Practice set up

[Johngh]

After a bit of advice

I want to play original tracks on my laptop and the sound of the bass from my practise amp into a "device" and use headphones to listen to it all and play along to the original tracks.

What's the best way of doing it. I would have thought piping the laptop sound out through the headphone output on the laptop and the bass sound out the back of the bass amp into a small mixer and using the headphone output on the mixer should do it.

Anyone know of a simple way of doing it?

Ta

[EBS_freak]

Aye. Little mixer. Little cheapy Behringer will do you.

Or something like the EBS microbass2 if you want to spend some money and do without your amp (silent practice)

Edited October 3, 2013 by EBS_freak

[Johngh]

Thanks mate. I was in Maplins yesterday trying to get this over to one of the muppets serving in there and he wouldn't have it. He was on about some interface for the laptop.

[Spike Vincent]

If you want to listen to the practice amp and the laptop at the same time the a 2 channel mixer with a headphone output is all you need.
And headphones..

[paul_5]

Could you not take a feed from the laptop into the effects return?

[NJE]

As others have said, a small mixer will do the job. EBS Microbass is also a good option and you wont need an amp.You could get a very basic cheap interface for the computer and just play through the laptop with headphones which is what I do, it works well.

Another option is if your spending money on a mixer, buy a small bass amp with a line in and headphone out so you can run it all through the amp itself. You then also have a handy little combo for quiet practice so you don't have to use a big rig.

[nottswarwick]

Unless you need the sound from the amp I'd do what I do in my teaching studios:

Bass into cheap DI box into a little desk
Laptop or iPad into little desk
Monitors or headphones out.

I use a Spirit Folio notepad

[Johngh]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1380828907' post='2231322']
Could you not take a feed from the laptop into the effects return?
[/quote]

Its only a small practice and, and I need headphones, silence is the key, keeps er indoors happy


Thanks for the reply's guys, I'll get off to Maplins again tomorrow and get a small mixer

[dougal]

Personally I've gone the other route: a small USB audio interface into the laptop. Means the bass sound is raw, but you can, if you've got time, work out how to pipe it through a VST or two.

They've dropped in price since the early days. I can't comment on quality, but this seems like pretty good value:
[url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/behringer-guitar-link-ucg102-guitar-to-usb-interface--38128"]http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/behringer-guitar-link-ucg102-guitar-to-usb-interface--38128[/url]

You can then also record what you're playing if you want.

[chaypup]

[quote name='dougal' timestamp='1380873412' post='2231665']
Personally I've gone the other route: a small USB audio interface into the laptop. Means the bass sound is raw, but you can, if you've got time, work out how to pipe it through a VST or two.

They've dropped in price since the early days. I can't comment on quality, but this seems like pretty good value:
[url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/behringer-guitar-link-ucg102-guitar-to-usb-interface--38128"]http://www.dv247.com...nterface--38128[/url]

You can then also record what you're playing if you want.
[/quote]

+1 This is how I do silent practice.

[barkin]

Zoom B9 here.

[Dave_the_bass]

Can't believe no one has suggested the £30(ish) Vox Amplug "custom designed for your requirements".

[Bolo]

A small mixer is best. Everything you need in the mixer, headphones or monitor (powered desktop speaker for instance) out.

[Horizontalste]

[quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1380900540' post='2232197']
A small mixer is best. Everything you need in the mixer, headphones or monitor (powered desktop speaker for instance) out.
[/quote]

Alesis do a little four chanell one that doesn't need a DI and doubles as a Usb interface.

[Johngh]

[size=6][sup]Bought myself a small 4 channel mixer today from Maplins, just the job. thanks for the advice.[/sup][/size]

[BigAlonBass]

[quote name='Dave_the_bass' timestamp='1380900272' post='2232186']
Can't believe no one has suggested the £30(ish) Vox Amplug "custom designed for your requirements".
[/quote]

Me neither. I've used it for the past few years for silent late-night practise, and the Wife hasn't woken up once! Well worth the money.

[Ziphoblat]

[quote name='dougal' timestamp='1380873412' post='2231665']
Personally I've gone the other route: a small USB audio interface into the laptop. Means the bass sound is raw, but you can, if you've got time, work out how to pipe it through a VST or two.

They've dropped in price since the early days. I can't comment on quality, but this seems like pretty good value:
[url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/behringer-guitar-link-ucg102-guitar-to-usb-interface--38128"]http://www.dv247.com...nterface--38128[/url]

You can then also record what you're playing if you want.
[/quote]

Another +1. It's such a great way to practice, especially if you have some good amp modeling software (Amplitube with Ampeg SVX is my pick at the moment).