How to record with Garage Band?

[organworthyplayer337]

I'm so sorry to re-hash this subject again. But I don't quite get what I need in order to get a semi-decent quality recording with bass. For garage band or another program like Adobe audition or something.

Of course I've searched on here and a interface was mentioned. Then something called a FireWire.

What I have now is a Aguilar TH Preamp/DI box and a iRig device. But I want to record on a Mac. If a FireWire is what goes into the computer, when kind do I need specifically? Is what I have already sufficient?

I'm sorry again and I appreciate any help, grace and patience

 

[DirtDog]

So, I beleive your iRig will only work with an iOS device like iPad or iPhone - won't work with a Mac (AFAIK).

For the Mac, you'll need the interface you mentioned - something like this: Focusrite Scarlett 2i4 | Sweetwater.com Works pretty much the same way as the iRig - sits between your instrument and your device and converts analog audio signal to digital (and back again).

At its simplest, your signal would go: bass->preamp->interface-> (via USB or FireWire into the Mac) -> GarageBand.

USB and FireWire are just ways to connect different equipment - not unlike a 1/4" patch cable or RCA jacks. Your Mac likely has both options, and possibly Thunderbolt. But if you stick to a USB interface like the one above, you'll be fine.

 

[Marial]

I don't know what your budget is, but for simple recording with a Mac these are excellent interfaces:

ONE for Mac - USB Audio Interface - Apogee Electronics

 

[DirtDog]

I don't know what your budget is, but for simple recording with a Mac these are excellent interfaces:

ONE for Mac - USB Audio Interface - Apogee Electronics

I was going to suggest that as well - budget be damned - probably way more Mac plug-and-play compared to the Focusrite.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

The iRig 2 boasts about Mac Amplitube.

IK Multimedia | iRig 2 - Guitar interface adapter for iPad, iPhone iPod touch, Android and Mac.

"With iRig 2, you'll be able to enjoy AmpliTube for iOS (the #1 app for guitar players) or AmpliTube for Samsung Pro Audio. It's ready to go right out of the box. It comes with a powerful cross-platform suite of apps and software that includes free versions of AmpliTube for iOS, [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] and AmpliTube for Mac/PC."

 

[Mark Plays Bass]

This thread is so timely for me. I just was gifted a MacBook Pro running OS X Yosemite (lucky me!). The last Mac I owed ran system 7.61! I 've never even seen Garage Band and just downloaded it for $4.99.

Any tips, links or advice on getting started Garage Band and with recording my bass (and keyboard) through Garage bass would be greatly appreciated. (Of course I'll be using the search feature on my own too...)

Thx!

 

[getbent]

I heartily endorse GarageBand, I started using v1 back in 2004 when I got my first Mac laptop and it was an incredible learning experience. I ended up recording an entire album at home and learned so much about writing/arranging/producing and improved my non-bass instrumental & vocal skills so that I could flesh out my songs.

I recorded all of the bass by plugging direct into a Behringer mini-mixer and running that into the 1/8" input on the Mac. Now I've got a Mackie Onyx USB interface, just plug it in and Garageband automatically recognizes it. There are some fairly decent bass amp simulators in the program.

My beef with my current version of Garageband (which is probably a few years old at this point) is that they got rid of some really good drum sounds and pre-recorded loops. So the drum sounds are a little lacking, but good enough for demos, YMMV.

All in all, it's a pretty great program for something that came FREE with my computer.
This is the album I did at home, but I had a guitarist/drummer/engineer friend finish and mix it for me. Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time, by B Taylor & SomNoSom