GarageBand w/ Griffin Imic+guitar cable

Ok Hi all, first post but I've been skimming the forums for a few weeks. I just bought a 15" powerbook with the works. I'm trying to mess around with garageband so I picked up the griffin guitar cable and imic (re: college kid on a budget) and have everything setup and installed correctly.
I'm able to record myself playing, but the volume input isn't very high. If I'm picking/strumming, its tolerable, but not adequate. If I play fingerstyle, you can BARELY hear it. I'm not sure where my problem lay.
I have everything turned up to max, as far as I can tell. Is there any software that I can use to adjust my input volume further? All the software that appears to have come with Imic is junky and not what I need, unless I'm overlooking something.
Thanks in advance,
J

Pardon me for stepping in but I have another problem with a similar setup, I sure would appreciate your thoughts on this. I have a 1GB Mac Mini hooked up to a Griffin iMic and the Griffin Guitar cable in order to connect to my electric guitar. I am able to record into Garageband, however, there is at least a half second delay between the time I pick a cord and it comes out of my speakers (monitor enabled). So, basically, it is impossible to play with this lag... I have the latest version of Garageband and all the updates to Tiger, what to do? Is it the iMic? Is it the Mac Mini? Is it a "magical" setting in Garageband? Is this even possible or am I facing a lost cause, really do I have to buy an iMac before the monitor lag goes away??? Sure would appreciate some advice, I'm sure I'm not the first one to experience this.

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You'll need to tell us more about your setup.
It could be any number of things, like what effects are you using?
Or did you know that where your guitar is placed in relation to other electronics can create a magnetic field that is picked up by the guitars pickups? Try moving your guitar around by facing it in other directions and see if that helps.
Without more info though, that's all I can suggest.
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Please correct me if I'm wrong but after reading these forums I've come to the conclusion that the Griffin Guitar cable is falsely advertised. It is NOT the only thing you need to connect your guitar to GB. I've tried it and there is no signal in the sys prefs --> audio --> input dialog.
What's the consensus on getting it connected? I've read about preamps, pedals, amps, iMics, etc. It would be nice to find something for less than $100 but without degrading the sound.
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I've used the various cables & adapters. They all appear to work, but you won't really get the best sound until you buy an audio interface which amplifies the signal from the guitar. The signal the guitar generates is somewhat quiet and when you boost it inside the computer, you add a lot of noise which effects the quality of the amp models. To get that real 'amp' feel, you need a bit of gear to prime the output of your guitar as it goes into the computer.
I recommend the Presonus Inspire 1394. This firewire audio I/O device was designed specifically for what you are doing. It sounds great and its the least expensive FW i/o you can buy at about $199.
http://www.presonus.com/inspire1394.html
Good luck!

Keyboard line out and griffin imic incompatibility?

I'm getting horrible background noise when I try to record my keyboard (Yamaha PSR-225GM ) headphone line out through my Griffin iMic into Garageband. I assume it's a level issue but even the keyboard volume control won't fix the problem nor will system settings for the input device. My Sony stereo mic into the same iMic input sounds fine. Headphones attached to the keyboard line out sound fine too so I don't believe it's a quality problem with the line out. Can one not use a headphone output into the Griffin iMic?
If not, anyone got suggestions for higher quality audio input into the iMic flat panel (e.g. some USB box) that's compatible with various audio equipment (mics, keyboards, guitar amps, 1/4" and 1/8" and RCA plugs etc.)? The iMic has served me fine, but maybe it's time to start looking for something higher quality, and more versatile. Thanks.
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SJG
iMac flatpanel 15 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
iMac flatpanel 15 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
iMac flatpanel 15 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
iMac flatpanel 15 Mac OS X (10.3.9)
iMac flatpanel 15 Mac OS X (10.3.9)

tell me if I'm on the right track on the
following theories (I don't know if the following are TRUE):
I'll do the best I can...
1) The quater-inch headphone output from the Yamaha
keyboard is neither "balanced"
Correct, the headphone-out is not balanced. A balanced output uses 3 wires, a graound, a hot, and another hot that's 180° out of phase with the first. This is a neat trick in that two signals 180° out of phase with each other cancel each other out sp you get zero signal. In the case of a balanced out if noise is introduced, it is in phase on both cables. On the other end when the signal on the out of phase wire has its phase flipped, your original signal is now in phase on both legs, and the noise is 180° out of phase with itself, and thus is canceled out.
nor impedance matched
to the Griffin iMic.
The impedance is not a problem here. As I understand it, the headphone-out is High Impedance, and so is the iMic's In.
(I'm using a 1/4" to 2.5 mm
converter cable). I am possibly getting radio
interference (I DID get a local radio station when I
touched the plug right!!) and degrading the signal
because of these two issues.
Possible. A Low quality cable and or adaptor could offer an entry point for noise.
2) It may be necessary to put the signal from my
keyboard's headphone jack into a DI (direct box) to
get impedance matched to mixer levels - the levels I
assume the Griffin iMic expects.
No, this shouldn't be true. A headphone-out is actually much hotter than a Line-In, so the level should be able to offer more than enough signal, and the impedance is matched.
3) I'm HOPING that a high quality audio-to-USB (or
firewire) input box can perform the job of the direct
box.
It could, but the weak point I see is that you're stuck using a headphone-out instead of a Line-Out. I don't think a DI box is going to help any in comparison.
Hmmm, I just glanced at your computer list. Doesn't the iMac have a Line-In jack? Have you tried skipping the iMic and going straight into the iMac?
Finally, if anyone can give me the list of equipment
in order from a keyboard to Garageband
I think it could be Keyboard -> Mac
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A few people have mentioned that I can buy a cable made by Apple that will allow me to plug my guitar into my iMac, but I don't see it for sale on apple.com
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There is a cable sold by Griffin that plugs from your guitar right into your Mac. However, most people think this is quite useless and overpriced because
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This is a repost, I posted in OSX accidentally. Sorry! Anyway, can anyone advise me, I am new at this... I just bought an Audio-Technica AT-PL120 Direct Drive Turntable (on its way to me) so I can transfer old LP's to my Macbook Pro for iPod and CD listening. It has a selectable internal stereo phono preamplifier and the ability to choose from phono or line-level output. Now, to get the sound INTO my Macbook pro, should I go with the Griffin iMic USB or the ADS Tech Instant Music for Vinyl Recording? Also, anyone heard of THIS device and do I even need it?
Griffin Turntable Connection Cable with Grounding:
http://ec2.images-amazon.com/images/P/B0007PL4BC.01-ADG953YR6NRBF.SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V60716819.jpg
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I think you probably have everything you need except for appropriate audio recording software. For example, your MacBook Pro probably has an audio input jack that can be set to line level. If that is the case, then all you need is a cable from the turntable (set at line level) to the MacBook's audio in (plus the recording software).
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http://www.macnn.com/reviews/review.php?id=164
Based on that, the ADS thing may be worth it just in terms of making it easier for you, even if you don't, strictly speaking, need it. It appears to include recording software called CD Spin Doctor. I'm not too fond if CD Spin Doctor, but it will get get the job done. I like Amadeus for audio recording.
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Just set up a Mac Mini. One of the intended uses is to copy old vinyls and personal tapes. For input, I use a Griffin iMic through an amp NAD 3225PE. No trouble except no way of getting full stereo, only one channel works. The same with my G4 iBook. A friend came by last night with a G4 Powerbook using Panther. Tried it with that and it worked OK. Could it be a bug in the latest Tiger upgrade? Never had this particular trouble with our old iMac G3 233, OS 8.6 although there were other problems such as buffer overrun which was one reason why I upgraded - big deal.

Replying to old post, but are you using a stereo cable? Some mini jack type cables are mono (only one metalic wrap on the connector).
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I updated from the Edirol site to the newest software they had available.
I am only using one device at a time.
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Thanks.

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I'm trying to digitize an audio cassette with Soundtrack Pro. My setup includes a Griffin iMic that goes to a USB port. The trouble I'm having is in controlling the input volume. The level meters indicate clipping, but I'm not clear how to set the input level.
If it's in the Recording tab (>Input) with the Gain slider, mine is greyed out.

I'm trying to digitize an audio cassette with
Soundtrack Pro. My setup includes a Griffin iMic
that goes to a USB port. The trouble I'm having is
in controlling the input volume. The level meters
indicate clipping, but I'm not clear how to set the
input level.
If it's in the Recording tab (>Input) with the Gain
slider, mine is greyed out.
M Wohlgy,
(I know this is months after your post.)
Control of the iMic volume is in the Preferences pane called "Sound". You can set the output and the input levels there.
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I'm trying to digitize an audio cassette with
Soundtrack Pro. My setup includes a Griffin iMic
that goes to a USB port. The trouble I'm having is
in controlling the input volume. The level meters
indicate clipping, but I'm not clear how to set the
input level.
If it's in the Recording tab (>Input) with the Gain
slider, mine is greyed out.
M Wohlgy,
(I know this is months after your post.)
Control of the iMic volume is in the Preferences pane called "Sound". You can set the output and the input levels there.
Remember the iMic's position switch works only for the imput, either close to the microphone icon for "microphone" or away from it for "line in".
I use the iMic exclusively.
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GarageBand w/ Griffin Imic+guitar cable

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