Mac recording/live set up...help me please

[bassjamm]

Hi guys and gals,

Got myself a new Macbook a few weeks back with 4gb ram.

I've got Reason which I key to install and a keyboard controller that connects via USB.

I want to be able to record my guitar/bass in garageband and also live rehearsals (either via a mixer or a few mics).

But I'd also like to be able to use Reason and the keyboard in a live situation, in conjunction with the Mac of course.

So...what do I need? Do I just need an audio interface? And if so, what would you all recommend given my requirements?

I've already got a cheap 4 or 6 channel mixer, and a few mics.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jamie

[Dimbo_Sama]

For recording into Garageband you'd need to get an audio interface. Depending on how many channels you're looking for the price can get a bit high.

I'm currently looking at an 8 channel desk for 130 out of Maplin.

As for performing with Reason, you're set, all you really need is a 1/8 TRS (tip ring sleave) Jack to Y cable. Then 2 D.I. Boxes. And you can just plug it right into the wall box then. Or I suppose you could try a TRS to XLR straight from the mac to the box.

[~tl]

Basically, you just need a sound card. How many ins/outs are you after?

[bassjamm]

Well i'm going to want to record either bass or guitar, so just the one 1/4" jack I guess, maybe a vocal mic, and i'd like to get another controller for reason, something to control the other synth parameters as my keyboard controller only has a 3 octave set of keys, a mod wheel, volume and expression stick.

What interfaces would you guys recommend for under £100?

As for live stuff. I'm probably going to run it through my bass rig. So what would I need to do here? Would I just need to go from the external audio interface that I purchase, into my amp? In which case i'd need to get my bass line and Mac line fed into the same input on the amp. I guess I could use my mixer for this?

Thanks for your help guys. Sorry i'm a bit novice with it all.

[~tl]

Just saw that this has been posted:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=69206&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=69206&hl=[/url]

Pretty unbeatable for the money... as long as your MacBook is one of the ones with FireWire...

[bassjamm]

[quote name='~tl' post='670638' date='Dec 1 2009, 12:25 AM']Just saw that this has been posted:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=69206&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=69206&hl=[/url]

Pretty unbeatable for the money... as long as your MacBook is one of the ones with FireWire...[/quote]

Which it isn't...which is ridiculous i know!!! They make a new model and take firewire away...still, it's an awesome laptop...!!!

[bassjamm]

Would the Line 6 toneport be any good? Or too limiting?

[butlerk02]

[quote name='bassjamm' post='670657' date='Dec 1 2009, 12:45 AM']Would the Line 6 toneport be any good? Or too limiting?[/quote]

This would probably be suitable for your needs:

[url="http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/alesis-io|2-portable-2-channel-24-bit-48khz-usb-audio-interface--30382"]http://www.dv247.com/computer-hardware/ale...nterface--30382[/url]

[crez5150]

I have this for sale £40 inc p&p
[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=66541&st=0&p=648985&#entry648985"]USB interface[/url]

EMI 2/6 USB Audio interface
Two analog inputs, six analog outputs, and stereo S/PDIF I/O.
Ideal for portable applications

Just hook this up to your desk and away you go!!

[bassjamm]

Thanks for the input guys.

Crez... Ideally I'd like something with an Xlr input, so for the moment I'll have to pass on your offer, but I'll keep it in mind.

Other than that, can someone please help me with the following then:

The interface outputs. Are these to send the audio from the mac to your monitors or sound desk then? Forgive the simple questions, I've just never been involved in this part of the recording process, I've only ever turned up to a studio and plugged into what ever I'm told to

Thanks
Jamie

[crez5150]

The interface outputs..... Depends on the interface really.... I'm using motu interfaces that have 8 'channel' outputs but also a pair of stereo outputs to connect to the studio monitors or you could use these as a stereo mix to a master recorder if you wanted

[bassjamm]

Would the following be any good?

[url="http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~M-Audio-Fast-Track-V2~ID~12625.asp"]http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~M...V2~ID~12625.asp[/url]

[url="http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~Tascam-US-122L~ID~5280.asp"]http://www.soundslive.co.uk/product~name~T...22L~ID~5280.asp[/url] - Think this one offers midi in and out as well, so I could use it for a midi controller yeah?

Edited December 1, 2009 by bassjamm

[crez5150]

Looks fine to me

[bassjamm]

Thanks for your input Crez.

[Lee-Man]

[quote name='~tl' post='670638' date='Dec 1 2009, 12:25 AM']Just saw that this has been posted:

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=69206&hl="]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=69206&hl=[/url]

Pretty unbeatable for the money... as long as your MacBook is one of the ones with FireWire...[/quote]

Going for the hard sale, this is honestly an excellent unit, hope fully going to get an Apogee Duet so need to sell this quickly, could possibly deliver if your still in Grantham.

Cheers
Lee

[bassjamm]

[quote name='Lee-Man' post='670846' date='Dec 1 2009, 10:58 AM']Going for the hard sale, this is honestly an excellent unit, hope fully going to get an Apogee Duet so need to sell this quickly, could possibly deliver if your still in Grantham.

Cheers
Lee[/quote]

Hey Lee,

Yeah, still here in Grantham, but the new Macbook's don't have firwire, so this isn't an option i'm afraid.

Thanks anyway.

J

[cheddatom]

Just to say, you can use your mixer as a pre-amp for mics, so you don't need an interface with any XLR inputs or built in pre-amps.

[bassjamm]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='670881' date='Dec 1 2009, 11:22 AM']Just to say, you can use your mixer as a pre-amp for mics, so you don't need an interface with any XLR inputs or built in pre-amps.[/quote]

Thanks for that.

Would I just need to send the mixer signal via 1/4" jack to the interface then?

[Lee-Man]

[quote name='bassjamm' post='670878' date='Dec 1 2009, 11:19 AM']Hey Lee,

Yeah, still here in Grantham, but the new Macbook's don't have firwire, so this isn't an option i'm afraid.

Thanks anyway.

J[/quote]

No worries mate, I know why apple took it off, but it's still rubbish that they did.

Lee

[cheddatom]

[quote name='bassjamm' post='670905' date='Dec 1 2009, 11:43 AM']Thanks for that.

Would I just need to send the mixer signal via 1/4" jack to the interface then?[/quote]

yeh as long as your interface has a couple of analogue inputs (which could be jacks or phono or RCA or whatever) then you just attach these to the outputs of your mixer. If you get a multi channel interface your mixer will need direct outs or insert points on each channel you want to record. Just to make that clear, I have an interface with 10 inputs but at home my mixer only has stereo outputs. I can record 2 mics from my mixer panned left and right and record this. However, at my studio the mixer has insert points so I can take leads from these to the inputs on my interface and record 10 channels at a time.

[bassjamm]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='670947' date='Dec 1 2009, 12:25 PM']yeh as long as your interface has a couple of analogue inputs (which could be jacks or phono or RCA or whatever) then you just attach these to the outputs of your mixer. If you get a multi channel interface your mixer will need direct outs or insert points on each channel you want to record. Just to make that clear, I have an interface with 10 inputs but at home my mixer only has stereo outputs. I can record 2 mics from my mixer panned left and right and record this. However, at my studio the mixer has insert points so I can take leads from these to the inputs on my interface and record 10 channels at a time.[/quote]

Yep, I get what you mean there thanks mate!

I'm probably going to look for something with the mic input on the interface, just for ease of use. I'm not looking to make anything too pro here, just for laying done grooves and basic song structures to share with the rest of the band.

Then a simple way of recording rehearsals with a few mics...i guess that's where the mixer will come in handy as I can whack all the inputs in there, get the levels right and then send it to the mac via the interface. I appreciate this won't be the ideal solution as I'll be relying on the mixer for the levels, so anything that ends up on the laptop is more or less final. But it'll get me started none the less.

Would the M-Audio Fast track suit my live needs when running Reason and the keyboard controller then? I quite like the look of this one, and it comes with Pro Tools, all be it a fairly basic version i guess. I've found a Radial input selector for £80 that will allow me to switch between my bass and the mac and run both through my rig. I guess all the interface needs is a 1/4" send or stereo and then I use a stero to Jack lead into the Radial input selector? I know this is a pretty bodge way of doing what I want, but I reckon I could be up and running with about £170 spent...?

[cheddatom]

You can get a free DAW for recording - Reaper, or if you want something more expensive, PM me.

All i'm saying is, if budget is a primary concern, then crezs USB interface will be all you need if used with your mixer and it's only £40. You could spend your change on another MIDI controller to help with your live performance. Otherwise, yeh the Fast Track is fine.

When you get an interface you'll be able to get a lead that goes direct from an output to the input on an A/B box. I bought phono to jack leads off Ebay. Wouldn't you want to run your bass and your mac sometimes though? If so you'll need some sort of mixer. One of the blender pedals might work better, putting the mac into the FX return.

[bassjamm]

I've got Garageband on here, which is probably all I need for now. I just thought the pro tools that comes with the M-Audio would be handy, and I could always upgrade it. It's not really needed at the moment though.

Regarding the live stuff, I won't be able to play both at the same time, so I suppose a switch box will be sufficient. Might be wrong though mind. It's all very much in the experimentative stages still to be honest.

Thanks again for your help.

[cheddatom]

I thought you might be thinking of using a sequence/backing track.

[bassjamm]

[quote name='cheddatom' post='671101' date='Dec 1 2009, 02:16 PM']I thought you might be thinking of using a sequence/backing track.[/quote]

A right, nah...thanks for the thought though. I'm just joining a band with a mate which is fairly rock based, but we're all in favour of experimenting a bit. So i thought i'd bring the whole Reason and Mac stuff into the picture. So i'll be playing bass, and synth, but not at the same time. If it works out, I can always look for more options, or someone to play the mac into the PA etc.

As i've said, it's all a bit experimental on the live side of things. But the recording stuff at home and at rehearsals is something I want to get on with. But again, I don't want to go mad on it, just get into it and go from there.

I think I've got a fairly good picture as to what's what now though, which I thank you for guys!

Jam