

No problem whatsoever - like I say, it's really quick and straightforward to plug in, fire up the software and get cracking! Hardly any tweaking was involved - I just selected an amp, added a bit of compression and off I went...

[quote name='Gunsfreddy2003' post='977843' date='Oct 4 2010, 11:23 PM']If it is any comfort I downloaded James Jamerson's bassline from What's Going On by Marvin Gaye and on it's own it sounded quite bad I mean almost amateurish but mix it with the track and it is one of the most divine basslines that I know![/quote]

Ah, that's good to hear - everything always sounds so mediocre unaccompanied (apart from the virtuoso solo stuff, which isn't really my bag but always drops my jaw...)

phil.i, like i said - from personal experience I've always found going in via the mic/line-in to yield pretty poor results on my Mac (ie. a thin and weedy sound). For the sake of £70, not only do you get a nice fat, clean, latency-free signal into your PC, you've also got the option to sculpt that sound in real time, or later - in my case via the Garageband effects panel. Before I bought the GX I [url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5M-USB-PC-Guitar-Bass-Link-Recording-Audo-Adapter-Cable_W0QQitemZ280567550171QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=149410266533&rvr_id=149410266533&cguid=5a74e7fb12b0a0e203b53675ffe51176"]considered one of these.[/url] But to be honest, the extra modeling features of the GX are well worth the extra bit of dosh.

Cheers!

EDIT: Just found this - might be of some help to some readers of this thread:

[url="http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul01/articles/pcmusician0701.asp"]http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jul01/arti...usician0701.asp[/url]

Edited October 4, 2010 by waldemar

[xgsjx]

You'll get a fairly decent recording going straight into the line in on your macbook/imac. I have an interface but often find myself plugging the bass into my pedals & then straight outta them into the imac (mainly due to lazyitis tho).
Have a listen to my moogerfooger reviews in the effects reviews section on here to get an idea of sound quality using this & recording on Garageband. Reaper is a better bit of software & is a free download.

[krispn]

The only thing I'd add is be sure and set the input source correctly so can can hear your bass in both speakers/headphones. I was a total noob and couldn't get to grips with not being able to hear 'stereo'. I figured it out eventually

Good luck with your new set up

[algmusic]

Hi I do a few recordings for bands/artists remotely and to be honest the best way to start is getting an usb audio interface, if you get a two channel one it means you could record the bass DI and via a mic if wanted. It will sound miles better than using mic input on the Mac.

I had a macbook for years and now have a pro. You get a reasonable sound through garageband and then when your ready for a better sound get logic.. but it depends on how much you record as it's pricey £300, but you might be able to get a second hand/older version one for a fraction of the price and logic is much better.

However, a good audio interface will make a big difference and is the best start, get this right and you won't be disappointed and you won't buy another one later

When I record I might DI straight frm my bass, via my sansamp, and or a AKG D112 mic, but to be honest just DIing first will get the ball rolling.

Recommendations for interfaces would be the Tascam £99 or M audio£139, both really good.

[url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/tascam-us-122-mkii--67856"]http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/tas...122-mkii--67856[/url]

[url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/m-audio-fast-track-pro-4x4-mobile-usb-audio-midi-interface-with-preamps--29998"]http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/m-a...-preamps--29998[/url]

Edited October 5, 2010 by algmusic