online gutar lessons and guitar through headphones

phil_b

I am a beginner struggling my way through some online guitar lessons. how ever it would be very helpful if I could use headphones as this would extend my practice time.

what I need is to connect my amp and my computer into the same set of headphones so I can hear both at the same time.

my amp is a vox mv50 that only has one input for the guitar and my laptop one has one headphone socket that can be used as a mike input or headphone output.

what do I need to set this up

thegummy

You need a mixer of some kind.

Either just a mixer itself that you'd connect both the computer and guitar amp output to or you could get an audio interface for the computer that connects via usb and would allow the guitar amp output to be connected too. The latter has the advantage of being able to record your playing to listen back, even in the future if you don't want to yet.

phil_b

Thanks for the quick reply. I guess I am looking for a low cost option if possible

thegummy

https://www.gear4music.com/Recording-and-Computers/Behringer-U-Phoria-UM2-USB-Audio-Interface/POV

phil_b

thanks for the link. that looks very reasonable at that price.

phil_b

I got one on order so I should be up and running soon . many thanks

thegummy

No problem man, should be easy to set up and get going.

You should find straight away that the audio from the laptop will go through it by default and when you plug the guitar amp output in to it, that will come through at the same time.

Then you can even start recording the guitar part (while listening to the backing track if you like, that won't be recorded along with the guitar part unless you want it to).

If you have any problems after reading the manual etc., post back.

phil_b

thanks again. I will post back and let you know how I get on

andyp

Can I piggy back here please? This sounds cool... but I haven't got a clue about them. How does it work and what can you do with it?

I'm talking basics here, I've never looked at these but it sounds useful! Do you take a cable from the back of the amp (I have a combo) to the mixer then you can hear the laptop and the amp in the headphones at the same time? Is there a latency issue at all with any of it?

Sassafras

One headphone?

thegummy

andyp said:

Can I piggy back here please? This sounds cool... but I haven't got a clue about them. How does it work and what can you do with it?

I'm talking basics here, I've never looked at these but it sounds useful! Do you take a cable from the back of the amp (I have a combo) to the mixer then you can hear the laptop and the amp in the headphones at the same time? Is there a latency issue at all with any of it?

You plug it in to the laptop and that becomes the laptop's sound interface instead of the built-in one (the headphone jack of the laptop).

So any signs you play on the laptop, music, YouTube etc., goes through the interface and to the speakers connected to it or headphones.

You can plug in the amp's line out straight in to the interface and that will also come out the same speakers/headphones at the same time. No latency at all.

You then also have the option of recording the guitar input if you get the appropriate software. If you record the guitar while listening to a backing track you can record just the guitar (and play it back without the backing track).

andyp

Thanks! Appreciate the explanation. I’m going to look into this.

TINMAN82

Yamaha thr5/10 range or line 6 pod (or hx stomp if you can stretch that far)...all have usb connection to your laptop for lessons. Will likely sound as good or better than a more complicated setup trying to hear a regular amp through an interface or mixer.

Unless your using a valve amp plus Oxbox or Boss tube expander for thousands of pounds why not go with a nice desktop solution like Yamaha or line6 above.

Ive been super complicated in the past trying to get my amp running silent through headphones (before oxbox type devices) eg amp > hot plate attenuator line out > H&k redbox for cab sim > interface > headphones. It sounded significantly worse than helix stomp > headphones!

thegummy

What Tinman said is true, my suggestion was specifically as low cost as possible but it's true that it would sound better if it had modeling.

Defender

This cable would be the cheapest solution. One cable from amp and another from your PC and male goes to your headphone.

thegummy

Defender said:

This cable would be the cheapest solution. One cable from amp and another from your PC and male goes to your headphone.

How would you plug headphones in to a male connector?

I've personally never had any success just joining cables together like that without a mixer.

Defender

It depends on your headphone. My Bose needs male. You get the idea, you can do your own cable or find someone to make it for you. Simply swap the male with female.

hollywoodrox

Does your amp have aux in?

i have a katana 50 

so I go  computer ear out to aux in on amp , then amp out to headphones . Or amp out to studio monitors and plug phones into monitors as it saves me furtling around under the desk

thegummy

Defender said:

It depends on your headphone. My Bose needs male. You get the idea, you can do your own cable or find someone to make it for you. Simply swap the male with female.

So would the amp be in one ear and the laptop in the other?

If not, have you successfully done this?

I ask because I remember trying a few times over the years to connect two signals simply by joining the wires and don't think it's ever worked.

phil_b

I spent an extra £6 and got a Behringer umc22 and it arrived today. I discovered I don't even need an amp I can plug the guitar directly into the unit. A neat solution and I am very pleased with it. I can now quietly bash my way through some video lessons. I am sure the added features of being able to record will come in useful later on when I can actually play something 

Defender said:

This cable would be the cheapest solution. One cable from amp and another from your PC and male goes to your headphone.

I tried cables and could not get it to work. I could only hear one input at a time. of course I may have done something wrong but it did not work for me.  

andyp

That sounds great, I’m gonna investigate one of these too I think.