Macbook Air + Garageband Question

[Kristian3000]

Hi there!

What's the 11inch MBA like with recording audio in Garageband?

I am a guitarist and like recording lots of guitar overdubs on top of MIDI drum tracks. Obviously I'd also need to buy a USB interface as the MBA has no audio in.

But will the new MBA be able to handle this? Will there be much latency?

I currently use an 8GB Mac Mini (2011) and it is just fine, but I don't know how the MBA will fare in comparison.

Any advice y'all can give would be great.

Thank you!

 

[Boyd01]

I used Garageband for awhile with no problems on my 2011 MBA, but then switched to Logic Pro. It runs great for me, although I rarely use more than 4 analog tracks to record. Using a 4 channel Akai EIE Pro interface, I get about 9ms roundtrip latency in Logic. I previously used a 2 channel interface and latency was much less, but I like the ability to use 4 microphones.

I record directly to the SSD on the MBA. I have the i7/8gb/512gb 2013 MBA. On my 2011 i5/4gb/256gb MBA, latency in Logic pro was about 13ms using the same 4 channel interface.

 

[Kristian3000]

Thanks for your reply.

I visited an Apple store today and asked the sales guy a few questions and he basically said, "the processor will struggle if you have too many Garageband tracks playing at once".

He recommended I go for a Macbook Pro or high-end iMac! Neither of which I can afford :-(

Do you think he is just trying to sell me the higher priced machines, or does he have a valid point?

 

[Altemose]

Thanks for your reply.

I visited an Apple store today and asked the sales guy a few questions and he basically said, "the processor will struggle if you have too many Garageband tracks playing at once".

He recommended I go for a Macbook Pro or high-end iMac! Neither of which I can afford :-(

Do you think he is just trying to sell me the higher priced machines, or does he have a valid point?

What is your budget? I think the person was trying to be honest and overestimate your needs which is a good rule of thumb. If you say 10 tracks in GarageBand and Logic, that could double as you want to experiment with new instruments and tracks for example.

 

[Kristian3000]

My budget is £800 but at a push could pay £829 for the MBA ram upgrade.

Any higher is unfortunately out of the question.

The other option of course is to go second hand. I've always had second hand macs in the past and was really excited at the prospect of having a brand new one, but if I can't afford what I need it to do then so be it.

My usual Garageband tracks are pretty much as follows:

1 - midi drums
2 - midi percussion
3 - midi synth
4 - midi synth
5 - audio bass
6 - audio guitar
7 - audio guitar
8 - audio guitar
9 - audio vox

I don't really use too many software effects. I make sure the guitar sound is as I want it before it gets into the computer. Maybe some compression on the vocals, but not much more.

 

[Altemose]

My budget is £800 but at a push could pay £829 for the MBA ram upgrade.

Any higher is unfortunately out of the question.

The other option of course is to go second hand. I've always had second hand macs in the past and was really excited at the prospect of having a brand new one, but if I can't afford what I need it to do then so be it.

My usual Garageband tracks are pretty much as follows:

1 - midi drums
2 - midi percussion
3 - midi synth
4 - midi synth
5 - audio bass
6 - audio guitar
7 - audio guitar
8 - audio guitar
9 - audio vox

I don't really use too many software effects. I make sure the guitar sound is as I want it before it gets into the computer. Maybe some compression on the vocals, but not much more.

I would look at ordering online at the refurb Apple Store. It is a great deal and are much more affordable than buying new.