Home recording using Garageband?

[BlueMt.]

My wife, kids and grandkids gave me a new iMac G5 for Christmas. It came with Garageband which looks like a pretty decent home recording program. I'm just starting to figure it out and was wondering if anyone else is using it. I could sure use some advice on interfaces, as there are alot of options. I could also use some advice on some decent mics, both vocal and instrument. Just maybe, with some help, an old horse can learn some new tricks

Thanks,

[Yellowmandolin]

One of my friend has it and it is a really neat program. I don't know much about how it works, but I have heard/seen some of the stuff he has done with it. Very cool. It seems like it would be worth learning.

[David Miller]

As a dedicated Mac user (I have 3) I think that Garageband is a great program - well suited for the type of work most users are doing here. Easy to use, easy to work with - all the hallmarks of Macintosh....

If you have specific questions, I would love to be able to help you out. I have taught the rest of my colleagues at the school where I teach to use this program. Mostly though, you will find that just playing around on it will answer most of what you need to know.

In terms of interfaces - there are many good ones out there. Check out the Mobil-Pre by M-audio. It is bus powered, and gives you phantom power at the same time! With phantom power in place, you can get a pretty killer sound from a good condenser mic....

Hope it works out! And let me know if you have specific questions..

[BlueMt.]

David, Thanks for the info. I had been looking at the MobilePre, so it's good to get a positive reccomendation. I'll be in touch when I've learned enough to ask some intelligent questions.

Thanks,

[Fretbear]

There is a brand-new firewire audio interface (mike/instrument input jacks) developed specifically for use with garageband which will be available this month or next unless they hit a snag. Your G5 should already have an audio-in jack on it as well. #Beware of buying alot of the audio interfaces, as many of them don't work as well as the ads would have you believe. Here's a link to the "Asteroid":
www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=756

[joshro78]

I have garageband also and I found it very helpful to buy a manual. I can't stand using the online help so I bought a book. It'll show you all the tip and tricks and other stuff you won't figure out by just playing around with it.
You have to try an electric guitar or mando with all the different built in modeling effects . Lots of fun!

[BlueMt.]

joshro78, Which book did you get? It looks like there are 3 different ones.

Fretbear, I heard that the Asteroid could be just a rumor. Have you heard anything more about it? I sure hope it's for real.

Thanks,

[joshro78]

I bought the "Missing Manuals" one. I think it was probably the cheapest one too.

[steve in tampa]

I was just in a Mac store and there were 3 different aftermarket advice books, and thery were giving a free seminar on how to use it.
Band In A Box also looks very interesting as a songwriting tool. Has anyone used that?

[Sheryl McDonald]

I've purchased and used Band in a Box... there is a nice trial version of the software on their site. It's a good way to type in chords and get some accompaniment for playing / practicing by yourself.

[John Bertotti]

Why not an imic and a small video camera mic? A cheaper alternative till your sure it is the route you want to take. I haven't tried it but I do have a Imic just don't know what small mic to get. John

[Avi Ziv]

I just started experimenting with garageband. I use imic and a small Sony stereo mic that came with my Sony Professional walkman from years back. So far it works surprisingly well for the small investment in this setup. This will definitely keep me going until I decide if to invest in a higher grade audio interface and mic.

Avi

[Dave Caulkins]

Howdy,

Garageband may not be the best recording software according to the recording community, but I love it. It's simple, intuitive, and basically free if you have a newer Mac.

I do alot of work with guitars (both electric and acoustic) as well as mandolins so I'm overjoyed that I can easily jam with my own stuff. I've had a minidisc 4-track Tascam for years but its media (data format mds) are hard to come by, expensive, and easily worn out. So I use it as a mixer now, essentially expanding my M-Audio Firewire Audiophile which has limited inputs (but it was $160 as compared to the $300+ interfaces - some of which are only USB). I'm using two Shures for miking, one 57 and one 58. I've also just purchased a Vox Tonelab (still waiting for an instock item to ship (over a week), I don't recommend Music123, by the way...) - which looks and sounds as though it might be the best modeler out right now. My eMac handles all this well, and I'm sure a G5 could bury it in terms of latency and handling numerous tracks.

So in closing - YAY MAC!

Dave