Using Garage Band

John D. Valiante · Post by **John D. Valiante** » 9 Apr 2020 8:39 pm

Starting to do more recording with Garage Band...looking for help on best way to record with vocal tracks...go direct or use mic? I've tried direct via pre-amp out to iRig interface to USB input to GB...not a full sound. Some suggest going to Shure57 mic in quiet space as a better alternative...lmk what your experience is...using a Zum S10 with Telonics 500...thx in advance, Johnny V

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 10 Apr 2020 6:07 am

What kind of preamp? A better interface (preamp and AD converter) might help but lots of things might help..

If you look thru Recording subforum, there's threads about direct vs miked amp vs both without spending $thousands unless you want to. Details: preamps, compressor/limiter, parametric EQ (the last 3 are basically what a channel strip is), when to layer on reverb/delay, mic placement on speaker etc

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=349507

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=352232

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=353433

Josh Yenne · Post by **Josh Yenne** » 10 Apr 2020 10:36 am

I record tracks with GarageBand all the time for people. I really tend to hate the way a guitar sounds plug direct so I always mic up an amplifier.

John D. Valiante · Post by **John D. Valiante** » 11 Apr 2020 5:50 pm

Many thx...will try both direct and micing up...like a clinical trial...very helpful...thx, Johnny V

Bill C. Buntin · Post by **Bill C. Buntin** » 12 Apr 2020 6:11 pm

Johnny

I use maudio interfaces. Any decent microphone yields good results.

Iâ€™ve had best luck with large diaphragm mics.

Sound Booth (closet) or at least very quiet room.

Iâ€™ve had very good luck using GB

Bill

Bill

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 12 Apr 2020 7:10 pm

There's a bunch of good books on home recording, written by Mike Senior, Bobby Owsinski, Rod Gervais, Dave hunter, Dave huber etc, also the Dummies and for Idiots books are pretty good. Especially re ommended if youre going to be tracking acoustic instruments.

If your library is still open, it probably has at least a couple.

Also for your purpose i would consider Logic pro, there's a lot of options for amp/cabinet sims, MIDI, effects and routing. plugins for EQ, compression etc.

John D. Valiante · Post by **John D. Valiante** » 13 Apr 2020 1:19 pm

Many thx for your suggestions...I went ahead and ordered a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 and a Shure SM57 mic to record off Telonics speaker...will report what I learn...John

Gene Tani · Post by **Gene Tani** » 14 Apr 2020 5:54 am

Mike placement very important, also beam effect:

https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1168247