MacBook Suitable for Music Production?

[tianuk3]

Hey Guys

I have been thinking of getting a Macbook (when next update is launched).


Main Question

I want to use it primarily for music production, so Logic pro.... would you all say it is suitable for music production or do I really need a Pro? I am on a very tight budget so will probably get a PC if a Macbook wont do the job, but really want to get a macbook.

Is the soundcard up to scratch for music production too? I can link it up to better speakers..so the poor speakers don't bother me that much, but I want to make sure the output is good quality.

Little Question

I will play the odd game (WOW) and I want to be able to watch HD video files, will the Macbook manage this?


Cheers!

 

[libraritine]

It will be more suited and able than a PC.

 

[Telefonkiosk]

You will sertainly want to buy an external soundcard. If you want to hook guitars, mic's and so on up to the macbook, the internal soundcard with it's lonely jack-in slot produce to much noise for [professional] music production.

You absolutely want to hook it up to a set of speakers, and throw in a set of studio headphones too.

But of course, if you're an amateur mudic producer, the macbook will do just fine out-of-the-box for making demos and so on.

 

[tianuk3]

You will sertainly want to buy an external soundcard. If you want to hook guitars, mic's and so on up to the macbook, the internal soundcard with it's lonely jack-in slot produce to much noise for [professional] music production.

You absolutely want to hook it up to a set of speakers, and throw in a set of studio headphones too.

But of course, if you're an amateur mudic producer, the macbook will do just fine out-of-the-box for making demos and so on.

Wait so if i add the external sound card..and set it up to external set of speakers..will it be suitable for pro music production?... can u recommend one?

If it can run logic pro fine..then i will be happy

 

[spicecadet]

Wait so if i add the external sound card..and set it up to external set of speakers..will it be suitable for pro music production?... can u recommend one?

If it can run logic pro fine..then i will be happy

Yeah, the MacBook will work with Logic Pro. I've been using one for the past year. It's suitable for small to mid scale production. You can use the audio out on the mac, but you may get better performace and sound quality with an audio interface. I'm using a digidesign mBox 2 Pro and it works well for electronic music with some audio tracks.

 

[juxtaposer]

Yes, the Macbook will do Music Production brilliantly, depending on what you add to it. A FireWire audio interface will help with problems such as audio latency and sound quality. The Macbook's own audio line-in would be adequate for recording instruments for demo's and the like. But obviously if you were wanting to use condenser mic's and phantom power, then you would want an audio interface of some kind. A digital pre-amp going into the line-in on the Macbook would work, but ideally a Firewire interface would be used to avoid the problems of interference or latency and also for the monitor out to your studio monitors.
The Apogee Duet or the Focusrite Saffire would definitely be worth looking at.
Another optional addition to the Macbook might be a 7200rpm HD, which should help when recording multiple audio tracks. And also, the most obvious would be to max out the RAM in the Macbook. All of those things will help you quite a lot when it comes to Music production.
Good Luck,
Juxtaposer

 

[tianuk3]

Yes, the Macbook will do Music Production brilliantly, depending on what you add to it. A FireWire audio interface will help with problems such as audio latency and sound quality. The Macbook's own audio line-in would be adequate for recording instruments for demo's and the like. But obviously if you were wanting to use condenser mic's and phantom power, then you would want an audio interface of some kind. A digital pre-amp going into the line-in on the Macbook would work, but ideally a Firewire interface would be used to avoid the problems of interference or latency and also for the monitor out to your studio monitors.
The Apogee Duet or the Focusrite Saffire would definitely be worth looking at.
Another optional addition to the Macbook might be a 7200rpm HD, which should help when recording multiple audio tracks. And also, the most obvious would be to max out the RAM in the Macbook. All of those things will help you quite a lot when it comes to Music production.
Good Luck,
Juxtaposer

a macbook it is!


I'll get a 7200RPM drive and max the ram... (ill just wait till this rumoured upgrade ;-))

the Apogee Duet is basically the mac equivalent of a portable sound card right? I mean I only need that then I can plug in keyboard, guitar, mic .etc

thanks a lot guys for all your help

 

[windo]

Quality of the output

Macbook had a superb 24 bit/192 Khz output audio built in quality so it'll be awesome to have macbook for your production

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1562

Yeah, the MacBook will work with Logic Pro. I've been using one for the past year. It's suitable for small to mid scale production. You can use the audio out on the mac, but you may get better performace and sound quality with an audio interface. I'm using a digidesign mBox 2 Pro and it works well for electronic music with some audio tracks.

btw spicecadet atm i'm considering to buy mBox 2 Pro, will it work on macbook hence it had only 1 firewire port.

 

[windo]

WoW works on macbook too!

o yeah and I played WoW on my Macbook also,. the graphic is fine.. but it is work (my internal GPU is X3100)

 

[snake101st]

Necroooooooopoooooooooost.

 

[MowingDevil]

I'm going to buy the Apogee right now actually. Highly recommend it.

For running Logic you'll have no problem w/ the MacBook, esp if you have a firewire audio interface. Get as much RAM as you can afford.