Recording my tracks in Garage Band 2

Hello,
I have a few questions. I just got a PowerBook G4 with 512mb ram and a 128mb video card. The rest of the specs are obvious. (15" btw).

I found this accessory Guitar Plug at the ThinkDifferentStore.com. It is only $50.

My PowerBook came with iLife 05 I guess. I say that because I opened it up and there is just a piano there. I am unsure how to really utilize it for what I want.

My questions:
iLife 05 pre-installed, do I need to purhcase some add on program which will allow me to record tracks from my electric guitar to the computer?
Is the Guitar Plug that I linked up above all I need to do this?

If there is more or less that I need I would be open to all feedback.
Thanks in advance.

Yep, basically you have all you need to record some basic guitar tracks...

Plug the guitar plug into your guitar and then connect it to your powerbook's line-in port using a 1/4th -> 1/8th instrument cable.

Or use a standard guitar cord and buy an adapter to fit the smaller line-in jack on the powerbook.

Then open up garageband (the guitar icon) and create a new song.

Then you need to add a track for your guitar. To do that click on 'Track -> New Track'.

Since you are recording a real instrument, select that at the top, then select guitar and the type of guitar sound you are recording in the right hand window.

Then hit record and jam away!

If you can't hear anything, make sure the line-in is selected. Click on 'Garageband -> Preferences' and there select 'audio/midi'.

As 'audio input' select line-in...



Hope this helps!

Hi Aptmunich,
Do I need to buy any jam packs for guitar band? Or would that be if I wanted to create music on my mac without the use of actual instruments?

Aptmunich said:

Yep, basically you have all you need to record some basic guitar tracks...

Plug the guitar plug into your guitar and then connect it to your powerbook's line-in port using a 1/4th -> 1/8th instrument cable.

Or use a standard guitar cord and buy an adapter to fit the smaller line-in jack on the powerbook.

Then open up garageband (the guitar icon) and create a new song.

Then you need to add a track for your guitar. To do that click on 'Track -> New Track'.

Since you are recording a real instrument, select that at the top, then select guitar and the type of guitar sound you are recording in the right hand window.

Then hit record and jam away!

If you can't hear anything, make sure the line-in is selected. Click on 'Garageband -> Preferences' and there select 'audio/midi'.

As 'audio input' select line-in...



Hope this helps!

Click to expand...

jessica said:

Hi Aptmunich,
Do I need to buy any jam packs for guitar band? Or would that be if I wanted to create music on my mac without the use of actual instruments?

Click to expand...

You're right:

The jam packs contain extra software instrument and loops for specific types of music.

If you click on the New Track button and select 'software instrument', you can see all the "virtual instruments" you currently have.

Pick one and then click on the keys in the little piano window to hear what it would sound like.
The Jam packs add quite a few more of those types of instruments.


The jam packs also have extra 'loops', but again - your garageband already has a few: Click on the little Eye symbol (3rd button from the left at the bottom) and click on an instrument or style. A list of loops should appear at the right - click on one to hear a preview.

If you want to add some drums for example (without actually recording them yourself), just select 'Drums' or 'Drum kit', pick a loop and then drag it into the main window above. A '+' icon will appear and the loop will be added to your song.

If you want the loop to repeat for longer, just move your mouse to the right corner until a little circular arrow appears. Click and drag to the right and the loop will be extended.

So in conclusion, No you don't need the extra jam packs, the basic Garageband has enough to get started with...


Hope this helps


P.S. Like your setup, nice 'opening-the-box' picks there too