Hi,
I’m fairly new to Audacity and recording music in general so apologies if I sound like an idiot!
I am trying to record bass guitar through my computer - I’m using Windows 10 and have Audacity 3.2.1
- I’m running my bass into a pre-amp pedal which has a DI Output.
- I’m running the balanced output from the pedal into my computer.
- The 3.5mm headphone input on my current computer isn’t working so I’m trying to use the USB-C Input.
- I’m using the adapter shown in attached pic - USB-C to 3.5mm then a 3.5mm audio to 1/4’’ jack.
currently Audacity doesn’t recognise USB-C as a recording device, it does as a playback device.
Any ideas or tips?
Your adapter seems to be just that, a “geometrical” adapter that changes the shape of a 1/8" TRS to an USB type C.
So Audacity can’t take that as an audio input if Windows doesn’t take it as an audio device.
Are you sure it would work as a playback output?
Because that would mean I’m wrong, and your adapter is in reality something else than just a connector.
But you should be able to actually hear sound coming from it.
currently Audacity doesn’t recognise USB-C as a recording device, it does as a playback device.
That’s probably true. 
Do you have a link to the specs?
Most USB soundcards have separate connections for a headphone and microphone like [u]this[/u].
Newer laptops (and cell phones) usually have a single combo jack with an extra connection for the microphone and maybe that’s what you have. Regular headphones work with this kind of connector but you need a special connector or adapter to use the microphone input.
But a computer-mic input is “wrong” for a line level input or for a balanced mic input…
I think you need an entirely different setup -
Behringer makes a [u]USB guitar interface[/u] that’s relatively inexpensive.
Or there are lots of audio interfaces like [u]this[/u] that have switchable mic/instrument/line inputs. (These work with balanced stage/studio mics, not with computer mics.)
…There one minor issue with 2-input “stereo” interfaces - If you’re only using one input you’ll either get one silent channel or if you record in mono the signal will be cut in half so both channels can mix without going over 0dB. (Either of those can be fixed after recording.)
The interesting thing about USB C is that it has pins for alternate mode connections which support HDMI and Display port, This would include the hdmi audio channels so theoretically it could be used. But I agree that the adapter for that would have to be pretty specialized.
The interesting thing about USB C is that it has pins for alternate mode connections which support HDMI and Display port, This would include the hdmi audio channels so theoretically it could be used. But I agree that the adapter for that would have to be pretty specialized and although I have used HDMI output using them for input is probably a bridge too far.
We don’t care about HDMI. We just need the regular USB connection which is always bidirectional. We don’t know if this particular device has recording capability but there are USB-C audio interfaces that can record & play-back.
HDMI capture (input/recording) is rare. HDMI capture devices are probably rare because DVD and Blu-Ray are encrypted.