GarageBand 08 troubles..

[beelzelboss]

So, just a quick little question. I use garage band to record me practicing (like i just started) to see what my problems were after i play so i can go back and fix them. One of the things i've encountered is that if a play a string to hard, it sounds terrible. Like it looks totally maxed out and really sounds terrible on play back.

If i play my E string at all it happens, let alone when i play in Drop D or Drop C.... I don't have everything turned up, in fact I have a lot of it turned down. Anybody how to get around this that doesn't include me turning down the bass an amazing amount in the EQ part?

Thanks

Craig

Oh, and anyone know hwo to get rid of the clicks in it too? I can do it on my amp, but not garage band><

[jimmy rocket]

You need to lower your input level on the computer itself. If you're recording direct, go into your system preferences menu and click on the sound icon. Make sure you're on the input tab and adjust the slider to the left until you've got a manageable input level that doesn't distort.

[beelzelboss]

well, i'm directing in from my amp, and its still really quiet, but if I hit it hard, then i get distortion.... but its really quiet unfortunentally. Any suggestions?

[MakiSupaStar]

Same thing. You're input level is clipping. If you're going direct into your computer from your amp, it might actually be too much for it. It's probably better to just play direct in. Either way, your problem is based upon your input level. Nothing to do with GB actually. Set it in your system preferences. In the "sound" section.

[beelzelboss]

well if i go direct in, REALLY sounds bad, and i can't EQ it properly. So i just have to turn down the imput lvl, alright.... sounds like a plan.. I'll try it tomorrow morning!!


~craig

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by beelzelboss

well if i go direct in, REALLY sounds bad, and i can't EQ it properly. So i just have to turn down the imput lvl, alright.... sounds like a plan.. I'll try it tomorrow morning!!


~craig

See if there's a way to bypass the poweramp of your amp. Go out the preamp of your head. That's what I do, when I want the sound of my bass head. I'm recording through a little interface though. Still, in theory should work the same. As your guitar direct.

[grommit]

what kind of interface are you recording into?

there could be a switch to swap between "mic/hi-z(guitar)/line" given that you are going through your head, you might want to give line level a try.

and by clicks do you mean metronome?
cmd+u should do that, or its an option in the "control" menu

[beelzelboss]

By clicks i mean, the ones from the frets...

And the "head" well it isn't really a head. I have an Ampeg BA1-115, its sorta like a combo i guess.

The only one i can record into (i think this is what your talking about) is stero, or mono1 or mono2.

Any more suggestions guys?

Could it just be that my speakers can't handle it?

[MakiSupaStar]

Originally Posted by beelzelboss

By clicks i mean, the ones from the frets...

And the "head" well it isn't really a head. I have an Ampeg BA1-115, its sorta like a combo i guess.

The only one i can record into (i think this is what your talking about) is stero, or mono1 or mono2.

Any more suggestions guys?

Could it just be that my speakers can't handle it?

It is a combo. A combo is a combination of a cabinet combined with a head. The head can be divided into two parts a preamp and a poweramp. The poweramp drives the speaker, the preamp shapes your sound from the guitar. So it looks like this.

bass > preamp > poweramp > cabinet (speaker).

What you're looking to do is take a line out of the preamp so you bypass the poweramp and cabinet part. You'll be looking for something called "line out," or "preamp out". That way you'll get that great ampeg sound going into your computer without overloading the input with your poweramp. If you think about it your power amp is designed to drive a fat 15" speaker. If you slam that into your computer it's going to clip.