Real Instruments - Input Volume

Hi,
I noticed that many USB capture devices have the input volume slider greyed out in the "new track" window for real instruments, although they have an USB controllable input volume. This you can see in the system preferences for audio. Here you see a working input volume slider, but in GB you don't. What keeps GB from giving me the slider? I guess far more than 50% of all USB input devices have this problem with GB. Any idea? This topic showed up some times in this forum but with no satisfying answer. We may need a GB developer here....
Regards
Dieter
PS: I'm a chip developer, no musician. So I know all about USB descriptors and so on...

@hang time:
This does NOT answer my question.
Again:
The devices have input volume, which can be controlled over USB.
You see the input volume slider in system preferences and it works there.
But you don't get the slider in GB for this device. Why?
A good example for this is the iMic, amongst many others.
Dieter

Similar Messages

How to adjust Garageband real instrument input level

Hello,
I am using an electric ukulele with a B-Band pickup/pre-amp and a Lightsnake USB instrument cable to connect to my MacBook and Garageband 2009. The B-Band pickup does not have a switch or volume control for the pre-amp. I have both the input levels in system preferences and Garageband set to the lowest setting, but the input signal is too strong, so it goes into the red zone on the input level for the track, causing digital clipping and unwanted distortion.
My question is, is there a way to lower the input signal even further? Maybe some hidden setting/option, or a software download? Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks,
jwebb13

jwebb13
I have never before seen the Lightsnake USB that you have, so I can't comment on that. Perhaps see if there is a driver update for the Mac? I notice there is none on their webpage www.sountech.com/downloads/drivers but I'd see if there is something happening there soon.
I have had good success with a Presonus Firebox project 10. It has heaps of inputs, and uses firewire as its interface to the mac. There is a smaller 2 main input version if you are budget conscious.
The Presonus range have great pre-amps in the inputs and give greater control over the input levels. Plus you only need a guitar lead or mic lead. Plus it allows you to plug any pickup/electric instrument or microphone into it.
Firestudio Mobile - two main inputs
http://www.presonus.com/products/Detail.aspx?ProductId=58
Audiobox USB
http://www.presonus.com/products/Detail.aspx?ProductId=53
Rock it!

Real instruments - recording/input levels

...when i am recording real instruments, the input level and recording level are inaccessible.
i click on them with the mouse, but nothing happens.
are they preset? non-adjustable?
i can adjust the playback volume, of course, as well as other parameters like pan, monitor on/off, mute, solo, and add compression, echo, reverb and so on.
thanks in advance!
david henman
bolton
ontario

david henman wrote:
...when i am recording real instruments, the input level and recording level are inaccessible.
http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/GBFAQ.html#volumesliderdisabled
(Let the page FULLY load. The link to your answer is at the top of your screen)

Help!!! Input channel for a real instrument track

I am connecting my guitar on my mac using M-audio firewire 410. Running garageband 2 i go to track info to set my input. but, It doesnt display input, volume and monitor option. I know the the device is connected by going to input / sound / system references and it shows activity. PLz i need some help.

Do you mean that when you play, the sound coming out of your computer is slightly delayed? If so, yes that's normal. It's called latency and is result of the time it takes for your computer to process the audio. You can fix it by monitoring from your interface rather than from your computer. I haven't used the M-Audio 410, but it is likely to have an option to listen to a mix of the audio you have already recorded in your song and the audio that you are sending in through it. This would entail connecting your speakers to the interface, not to the line out on your Mac.

Why is my input volume greyed-out?

I've opened a new project and opened a new Real Instrument track. I have an external mic plugged into the Mac's audio input, and I know it's working 'cause I can see some volume on the input level indicator. I have selected Line Input in the System Preferences Sound pane. In the New Track Info window, I've selected Vocals, No Effects, Channel 1 (Mono), etc. but my input volume slider is greyed-out, can't move it from it's current level, which is the lowest possible. The only way I can get more input volume is to go back into the Sys. Pref. Sound pane and slide it there. How come?
Powerbooks G3 & G4, iMac G5, plus Windows Mac OS X (10.3.9)

http://www.thehangtime.com/gb/gbfaq2.html#volumesliderdimmed
Also,
http://www.thehangtime.com/gb/gbfaq2.html#micline

Real instrument Troubles (built in mic wont turn off...kinda)

Hey guys,
I'm new to this whole GB3 biz, but I've used CoolEdit Pro alot in the past. Anyway, in CEP, I was able to connect my electric guitar directly into my microphone jack using an adabter, and it would pick it up just fine.
But Im not having so much luck with my mac (the other comp was a PC) Anyway, because the new MBP's have that built in Mic, it wont leave me alone! I plug in the guitar, go to prefrences and select Built-In Audio, but when I try and record, its not reading the guitar from the audio jack, instead its recording from the builtin microphone, so I get this shotty, horrible sounding crap.
I've tried turning the microphone volume off, muting it etc etc, I've read all the tutorials about recording a Real instrument, but am having no luck. Whatever I do, GB3 just isn't reading the signal from the audioport, it keeps insisting on reading it from the microphone or nothign at all.
Anyhelp is much appreciated, thanks a ton guys.

Hi,
I am having the same problem but I cannot change my input setting in the GB preferences there is no option in the drop down menu for audio input it just says built in audio and thats it. I had the previous version of garageband and was able to connect my my keyboard via midi to the computer and could hear and record in the older version but now nothing. please help.

"Too Many Real Instruments"

I am posting this in the '09 topic, but my question really dates back to Garageband '08. I rely on Garageband often, and I'm a big fan of it. However, it contains a serious problem which I need fixed.
I create a new project, drop a single iTunes song into it, and begin to edit. Almost every time, randomly while playing the song the "Part of the project was not played. This project has too many real instrument tracks to be played in real-time" warning message appears. I only have 1 track! Worse still, my audio driver lets out a terrible "HONK" which startles me and blasts through the entire house. After that, My sound output faintly exists until I open up Audio MIDI Setup and change a random setting on my output.
I am quite tired of this predicament. Is there anyway to fix this (without money)?

I was experiencing a similar problem, and I just got off the phone with applecare and went through all their steps.
I'll try my best to recount them here. But before I do, let it be said that the tech fellow, once he heard what I was doing, exclaimed that my core problem was that I needed to be creating new projects, and not re-using the same project (ex. "My Song 2") over and over.
What I've been doing is backing up a pile of mini-discs that have live concerts on them. A couple of hours of audio each one, and I've been recording them into Garageband. After I divide the concert up into songs and export them to itunes, I've been deleting the track in Garageband and then importing the next concert (repeat x 10 concerts).
About 7-8 concerts in I started getting that popping sound when the sound would cut out (made the sound of depressing the safety-seal bubble on the metal lid of a jam jar). At first, quitting Garageband and opening it again would work. On the 10th concert, when the sound cut out the sound for the whole computer would stop working (itunes, volume buttons on my keyboard, everything).
So the tech fellow said the lesson is this: create new projects. Don't be shy about it. No need to re-use and recycle in cyberspace.
Now - my applecare steps:
- First we went: Macintosh HD, Library, then dragged "Caches" to the trash
- then went to Finder, Go, Utilities, Disk Utility, Macintosh HD, Repair Disk Permissions (that took some time)
- then restarted the computer
All seems to be well now.
Good luck

HELP!! Real instruments sound reverby and warped upon playback

Hey , i'm running garage band 08 with all the latest updates 4.1.2 and i am trying to record an acoustic guitar as a real instrument track. After i record however, it sounds almost like there is some kind of subtle reverb or echo and the instrument just doesnt sound right. My audio Midi settings are as follows
44100.0Hz
2ch-24bit
Using internal mic
On a different macbook pro using all the same settings on both machines i recorded the same guitar and it sounds perfect. I am also not using any reverb or echo or any effects and it still sounds wrong. Is there a problem with my internal mic or am i just doing something wrong with GB setting.
Any help or suggestions would be hugely appreciated
many thanks

Yeah, check the individual track settings for effects. When you record, you want to record an un-effected signal. You can then manipulate that signal with processed effects of your choice. I usually save the original recordings of each song as the "name of the song 0", and when I experiment w/effects i'll save the subsequent ones as 1,2,3,..etc. You can always go back and combine/re-edit to get what you had in mind. Also, make sure you don't have a big empty room you're recording in. Acoustics in a big room give you natural reverb. Play around with the track, and then the master volumes, as well, when in different rooms of the house.

All Real Instruments coming through in Mono

I am using a lexicon Omega interface into garage band. The input settings say stereo but every real instrument I record comes through in mono. The only time I can get stereo is when I use one of the garage band instrument settings which is fine for guitars and keyboards. Any suggestions?

http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/GBFAQ.html#leftspeakeronly
(Let the page FULLY load. The link to your answer is at the top of your screen)

Playing real instruments with software instruments

Hey, I've been using logic for years but have never tried playing with a real instrument until now. When i connect my guitar Logic recognizes it and changes the driver to unknown USB device, but there is no sound since built-in input isn't selected and the instrument records but i can't hear it until i switch it back. How do you play real instruments with software instruments? Should be pretty simple. Thanks.
- Sean

Okay… the way Logic works is to use the same device for both Inputs & Outputs (there is a way round this, but let's not go there just now. First person to say 'Aggregate Device' gets thumped!).
So when you choose your device (usefully known as "Unknown USB Device") in Audio MIDI Setup, this means that you are no longer using your Built-in Inputs & Outputs — because that's the alternative.
Which means you won't hear anything through your speakers connected to your Mac. To hear an Output, you would have to connect your monitors/headphones/etc. to your device.
Furthermore:
_Auto Input Monitoring_
If Auto Input Monitoring is switched on, you will only hear the input signal during the actual recording—before and afterwards, you’ll hear the previously recorded audio on the track, while the sequencer is running. This helps you to judge punch in and punch out points when punch recording. If Auto Input Monitoring is switched off, you will always hear the input signal.
_To switch auto input monitoring on, do one of the following:_
• Choose +Options > Audio > Auto Input Monitoring+ from the main menu bar (or use the +Toggle Auto Input Monitoring+ key command).
• Control-click the Record button in the Transport, and turn on the +Auto Input Monitoring+ setting in the pop-up menu.

Setting Real Instruments Problem

I have a problem setting the task info dialog box for real instruments. Although I select Real Instruments on the setup, the task info box shos only choices for software instruments and , I think, master task. Therefore, the box where the input settings are made, is blank. Nothing I do aleviates this problem. If anyone can help me, you can reach me at [email protected]

I think I know what your going through. I had a similar issue with setting up my guitar. If this info is not related to your particular problem simply disregard it as I am no expert on GarageBand and am learning like you. The problem I came across was that I could not get my Instrument to be recognized as the source of sound for the new track I added. To fix this I simply added a new "basic" track rather then simply a new track. GB then recognized my guitar and allowed me to record my instrument, only I couldnt hear what I was playing until after I had turned "monitoring" on found in the information window on the right hand side of the screen. Then by setting the input to channel 1 I avoided making sound come from only one speaker. Maybe you already know this but I just feel like being helpful in my n00b sorta way. GL

Real Instruments Feedback Garageband 08

I bought ilife 08. I usually use Protools to record with my Mbox but I wanted to screw around with Garageband. I can not for the life of me get real instruments to work. When it records all i get is a feedback loop from the moment I hit the record button... instrument plugged in or not.
But let me back up a bit. I was messing around with Garageband loops and they were all distorted. I wanted to monitor through my Mbox so I checked Preferences in Garageband and also in the OS and sure enough one of them was set to line output or something. Switched that and loops and software instruments worked fine. No distortion.
So all input output prefs are set to use the Mbox. I open Garageband.. choose real instruments. Plug my ukulele into source 1 on my Mbox and select instrument. I can hear it monitoring through my headphones but I hit record the wave file shows straight feedback. I stop recording and go back and listen to it. Just feedback.
I mess around with the input controls again. It will record fine if i use the built in microphone. I decide maybe it is the pick up in the Uke. Try plugging in my guitar. Same thing. Decide to use my Neuman microphone. Select mic... turn on phantom power. Same thing. Feedback.
I thought.. maybe my Mbox is messed up. I go to open Protools now and it won't even open. I'm assuming it didn't like something Garageband installed... and now i can't find my Protools install disk. Grrrr.
Maybe i need a driver update for the Mbox? I don't even know where to begin with that one... I did a google search and found I could check settings in the Digi Core Audio Manager and now it pops up every time I open Garageband regardless of setting it not to in the prefs... But that is another story. Also messing with that did not help.
What in the world am I doing wrong? I feel like there is probably something really simple i am overlooking. I am going to take my Mbox to my friends place tomorrow and plug it into his Mac and see how it goes. In the meantime is there anything obvious I am overlooking? I'm not a complete idiot when it comes to techy stuff but this is making me feel like a real idiot.
I appreciate any assistance. Please be kind if the answer is obvious and I am just a dumb-dumb. I have a fragile ego. haha.

Hi!
Start with this: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=93725
Is it maybe because your Mbox have sample rate set other than 44.1 khz? If so, bring it back to 44.1 khz.
Also, GB set a real instrument track enable to record automatically everytime you open GB. Why? Have no idea!? If that track been leave with monitor to "on", and the original source of recording is different than the one use when the track have been set up, like for exemple, your Mbox is closed, GB automatically set the default audio source as the builtin microphone, if there is one. Imagine if the input level is at its max, feedback occur!
Is it possible GB don't use your Mbox as audio input, and set builtin microphone instead, which is really really sensible? Or have you forget to check in the track infos and forgot to choose you Mbox as audio input for a particular track? Instead, builtin microphone is use by GB by default and the feedback occur? Btw, you have to do it everytime you create a new real instrument track, to verify if everything is ok before recording new stuff on the new track.
With my FA-101 Edirol, when I change the sample rate while GB is open, I have to restart the audio interface. If not, GB recordings sounds incorrect. In those cases, I prefer restart everything, GB and audio interface all together. That way, I'm sure everything is ok before trying a new recording.

Real Instruments Tracks Not Playing

In one of my songs, the real instruments do not play. However, I can hear the reverb and echo for these tracks. The tracks still respond to editing. The drum loop and Software Piano play just fine.
Last night, all tracks worked properly, even after deleting a real instrument track. I saved and shut down for the night.
After booting up today, the remaining real instrument tracks have only very minimal volume; really, just a faint whisper. Track info remains the same and I can see some real instrument track monitor activity, but that's about it for the real instruments.
In response to some earlier advice, I created a new Real Instrument and/or a Software Track and see if they are soloed. Nothing, no "hidden" soloed Track.
The real instrument tracks remain silent, though fully editable.
Any assistance would be great.

I went into the master track to see what's going on.
Ducking option was not highlighted, so I clicked on it just to see what would happen. It unlocked all locked tracks, but not the real instruments for some reason. Then, I removed Ducking option.
All real instruments have returned. Problem resolved.
It was something to do with Ducking.
Each day I learn something new. Life is good.

How do I create a new real instrument track?

I know this question sounds stupid, but i have plugged my m-audio fasttrack usb in and i have followed ALL of the instructions. now i can't seem to be able to hear my guitar through the computer speakers, and garageband isnt picking up a guitar signal. also, when i go to "new track" and i select "real instrument" i cant create the track because the button is not highlited (or whatever, i just can't click it) SOMEONE HELP!! ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY!
Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Zowie! Thanks. I was goin' cuckoo, till I dropped in on this thread. I could record into Garage Band through the built-in mic in my PowerBook, but when I plugged in my cool little Tascam US-122 usb audio interface (even with all my input and output prefs properly set), I couldn't record a thing through a real mic. The sound inputs were definitely getting into the computer, but for some reason Garage Band wasn't recording them. I quit outta GB, then dumped the .plist and .cs prefs as you suggested. Re-opened GB and created a new track. Bingo! My Tascam unit now works like a charm. Thanks again, much.
G-4 PowerBook Mac OS X (10.4.7)

How Can I Turn A Software Loop Into A Real Instrument Loop?

My primary reason for wondering about this is that one of my songs requires a windchime sound throughout...but not too much of one. Just a touch of windchimes. The Orchestra Kit has a few pretty good windchime sounds BUT the natural sustain is too long for what I want. If figure I can get my wisp of a windchime if I can convert my miniscule software loop into a real instrument loop then whittle it down to the sound I want.
How can I make this conversion?

Well, Hangtime...You were absolutely right (again!) about messing around with the notes preferred over dissecting them.
I got an absolutely gorgeous windchime sound from applying a couple of carefully auditioned filters and then messing around with the volume at the end of each note. It actually turned out better than I had imagined. It turned out so very nice that I gave it a well spaced looping rhythm and now the windchime is throughout the entire song and the song is better for it.
My dissection effort didn't get a natural sounding windchime effect at all. I trashed it almost immediately.
hugs

Real Instruments - Input Volume

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