Thinking about getting garage band - need advice badly!!!!

whatsup, i've been playing guitar for about 2 years now. and i've moved in with a buddy of mine who's got all kinds of equipment. soundboard, snyth, i mean everything you need. i want to know if garage band would be a good investment if i don't really want to use the loops they have because we can create everything we want from his soundboard and snyth. i just want to be able to lay down my own loops, with my bass and synths. also most importantly, what would i need to actually record everything onto my mac. i already have mics, and all that good stuff - but what will i need to connect either to mics or the soundboard to my mac for recording.. all help would be super!!! thanks guys

Geoff,
As a professional musician/composer I can say the following with confidence. Garageband will get you up and running if you're looking to record some good demos and don't need a lot of bells and whistles. You're definitely paying some money for the loops that you get with the program, but there's not much to be done about that.
I've used everything; LOTS of different types of recording software/devices (from 4-Track Analog to Pro-tools rigs that take up a room) and as a basic recording interface Garageband delivers. The software instruments have impressed me in particular. Essentially midi samples, they deliver relatively high quality considering the price you pay for them. As a comparison, go drop a few thousand on Tascam's Gigastudio and see how much happier you are (if you can get the program to run for more than half an hour without crashing).
As far as an interface for mics, etc. is concerned you've got lots of options. The easy fix is the mic input on your Mac. Get yourself a 1/4" to 1/8" converter and plug that bass in. Alternately, does your roommate have anything that you can use? If so, bogart that sucker till you can afford your own. I have a MOTU, but haven't hooked it up to my machine yet. Just used the above solution to hook my guitar up a few times.
Anywho, to sum up, I wouldn't buy Garageband for it's recording capabilities alone, but if you plan on using everything it offers (software synths, recording, maybe the occasional loop) go buy it.
Truly,
if
p.s. Just to further qualify the above statements, I'm not a lifelong mac owner. I just got my first one this month and after day 3 it was safe to saw that I'll have a hard time going back to Windows and building my own machines again. My own music can be heard at www.ChadTaylor.us . Cheers.
MacBook Pro (2.16 Duo Core) Mac OS X (10.4.9) 1 GB RAM, 15.4 screen
MacBook Pro (2.16 Duo Core) Mac OS X (10.4.9) 1 GB RAM
MacBook Pro (2.16 Duo Core) Mac OS X (10.4.9) I enjoy the sound of rain backwards.
MacBook Pro (2.16 Duo Core)   Mac OS X (10.4.9)  

Similar Messages

  • I have an iPad 1 that is currently showing software updated at version 5.1.1.  Is it possible to update to iOS version 7 on this device?  My goal is to get Garage Band on this device and the app store is telling me I need iOS version 7.

    I have an iPad 1 that is currently showing software updated at version 5.1.1.  Is it possible to update to iOS version 7 on this device?  My goal is to get Garage Band on this device and the app store is telling me I need iOS version 7.

    Hi,
    If you really need to upgrade you can save a bit of money and get an older version than the ipad Air.
    First, you can sell your ipad 1 to places like gazelle.com, cashforyourmac.com, sellyour mac.com, or many others out there. The sites I listed give you cash. At this point gazelle.com is giving $70.00 for any ipad 1 in 'good' condition. And cashforyourmac will give you $25.00 over what gazelle.com or sellyourmac.com offers you. Shipping is free.
    Then, with that money, go the the Apple online certified refurbished store. As an example, a new 64gb Air costs $699.00. A refurbed 4th gen 64gb costs $529.00 and a 3rd gen 64gb costs $499.00. Personally, I'd skip the 3rd gen. So if you buy a 4th gen 64gb at $529.00 minus what you can get from a sale to above, you can get an ipad 4 64gb for just over $430.00, a savings of savings of about $270.00. (A new 32gb Air is $599.00, a 4th gen 32gb is $449.00, and a 3rd gen 32gb is not on the site right now.) Google it and check if you can get better offers anywhere else. But getting one from the Apple refurb store gives you an essentially new ipad and using the above sites, you're not locked in with a particular site which will give you a gift card and restrict you to their store/site.
    Each Apple refurbished ipad (any version) comes with a new front and back cover, a brand new battery, same return policy, and a full one year warranty with 90 days of phone support. Each comes in a white box like a new ipad with the wall charger and usb cable. The only difference is that it says in small print on the bottom of the box that it is Apple certified refurbished. Also, if you buy refurbs, be sure to check the store many times a day. They can come and go quickly, so when you see what you want, buy it right away. Shipping is free and pretty fast. (We bought two a year and a half ago and they have been great!)
    Hope this helps.

  • Thinking about getting an Iphone 3g

    Hey guys, just have a couple questions concerning the iphone 3g
    Thinking about getting, two questions?
    I've heard some negative press about the actual phone feature ironically. Has the call drop issue been resolved, or is that issue mainly due to your service area now?
    Also, does the phone have a tendency to slow down massively if it gets close to capacity?
    My old ipods have never really worked correctly in that regard.
    Little skeptical b/c of these issues, any advice is appreciated.

    Why you are thinking of buying 3G phone?
    if you run a business and you need to access your emails on the go?
    while talking on the phone? and while updating your website and you want to talk to your IT department? do online trading?
    do you wanot make a multimedia call? (does ATT support this feature?) ive lived in Bahrain and that was one the first country to have 3G cellular network up and running around 5 years ago)
    if these are not your primary usage then don't expect anything from a 3G phone as its just a 2 radio device which drains battery quick and you are okay with that too go ahead and buy iPhone 3G what i hate is people who don't understand what a 3G phone can do and what are its limitation come here or for that matter on any forum and whine whine whine till i feel like brk my leg by kicking their butt so hard

  • For anyone thinking about getting a Macbook

    I wanted to write a quick review of my new Macbook for anyone thinking about switching from a PC. Although I’m a complete mac newbie I’ve been using computers (PC, Linux, Unix) since the 8088. Unlike some I don’t think Microsoft products are inherently bad and the vast majority of problems that people face are user produced or provoked.
    Some thoughts:
    1. Don’t worry about the glossy screen - for general use indoors and outdoors it offers terrific color saturation and minimal reflections (reflections are less than most PC glossy laptops).
    2. Unless you really need to burn DVDs get the cheapest model. With the money saved upgrade the Ram yourself (about $90 for 2GB) - it’s super easy and well worth the real world speed gain.
    3. If you’ve never worked with Mac OS X get yourself a good reference book (idiots guide, ect) and be prepared for a steep learning curve. Things are done radically different compared with Microsoft XP, Vista or even Linux.
    4. Although OS X is by far the most superior general operating system I’ve worked with - be prepared for things to go wrong. Yes, sometimes things don’t “just work”. Driver installation is easy but often the same controls for printers and other peripheral devices that you had with a PC does not show up on a mac. You can still use it but it has a bit less functionality - this is not a mac issue but a vendor issue. Also I’ve had to force restart because of frozen programs (Mail and Safari) twice. It happens, no big deal.
    5. Safari ***** - Get Firefox - although Safari is well integrated with OS X, some websites have limited functionality - again primarily the web-builder’s problem.
    6. iPhoto and iWeb suck - good for compete newbies but you’ll quickly outgrow them.
    7. Excessive heat has not been a problem thus far. The bottom case does get warm and when running intensive programs the fans kicks in pretty hard but my processor temp is always between 50-70 C. Considering the small form factor I think this is a great accomplishment.
    Bottom line - If you’re thinking about getting one or switching from a PC to Mac - don’t worry and just do it - you won’t regret it.
    Sam

    MacBook comes with the OSX and iLife software preloaded. You will also receive a couple of disks with all the software on them.
    You can run Windows software in a few ways:
    1. Crossover is a package that lets you run many Windows applications within an OSX framework.
    2. Parallels or VMWare Fusion let you actually create and run a Virtual Windows System, that runs inside of OSX, and can share files etc.
    3. BootCamp (Apple Beta Software - Free) will allow you to create a dual boot system. When you start the MacBook, you can choose whether you want it to boot up as a Windows system or Mac OSX system.

  • I use my mac book to dj. however, i tend to get the beach ball alot. is this due to lack of memory or is it something else. ive been thinking about getting more memory but i am not sure what the issue is

    I use my mac book to dj. however, i tend to get the beach ball alot. is this due to lack of memory or is it something else. ive been thinking about getting more memory but i am not sure what the issue is...i would like some advice before i go and buy more memory if it is not needed... i also do not keep my music on my lap top

    Okay, so we've eliminated the lack of space since you have plenty.
    See the screenshot from my Mac here:
    Page ins and page outs - post those (or just post the same type of screenshot). If you have a lot of those, that means that your machine needs to keep swapping RAM around to make the best of what is available which can result in slow responses.
    Also post the total amount of RAM you have (in my case, I have 12 GB)
    You free RAM of 221 MB is very, very low - I'm guessing you only have a total of 2 GB. If that is the case, I would absolutely max out the machine (if you don't know how much RAM you can put in, post your model number here so we can help with that).

  • Thinking about getting a MacBook, using Boot Camp, anything I should know?

    I'm going into 8th Grade and my parents are thinking about getting a MacBook for me. Now, because my school uses PCs with Windows, I will need to use Boot Camp so I can save things from Microsoft Office on a flash drive and take it back and forth from home to school. Before I do this I need to know if there is anything I should be aware of because I've seen some weird things on sites about Boot Camp like something called Fat32. I also need to know what version of Windows should I use. XP or Vista? I've heard bad things about Vista like how there are back ways in for Hackers, but it's really eye-catching with it's futuristic look. So should I just wait for Windows 7 to come out and replace Vista in the summer or fall of 2010? (Yes, for people who may not know, Microsoft is developing a successor to Vista known as Windows 7. I read about it in my dad's latest issue of Consumer Reports.)

    When you get the computer you can run the Boot Camp Assistant program (Utilities folder) and print out the documentation (it's fairly long.) Read it carefully before proceeding. It should explain what you need to know about installing and using Windows on a Mac.
    You can install any 32-bit version of Vista or XP with Service Pak 2.
    Windows uses two disk formats - FAT32 or NTFS. Vista requires NTFS but XP can use either. OS X can read/write FAT32 formatted drives but NTFS is read-only to OS X. That means that unless the drive is formatted FAT32 you will not be able to transfer files between the Windows volume and the OS X volume. Neither Vista nor XP are any less secure. Both are vulnerable to viruses and malware unless you run anti-virus/malware software to protect the computer.
    There are different ways to run Windows on a Mac. Boot Camp is only one:
    Windows on Intel Macs
    There are presently several alternatives for running Windows on Intel Macs.
    1. Install the Apple Boot Camp software. Purchase Windows XP w/Service Pak 2 or Vista. Follow instructions in the Boot Camp documentation on installation of Boot Camp, creating Driver CD, and installing Windows. Boot Camp enables you to boot the computer into OS X or Windows.
    2. Parallels Desktop for Mac and Windows XP, Vista Business, or Vista Ultimate. Parallels is software virtualization that enables running Windows concurrently with OS X.
    3. VM Fusionand Windows XP, Vista Business, or Vista Ultimate. VM Fusion is software virtualization that enables running Windows concurrently with OS X.
    4. CrossOver which enables running many Windows applications without having to install Windows. The Windows applications can run concurrently with OS X.
    5. VirtualBox is a new Open Source freeware virtual machine such as VM Fusion and Parallels that was developed by Solaris. It is not yet fully developed for the Mac - some features are not yet implemented - but it does work otherwise.
    6. Last is Q. Q is a freeware emulator that is compatible with Intel Macs. It is much slower than the virtualization software, Parallels and VM Fusion.
    Note that VirtualBox, Parallels, and VM Fusion can also run other operating systems such as Linux, Unix, OS/2, Solaris, etc. There are performance differences between dual-boot systems and virtualization. The latter tend to be a little slower (not much) and do not provide the video performance of the dual-boot system.
    See MacTech.com's Virtualization Benchmarking for comparisons of Boot Camp, Parallels, and VM Fusion.

  • Can not get Garage Band on my ipone 5c for free

    can not get Garage Band on my iphone 5c for free

    Hello anime26,
    Check out the article below to walk you through getting GarageBand for free. One thing to remember is that in order to get it, you would need to have purchased your iPhone after September 1st. 
    Free Apple apps for your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch with iOS 8
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5913
    Regards,
    -Norm G. 

  • Since my G5 died I was thinking about getting a Mac Mini, but I have a ViewSonic Monitor (from 2004) and a USB keyboard and mouse - I also have the external drive tha downloaded my files on to. Do you think the monitor, keyboard and mouse will work on it?

    Since my G5 died I was thinking about getting a Mac Mini, but I have a ViewSonic Monitor (from 2004) and a USB keyboard and mouse - I also have the external drive that I downloaded my files on to. Do you think the monitor, keyboard and mouse will work on it? Would I have to get a hub so I could use the stuff I already have? Is that viewsonic too old to work on it?
    What else would I need? Please advise...

    Yes for keyboard and mouse.
    The monitor will work if it has an HDMI, VGA ir DVI input. If it only has a VGA input you will need this adopter
    http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/mac_accessories/cables/cable_choo ser#selected-step1=MINI-DISPLAY-PORT&selected-step2=VGA&step=3

  • Thinking about getting a new macbook pro, just a few questions first --

    Hey guys,
    I've been a mac user for about 5 years now and I love them. I've had a white 2.0 c2d macbook for about a year now. I primarily used this macbook for work, and my PC desktop for occasional games. I was thinking about getting a mac pro to do some gaming since my PC desktop broke about 2 months ago, but recently I've been getting more expenses so my wallet has grown thinner. So now I don't really have enough cash to get the mac pro. I also can't sell the macbook for a mac pro because I need something mobile for work. What I can do though is sell my macbook and get a macbook pro.
    My question to you guys is, how do you like your macbook pro as a desktop replacement? I have a dell 2407-HC monitor as well to use with it. Does it game well over boot camp? I know cider hasn't yielded good performance, so please stick to bootcamp reviews. I'm not looking at anything really really intense, as I don't really have time to do as much gaming as I used to, but it'd be nice if it could run the orange box (mostly team fortress 2), dawn of war dark crusade, assassin's creed (when it comes out), and possibly the warhammer online mmo or age of conan mmo.
    The other question is whether or not I should wait for a new one. Macrumors says that it's been about 150 days, and the macbook pros are updated every 180 days or so. I've already waited a few months since my desktop broke to see if the mac pro was going to be updated for penryn, but now the situation has changed, and now it looks like I might have to wait if I want a macbook pro. So, to wait or not to wait?
    Any other opinions are welcome as well. Thanks.
    Message was edited by: logisticprism1

    leonhart1981
    What's the beneift of buying 2.6GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7 instead of 2.3GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7?
    Benefit of the QUAD core and the BASE UNIT 13" is extra cores for "heavy" photo and video editing and dedicated graphics
    On 95% of things you wouldnt notice a difference, web viewing, typing, youtube, etc. Simple APPS
    http://www.apple.com/macbook-pro/specs-retina/
    The 2.6 is DUAL CORE, not quad core.
    On the top model:
    Intel Iris Pro Graphics
    NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M with 2GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching
    There are lots of new reviews of the new late 2013 Retina macbook Pro including DETAILED SPECS on speed diff. between
    Reviews of the new Retina 2013 Macbook Pro
    13”
    Digital Trends (13") - http://www.digitaltrends.com/laptop-...h-2013-review/
    LaptopMag (13") - http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/lap...play-2013.aspx
    Engadget (13") - http://www.engadget.com/2013/10/29/m...-13-inch-2013/
    The Verge (13") - http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/30/5...ay-review-2013
    CNet (13") - http://www.cnet.com/laptops/apple-ma...-35831098.html
    15”
    The Verge (15") - http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/24/5...w-15-inch-2013
    LaptopMag (15") - http://www.laptopmag.com/reviews/lap...inch-2013.aspx
    TechCrunch (15") - http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/25/lat...ok-pro-review/
    CNet (15") - http://www.cnet.com/apple-macbook-pro-with-retina-2013/
    PC Mag (15") - http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2426359,00.asp
    Arstechnica (15") - http://arstechnica.com/apple/2013/10...-pro-reviewed/
    Slashgear (15") - http://www.slashgear.com/macbook-pro...2013-26303163/
    The best pragmatic review of the new Retina Pro is:
    http://www.theverge.com/2013/10/30/5044874/13-inch-macbook-pro-with-retina-displ ay-review-2013
    Happy Halloween

  • I'm thinking about getting an i pod touch for my daughter. If I get the 4th generation i pod, is it compatible with the ios 7 updates for i phones as far as if she wants to imessage or face time with me?

    I'm thinking about getting an i pod touch for my daughter. If I get the 4th generation i pod, is it compatible with the ios 7 updates for i phones as far as if she wants to imessage or face time with me?

    The 4G can not run IOS-7.  "6" is the highest that it can go.  You need the 5G for IOS-7.
    However, that won't affect her ability to use iMessage and FaceTime.

  • Thinking about getting a time capsule.  Difficult to set up?

    Thinking about getting a Time Capsule.  Difficult to set up?

    Alot depends on your current network.
    TC is for Time Machine.. and the easiest to use is external drive.. the next easiest is TC.
    Overall it is not hard but you need to tell us your current network setup.. existing routers and type of broadband. There are some setups that are poor eg wireless connection.. it is really much better for TC to act as main router.. plugged into modem by ethernet or in bridge plugged into the main router by ethernet.
    What do you want TC for??
    If you want anything other than TM don't.. it is not a NAS and has too many issues.
    If you want it for TM.. tell us your current network.

  • I have an iphone 4 and thinking about getting an ipad2.  Can i use the same apple id for both devices?

    I have an iphone 4 and I am thinking about getting an ipad2.  Can I use the same apple id and itunes account with both of them?  Will my contacts and apps transfer over to the iPad2?

    Yes. I use the same Apple ID on four different iDevices. You can sync the contacts with iCloud or with your computer and have them on both devices. You can sync all of the apps as well. If the apps are not in iTunes on your computer - you can download them to the iPad with the same Apple ID. You can also restore the iPad from a backup of the phone to transfer your settings, app data and your contacts.
    iPhone only apps will be half size on the iPad screen but will still work as long - you can enlarge the size of the apps - but they will be pixelated on the screen.

  • My wife and I are thinking about getting match but we have different itunes accounts and we are worried about losing our individual apps

    my wife andI are thinking about getting match so that all of our music is in one place. However, we are currently have different itunes accounts and we are worried about losing the different apps that we have accumulated over time, also she has more storage than I do and we are a little worried about that.  Does anybody have any ideas.

    You won't lose any apps but one of you will lose the ability to update apps on the device.
    For you to share iTunes Match all devices must be signed into the same iTunes Store Apple ID that was used to purchase the service. This means any Apps that were purchased with the other Apple ID cannot be updated on the device as a device can only be associated with one Apple ID every 90 days.
    I know it's not what you want to hear, but my suggestion is to simply stay with the system you have. It will cause you less headaches.

  • Thinking About Getting An iPhone??

    I'm thinking about getting one but im not quite sure if it is for me.
    I was just wondering if you can answer these questions for me:
    Does the touchscreen ever stuff up?? Like go all funny like i no other touch phones do.
    (this might be a stupid question to u) But how do you like pay for ringing and texting people. Is it like a normal phone where you use prepaid vouchers or does it only have credit card payment?
    Thanks and im in Australia if that matters.

    Like all devices, it has its little glitches from time to time, but overall its seems to work great...and I have the original iPhone...never had a real problem that couldnt be fixed by simply turning it off and on...
    As for payment questions, you may want to contact Optus, Telstra or Vodafone...looks like they are the carriers in Australia.
    (Scotland uses O2 as a carrier)

  • Thinking about getting iPhone

    I am thinking about getting the iphone 3g. I know they are having problem with dropped calls. Is the phone worth getting? What other problems I might encounter? Any suggestions??

    Wow, I came from Sprint too. It's amazing how your comments mirror my experience with them, although I never tried the Samsung Instinct... Of course, before that I came from Verizon, and before that T-Mobile, and before that - Cingular. It's been a regular full circle, and all I can say is, they all &$#!+ just the same. ...Except that Sprint takes the booby prize for customer disservice!
    BTW, I love my iPhone (original, and now 3g). Never used a piece of technology so fully and completely, even with it's temporary frustrations. Beats the **** out of my Treo's.

Maybe you are looking for

  • How can I sync contacts to IMac, Icloud and Iphone

    My Contacts on my Imac have only one option in settings to sync with my google contacts.  Before Icloud all my contacts and calendar synced just fine between my Imac and Iphone.  Now with Icloud I never seem to be able to sync contact to or from my I

  • Firefox is already running, but is not responding.

    Ever since upgrading to FF 29, I get this error message just about every time I close and then re-open Firefox. With 28 I got the message sometimes, but with seeing this every time (and having to manually kill the firefox.exe process) this has grown

  • Mac book pro cut off

    Mac book pro cut off and will not come back on at all...tried all the options in the manual and nothing works..plugged up to battery adapter and the green indicator light is very dim. Any suggestions?

  • SCCM 2007 to 2012 R2 Migration Data Gathering Error

      Hi guys , I am working on SCCM 2007 to 2012 migration and stucked at data gathering process. Following error i am getting while gartering data process.I have made the erroe details bold to easily find. Migmcctrl.log is showing this error:  [Worker]

  • MSFT_ISCSITarget.Connect() Method is throwing System.Management.ManagementException "not found"

    I am using c# wmi calls to connect to connect to ISCSI LUN through ISCSI initiator. I am using windows server 2012 r2. From server manager I am able to connect through ISCSI initiator. From GUI every thing is working fine.  I am able to list ISCSISes