computer programs

[A_Bass_Moment]

OK so today i got an adaptor for my bass so i can plug it into my computer.
So i plug it in and there's no sound!
Do i need to a program to play it?
and wat port do i put it in? (mic. , etc.)

[Misanthropic]

Are you connecting your bass straight to the comp? Or do you have your amp in between? I think it should be put into "line in" but "mic" should also work.

I'm not really sure about this, but I think because my bass has an active preamp I can plug it directly into my computer...(this does not work with my electric guitar, i have to run it through an amp)

[A_Bass_Moment]

Yeh its straight into the computer, no amp

[Misanthropic]

Yeh its straight into the computer, no amp

Well, I'd suggest try connecting it through your amp... Plug your bass normally into the amp, then put a cable from "line out" (or the headphone jack) on your amp to the computer.

[A_Bass_Moment]

kk thnx for that

Dammit i just tried that and it still aint working
are there any programs i need?

[Efrim]

are you just playing it right after you've plugged it in? it's doubtful that you would just start hearing sound. Try downloading Audacity, and then see if it works.

[Dr. Ugs]

You can try guitar box fx... http://www.guitar-fxbox.com/
but i had popping in sound using this.

http://guitarfx.net/
this one worked fine. but you get a popup when you close the program. It's shareware..

Cakewalk guitar tracks pro 3 (http://cakewalk.com/) is kickass but not a live amp software(you record then playback, you can add any effect to your recordings)

hope this helps. Plugging your bass into your pc will get you NO results unless you have the right software for the job.....

[A_Bass_Moment]

ok so ive plugged it into the mic. socket and downloaded audacity and still no sound

BTW where's the line in socket? (comp noob right there <<)
lol ok thanks for all the feedback

[Efrim]

right near the mic socket,the symbol looks something like this:

((0))

you have tried recording then playing right?

[Dr. Ugs]

pink = Mic in
Light Blue = Line in

If ya want to know if the signal is being "heard" by pc, open start... programs.... accesories.... entertainment ..Sound recorder... try using this to test if signal goes into sound card correctly.

[Maddox]

Try checking out the control panel>>sounds and audio devices>>advanced options. Check out if the mic is set to 'mute'.

[A_Bass_Moment]

yes ive tried all these programs with the mic and line in socket. and none work!

[Dr. Ugs]

what type of sound card you using?

[A_Bass_Moment]

Realtek AC97 audio

[Wintermute]

First things first - you probably won't have it automatically channel through to the speakers. You will most likely need some kind of program in the middle - Audacity is a popular choice, but Krystal is better - they're both free.

Also:
Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Audio > Sound Recording - check that your soundcard is mentioned there

Control Panel > Sounds and Audio Devices > Volume > Advanced > Options > Properties > Adjust Volume For Recording, then check that either line in or mic is selected, and the volume adjusted accordingly.

[Efrim]

if that^ doesn't work then take it into a professional

[Dr. Ugs]

a realtek is an onboard sound card. Thta could be your problem right there.

And after looking into audicity program, i dont think you can use it as you wanted(virtual amp)

But first thing is first, if you plug a mic , can u record using the windows sound recorder?if so, try your guitar/bass .

[Efrim]

theres no problem with the realtek. I have one on my laptop, and ive used it for recording.

[Wintermute]

a realtek is an onboard sound card. Thta could be your problem right there.
You'll not get professional recordings this way, true, but you should get *something*.

And after looking into audicity program, i dont think you can use it as you wanted(virtual amp)
I've just checked, and that's true. Doesn't look like it has a Monitor mode. Annoying, but you get what you pay for. Krystal does have a monitor mode, but again it's not much good. Better than Audacity though.

Edit - if you're recording, I wouldn't expect to have you computer play your stuff back to you as you go. There'll be latency, there may be spill, depending on how you do it, and it'll just throw you off anyway. Some programs won't even let you. The programs can record the sound without playing it back to you.

[A_Bass_Moment]

dammit ok thnx guys
yeh i dont want professional recordings just something to mess around with
are there any other programs?

[Efrim]

audacity has a monitor mode
under the level meters, click on the arrow, and select monitor

[Dr. Ugs]

I checked out Krystal, looks quite easy to use, maybe give that a shot.... but before wasting all this time with a bunch of programs, the "sound recorder" in windows has to work, if not, no matter what program you install, you aint gonna hear anything...

[Wintermute]

audacity has a monitor mode
under the level meters, click on the arrow, and select monitor

I've only got audacity because people keep asking me how to use it. I've only ever used it myself once. :lol:

But which version are you using? Because it doesn't do that on mine.

[Jimbobntnr]

You'll not get professional recordings this way, true, but you should get *something*.


I've just checked, and that's true. Doesn't look like it has a Monitor mode. Annoying, but you get what you pay for. Krystal does have a monitor mode, but again it's not much good. Better than Audacity though.

Edit - if you're recording, I wouldn't expect to have you computer play your stuff back to you as you go. There'll be latency, there may be spill, depending on how you do it, and it'll just throw you off anyway. Some programs won't even let you. The programs can record the sound without playing it back to you.

Audacity does have a monitor, I can't recall exactly where, but in tools there is a check for monitoring input.

My laptop does not automatically do this with the realtek card, my desktop does it through a terratec card. Haven't figured out why on either, though.

Dell does have a tech bulletin on hearing sidetone, or what is going through your mic, it's a registry hack for dells.


I took way too long typing my reply.

[Efrim]

I dont use it either, I've got cool edit pro 2.0, but it was the first one i downloaded. I'll check to see if its stilll on here.

[bbbbass]

I doubt recording software is the problem. It has to be your mic/line in configuration or a faulty soundcard.

[Wintermute]

I checked out Krystal, looks quite easy to use, maybe give that a shot.... but before wasting all this time with a bunch of programs, the "sound recorder" in windows has to work, if not, no matter what program you install, you aint gonna hear anything...

True - odds are if Sound Recorder isn't getting anything, nothing else is going to either, so use that to try to find a solution first.

[Efrim]

yeah, on v.1.2.3, right under the microphone level meter(at the top) theres an arrow that opens a small taskbar, and you select "monitor input"

[A_Bass_Moment]

lol i think i know the problem


I blew my amp :lol: :lol:

time for a new amp i think

[Efrim]

lol i think i know the problem


I blew my amp :lol: :lol:

time for a new amp i think

ouch, sucks to be you. did you buy a guitar amp?

[Wintermute]

yeah, on v.1.2.3, right under the microphone level meter(at the top) theres an arrow that opens a small taskbar, and you select "monitor input"

I see it, but that doesn't help.

[Efrim]

I see it, but that doesn't help.


yeah, i guess not

[A_Bass_Moment]

Nah its a bass amp but its ancient must be at least 15 years old

[Efrim]

Nah its a bass amp but its ancient must be at least 15 years old


have any idea what kind of amp your going to replace it with?

[Misanthropic]

You'll not get professional recordings this way, true, but you should get *something*.

How do you get "professional" recordings?
I've got a built in Realtek sound thingy on my motherboard. Would a new soundcard really get me a huge increase in sound quality? Or are you talking about going digital?

My bass sound like this when it's directly plugged into the computer: http://www.abo.fi/~anhenrik/mp3/Torre's%20Bass%20Doodle%2019%20-%20The%20Flood.mp3

[Wintermute]

Well to be honest I wasn't entirely right, as 'professional' has no real meaning here. Sometimes a less than crystal recording quality suits a style of music far better than a technically perfect one.

But professional digital recording setups have a far higher samplerate, bit-depth and Signal-to-Noise Ratio than an onboard soundcard can provide, and the editing software and functions leave programs like Audacity standing on the starting line. Facing the wrong way. With broken legs. Dead.

[Misanthropic]

Well to be honest I wasn't entirely right, as 'professional' has no real meaning here. Sometimes a less than crystal recording quality suits a style of music far better than a technically perfect one.

But professional digital recording setups have a far higher samplerate, bit-depth and Signal-to-Noise Ratio than an onboard soundcard can provide, and the editing software and functions leave programs like Audacity standing on the starting line. Facing the wrong way. With broken legs. Dead.

What editing software are we talking here? I agree on that audacity sucks, I use adobe audition (suits my needs fine, though i think it's not really that professional).

[Dr. Ugs]

guitar tracks pro 3 is killer....

[Wintermute]

Well Audacity is left thoroughly in the dust by Cubase SX and Logic. For recording and editing rather than multitracking, Wavelab, SoundForge and Biaspeak thrash it. For sequencing and virtual instruments, Reason 3 is king. But top of the league are the larger ProTools HD systems, with all the expansions.

A basic HD system starts at $10,000 though...

[wicked_child]

get a new amp or plug directly. :)

[-whitey-]

ok...lol

i've been reading this...you have pluged your guitar into...mic in?



well as a few people have said,unlewss its active of somesort,or as long as there is at least a voltage of 3.5 (active preamps and such have 9v so your ok there) there will be sound

if you do not have active circuitery then

take bass,pluig into amp,plug amp into the line in socket,wich is the blue ring,and then you should hear sound without any programmes.

if not,then look at the toolbar on your computar,look at the time,there should be a small symbol that looks like a speaker,double click that,click options then properties,then click recording,make sure that line in and stereo mix is ticked.

then click ok,and select the line in section(theres a little ticky box) and adjust the volume.

and if this doesnt work,then you will either need to make sure you have the right soundcard selected,bbut i'm guessing you only have one.

so if it doesnt work...turn your amp on...if that doesnt work...you have broke it :) lol

[Zetora]

Just a note but I have had my passive bass playing straight into the comp ... it isn't brillient but it does pick it up on the comp so going through an amp isn't essential but higly recommended.

Also Logic is a good program ... though with mine, while recording the track as it's played, it records the play back as well, which as I am sure you can guess isn't good yet I dont know how to change this ... been looking through the settings and can only decude its my comp relaying the signal somewhere, which is supported as I can play music on my comp and Logic will record it! If anyone has any idea's on how to fix this it would be greatly appreciated.
NB; Also I'm using onboard soundcard.

Zet.

[Misanthropic]

Also Logic is a good program ... though with mine, while recording the track as it's played, it records the play back as well, which as I am sure you can guess isn't good yet I dont know how to change this ... been looking through the settings and can only decude its my comp relaying the signal somewhere, which is supported as I can play music on my comp and Logic will record it! If anyone has any idea's on how to fix this it would be greatly appreciated.
NB; Also I'm using onboard soundcard.

Zet.


I've never used Logic but with several other programs I've used (Adobe Audition, Cubase...) it's like this: the free/trial version you get from websites has this, i.e. the backing track is also recorded. Even when I found cracks for the programs they wouldn't work - sure, they would run more than 30 days but the backing track problem wasn't fixed.

Is your copy of the program legal? If not, that's probably it. If it is, then something's not set right...

[Zetora]

Thanks I never actually thought of that one ... though its a legal copy so I guess i should just keep on looking through the settings, which there is quite a lot of for anyone who hasn't used it before.

Thanks,
Zet.

[Visti]

Get a USB interface. It's gonna be much nicer in the long run. Doesn't have to be like the cheapest Protools rig, but look into M-Audio and Tascam stuff.