Mac Forum / Applications / Mac Applications / May 2005

I got the iMac and accompanying GarageBand/iLife suite last October.

GarageBand is a great program, but it requires more than just investing
in the program itself.  I, too, wanted to use it for vocals and guitar.
First, I recommned picking up a USB interface, because the guitar (any
guitar, trust me) has poor pickup using just the line-in port on the
computer.  I recmomend Griffin iMic, because it's the cheapest solution
(at 40 clams, mind you).
Furthermore, if she's going to want to edit her own drums and bass into
the tracks, she'll probably wind up getting a cheap MIDI keyboard to
plug into the computer.  I recommned the M-audio keystation, which set
the musician back another hundred clams.  Expensive and mildly
inconvenient to have to shop for the extras, but with the two
aforementioned accessories in her possession, GarageBand is the bomb.  
Once she starts tinkering with and editing music, it'll become quite
addictive, and probably sell her on shelling out extra $ for the jam
packs and such.

Sounds like you should read this:

<http://www.tidbits.com/takecontrol/garageband-recording.html>

m.

GarageBand is a remarkably capable program, and GarageBand 2
(announced yesterday) is even better. It's capabilities go way beyond
what is publicized by Apple.

http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/garageband/

I's suggest getting a copy of David Pogue's excellent "Missing Manual"
for GarageBand. It will alert your girlfriend to all sorts of tricks
and techniques which the meager documentation that comes with GB
doesn't touch.

You'll need some external devices. There are cheap gadgets out there --
which work OK -- but I highly recommend interfaces from M-Audio. The
ideal would be M-Audio's FirewireSolo which has mic inputs (including
XLR type connectors) but it's up to your gf how much she wants to
spend. There are cheaper USB interfaces out there, but if your gf "gets
the bug" a few extra dollars spent now will be a worthwhile investment.

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.list&ID=mobileinterfaces

Also, you'll need a MIDI controller/keyboard. Again, I highly recommend
any of the M-Audio controller keyboards, which can be had for $100-$300
and will unleash great abilities in GB.

http://www.m-audio.com/index.php?do=products.list&ID=maudiocontrollers

Also, many M-Audio keyboard controllers come with a free copy of Reason
Adapted -- a stripped down version of Reason. Reason (although it has a
fairly steep learning curve) is a truly remarkable piece of software...
you can create amazing sounds and textures with this thing, and it
works with GB via a thing called ReWire (included), which is basically
a way for one program to work seamlessly with another. Simply put, GB
can control Reason, and open up a huge world of sound to your GB
efforts.

http://www.propellerheads.se/

Finally, if you're getting a Mac mini, I'd suggest to max it out (1GB)
of RAM -- of course, don't buy memory from Apple -- as any music
software, including GB, thrives on RAM. And whatever monitor you get
for the Mac mini, make it BIG... again, music software is best used on
the biggest screen you can find. Also, the Mac mini has a 2.5" 5400rpm
internal hard drive which isn't ideal... you might want to consider an
external 200GB+ fire wire drive. Of course, by the time you've priced
all this stuff, you might want to just get an iMac G5.

Good luck!

I suspect a mixer (with it's own or other amplification will work well
for vocals).  I found that plugging a mic right into the Mac audio in
will not work well (signal is usually low).  

I bought an M-Audio preamp (2 channel) that goes into the USB port.  
Works well.  For a rock band we hear music and vocals clearly.  We are
hobbyists and did not take care with the acoustics, but it recorded
well, anyway.

You can probably also use line out from a PA system (careful that the
voltages are in line with what the Mac expects on audio in).  For me it
was worth a few mics and stands and the preamp.  Then I just adjust the
preamp during a sound check.  

I've liked GarageBand, but have yet to learn all the ins and out.  It's
a cool program.  Not professional level, I'm sure, but good for getting
started or weekend rock stars like us.  :-)

-- Lou Pecora  (my views are my own)

Wait until Jan 22. Garageband 2 ships then.

Yes.

http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/accessories.html

Go read Apple's Garageband pages.