Recording with garageband.

[gatorbrit]

I'm stuck in a rut - basically bored of playing other people's songs (and doing so badly), so I think it is about time I started trying to write some of my own stuff.

I own a macbook with garage band and I have a guitarport interface that plugs into the USB, but I wonder whether I could put together a better setup (cheaply). For example, the onboard mic on the mac is pretty bad, and an external mic would allow me to record my amphs directly. Anyhow, any suggestions for a budget level mac based recording set up?

Thanks!!

[Eric]

I don't know about macs specifically, but what are you looking to spend? I think your two main options would be a mic and an audio interface (http://www.sweetwater.com/shop/computer-audio/audio_interfaces/), which would probably be around $250 or they do make USB microphones (http://www.sweetwater.com/c981--USB_Microphones). I think there are cheaper options too via craigslist and what not, but those are the two that spring to mind.

[markb]

What version of Garageband? v9 and above has a pretty good guitar processor built in. A USB mic would be the most cost effective way of recording acoustic sounds.

[Spudman]

A decent two input interface would be a good idea. The preamps in them help the signal quality going into the computer. And a Shure SM57 is a tried and proven recording workhorse for vocals and instruments of all types. Total spent should be under $200. The interface may even come with a scaled down version of either Cubase or Pro Tools and they are both nice recording programs.

[Robert]

I would recommend this Line 6 UX1. I have used my (older version) for years and it is super simple to use and the amp sims are great.

http://amzn.to/FPWlfl

Only $150 and it has an XLR input with a decent mic preamp as well, for vocals or miking something. Integrates easily with Garageband.

Features:

UX1 provides the lowest noise for recording guitar with 12dB more dynamic range than similar interfaces
POD Farm plug-in provides 18 guitar amps, 24 guitar cabs, 5 bass amps and 5 bass cabs, 29 essential stompbox and studio effects and 6 mic preamps in Mac® AU/RTAS®/VST® and Windows® RTAS®/VST® formats. Compatible with USB 1.1 and 2.0
Free FX Junkie model pack adds 35 more effect models, including synths, filters, delays and more, to POD Farm. Ableton® Live Lite 8-track recording software
One 1/4-inch guitar input, one balanced XLR input with high-quality mic preamp and trim knob, two 1/4-inch line inputs, 1/4-inch stereo monitor input, two 1/4-inch analog outs, 1/4-inch headphone out
44.1/48 kHz 16-/24-bit recording (88.2/96 kHz with sample rate conversion)practicing and direct recording
POD Farm plug-in provides 18 guitar amps, 24 guitar cabs, 5 bass amps and 5 bass cabs, 29 essential stompbox and studio effects
Free FX Junkie model pack adds 35 more effect models, including synths, filters, delays and more, to POD Farm.
One 1/4-inch guitar input, one balanced XLR input with high-quality mic preamp and trim knob, two 1/4-inch line inputs
POD Farm plug-in provides 18 guitar amps, 24 guitar cabs, 5 bass amps & 5 bass cabs, 29 essential stompbox & studio effects
Free FX Junkie model pack adds 35 more effect models, including synths, filters & more, to POD Farm.
One 1/4-inch guitar input, one balanced XLR input with high-quality mic preamp and trim knob, two 1/4-inch line inputs,

[guitartango]

+ 1 Robert

I use the line 6 with a cheap mic to record my Marshall Amp , sounds are really good. For late night playing i use the amp sim, but there is nothing like a real amp being recorded.

[sunvalleylaw]

I'm with Robert. I have the UX2, which has more imports, but that is rarely needed. It works great! I typically mic my amph with an SM57, but I could certainly just plug the guitar into the UX as well.

[Hampus]

Well. Here's how I did it for $10. Even though I just bought the Yamaha THR 5 amplifier that has a USB-interface I can't use it since I still run OS X Tiger, bummer. So instead I connect the the Mac line in to the Phones socket on the amp. This means that the amp goes silent. I turn on "Listening" (not sure they call it that in the english version) in garage band, whatever comes into garage band can be heard through the speakers of your computer. Now, the speakers on the Mac book aren't particularly good, so I connect the "Phones out" on the Mac book to "Aux in" on my stereo set. I can now hear everything I play on the guitar as well as backing tracks, metronome, previously recorded tracks and everything else that garage band does, through the speakers of my stereo set. Cost, two cables around $10 and I get a fairly good recording.

Hampus

[markb]

Mac line inputs have tons of gain. I've even plugged an electric guitar straight in with reasonable results.

[sunvalleylaw]

I did what markb did with some sort of special cable I got pretty cheap. it worked ok.

[otaypanky]

I have an M-Audio Firewire Solo you can have for $35 if you want it Gator. I don't have a power adaptor for it though ~
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/FireWireSolo.html

[sunvalleylaw]

The cable I used was from Griffin. It works ok, though I think you would be happier with an interface of some kind.

[Ch0jin]

I know you said MacBook not iPad, but for what it's worth I use a Snowball (http://www.bluemic.com/snowball/) USB mic (Super cool looking too!) into my iPad. I record rambling noodles with the Tascam PCM recorder app, and more thought out song ideas with Garage Band.

Sound quality seems pretty awesome for what I'm doing :)

[fabiolovestea]

I use garage band all the time and I love it!! Its great!!! You can get hardware to use all different kinds of foot peddles for electric guitar and they sound great! I really recommend this app!!,!,!