Hello Everyone,
Sorry, you've probably heard the question in the title a million times. Forgive me, I'm a newcomer.
A few questions
1) What audio interface do you recommend for Windows?
2) Can I play along BIB, or do I need to open two separate windows (one for, say, Amplitube, and the other for BIB)?
If this has already been asked, could you point to the threads where this has been already discussed?
Thank you

I am not sure why you would want an audio interface for practicing.
When I practice I am preparing to play in real life, so I would use a separate guitar and amp. No need to plug into the computer.

Amplitube and an interface might be needed for recording, but not for practicing. Am I missing something?

Hello there flatfoot
Thanks for responding
My main concern is silent practice. I usually practice at night, after work, and I need to have everything going through headphones.

The interface I am using here is the Focusrite Scarlett 2i4. If you only need one input there are less expensive options, the 2i4 and 2 inputs and 4 outputs.

I plug my guitar into one of the 2i4 inputs and process it using the Scuffham Amps S-Gear amp simulator. There are other amp sims out there, but the S-Gear is my favorite.

Plug a set of headphones into the headphone output of the Scarlett, start your BIAB track playing and play along, great sound through the 'phones.

A multi-track digital recorder would do the job, though
the backing track does have to be rendered and loaded on to the recorder. Among the makers: Fostex, Zoom, Boss, and Tascam. $275 - $400+
(My next one will have an enhanced interfaceI hope.)
Recorders Reviewed

With silent practice as a main concern and everything coming through headphones, a mixer is all you need. A mixer with USB and Fx will give you a lot of versatility and likely also come with free recording software if you want to begin recording your practices for review. Units with USB/Fx are easily found for less than $200.

Small mixers that will meet your practice needs start around $50. Used analog mixers are also good choices. You can get a name brand mixer with 12,16, 24 or more channels anywhere. Bands and Churches are dumping them for digital mixers and with care, you can get a nice unit dirt cheap. They are not obsolete for your uses.

Hello Everyone
Thank you all for responding, you've given me a couple of very good ideas.
Now, Charlie, do you think I'll need any kind of preamp / pedal to shape my sound before I hit the mixer?

Hello Blues,
That sounds nice and simple.
Forgive my noobieness, but you're running the Scuffham amp sim in your computer, right?

I definitely 2nd the little mixer option. All of my little mixers have preamps on each channel. If you also have FX on the mixer that will probably be enough to get you a sound that you like, especially if you're doin jazz tunes and clean tones.

Otherwise it might help to have something to plug into, like I use a line 6 pod sometimes when I play through headphones. Things like that allow you to sculpt a realistic guitar sound. You can either run that through a mixer into the CPU, or some, like the pod, have a USB out right into the computer.

Just a couple of ideas, I always gig plugged in, but I can't remember the last time I practiced through an amp at home! Always unplugged or headphones for me.

Hi Paulo,

Yes, it is all done via a software program that simulates a guitar amplifier, or multiple guitar amplifiers actually.
There are a few amp sim software programs out there, some are really bad, harsh sounding and not realistic, but there are a couple of good ones.
In addition to S-Gear, Guitar Rig from Native Instruments is also a good one.
Download the demo and give it a try, demo is fully functional.

You've received a lot of good suggestions but it will ultimately come down to personal preference and your personal environment and workflow for 'silent practice'.

An all-for-one solution that will be suitable for every situation is Behringer V-AMP 3 Virtual amp modeler with USB or similar unit. It goes anywhere, battery powered, headphone output, aux in to import BB backing tracks, USB interface for recording if that becomes something you want to do. Retails $99.99 USD.

Alternately, check out the Digitech Trio Band Creator now selling for $50 at Sweetwater. It creates backing tracks produced with BIAB Drums and Tracks.

The interface 'hears' analog sounds and 'sees' digital signals and converts them to sound.

At some point you will need an interface in order to combine both.

The interface plays the band in a box music and you can plug your guitar into the socket and hear both on headphones.

Hello Duncan
Thank you.
I'm looking at all my options here, and I have almost decided for some kind of interface like the scarlet 2i2, something BlueAttitude already mentioned.
And if I'm reading you correctly, I can plug in straight into the interface, and perhaps use a pedal to make things sound a little better?

I got the Scarlett 2i2, as an interface is a fundamental requirement. It's tidy and can squeeze in amongst the PC kit.

I found some older/analog kit is noisy in the new digital era. So as an example a phantom volt condenser mic is cleaner than my old shure mic.

As suggested a small mixer is an option, but they can still take up a lot more space than an interface. But it could have on board effects, a clean sound and usb connection.

It depends on what you expect to develop. It seems likely that there is always going to be something else we have to buy to keep up with changes.

Exactly duncanwhyte
I'd like to thank everybody who posted here. Lots of great info, lots of ideas to experiment with
Meanwhile I traded a few things at my local music store, and came out with a littel Blackstar solidstate thingie with an mp3 input and headphone out.
When the family's out I can use it without the headphones. The sound is decent enough for practice, and I'm using an old Boss Bassman pedal to warm things up. I'm happy.