Audio Recording on 2013 MBA

[Dsteller]

Hey all, I am planning on recording to my 2013 MBA, and was wondering what programs I should use if not Garage Band, and how well it works.

I plan to record through a mixer, with outputs to a mic and guitar.

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Boyd01]

The MBA is a great platform for this. I used my 2011 13" i5/4gb/256gb MBA before and last summer upgraded to a 2013 11" i7/8gb/512gb MBA. Recording directly to the SSD with the 4 channel Akai EIE Pro interface, my 2013 machine shows 9ms roundtrip latency; the 2011 MBA showed 13ms latency with the same setup. Guessing that the blazing fast 512gb SSD on the 2013 machine is the main factor there.

I have been using Logic Pro 9 and like it a lot. But I used GarageBand on the old MBA too and it is surprisingly powerful and easy to use. I just prefer the Logic user interface better.

How are you using the mixer? How do you "output to a mic and guitar"? Do you mean "input from a mic and guitar" maybe? It is better not to use a mixer IMO, because you won't be able to change the balance between the mic and guitar after recording. I prefer using an audio interface with separate inputs - that gives you more control after recording. You would then use software for your "mixing".

Take a look at the Korg nanoKontrol2. Inexpensive control surface that gives you 8 faders with solo/mute/record buttons and pan knobs plus transport controls. This will behave like a "mixer" but it's all done in software. Just download the Mac driver from Korg and it works right out of the box with Garageband and Logic. Best $60 I ever spent.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/nanoKON2bk

 

[Dsteller]

The MBA is a great platform for this. I used my 2011 13" i5/4gb/256gb MBA before and last summer upgraded to a 2013 11" i7/8gb/512gb MBA. Recording directly to the SSD with the 4 channel Akai EIE Pro interface, my 2013 machine shows 9ms roundtrip latency; the 2011 MBA showed 13ms latency with the same setup. Guessing that the blazing fast 512gb SSD on the 2013 machine is the main factor there.

I have been using Logic Pro 9 and like it a lot. But I used GarageBand on the old MBA too and it is surprisingly powerful and easy to use. I just prefer the Logic user interface better.

How are you using the mixer? How do you "output to a mic and guitar"? Do you mean "input from a mic and guitar" maybe? It is better not to use a mixer IMO, because you won't be able to change the balance between the mic and guitar after recording. I prefer using an audio interface with separate inputs - that gives you more control after recording. You would then use software for your "mixing".

Take a look at the Korg nanoKontrol2. Inexpensive control surface that gives you 8 faders with solo/mute/record buttons and pan knobs plus transport controls. This will behave like a "mixer" but it's all done in software. Just download the Mac driver from Korg and it works right out of the box with Garageband and Logic. Best $60 I ever spent.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/nanoKON2bk

Sorry, yes input mic and guitar... I plan on heading over to Guitar Center later today.

I need to get a new mixer so do you mind sending me a few choices? It would need at least 2 inputs. Also with the converters ext. for the job. I'm doubting I'd be able to just plug it in via USB or Audio. Thanks for the help!!

 

[Boyd01]

I'm not the right person to recommend a mixer, sorry. Do you want it for use with an amplifer at live performances as well as recording?

The issue is going to be that the mixers which are combined with interfaces might have 8 inputs but typically only pass two channels (stereo L+R) over USB. If you are really only using one mic and one guitar, that would be fine. But if you want to record with a bass and drums (for example), then you would not be able to put them all on separate tracks.

So if you're looking for this kind of thing, see if you can get one that actually sends all of the inputs as separate channels over USB. You should probably start a thread in the audio forum here. There are lots of people there with a lot more experience than me. https://forums.macrumors.com/forums/81/