Connecting a USB Microphone to your GarageBand is now an easy task. If you face some problem then stay here. Here in this article you will find How to Connect a Usb Microphone to Garageband with step by step method and after this, you will be able to connect the Usb Mic to your Garage Band as well, So follow the below steps. Hey all, I have an Ipad Pro and I'm using garage band. The mic on the Ipad Pro sounds great. Trouble is, when I plug headphones in to record vocals, my ipad seems to think that the headphones are my new microphone! But, I really want to use the Ipad Pro mic, not my shitty headphone mic.
Want the best interface for Garageband? Read our reviews of iOs, iPad, USB, Midi audio interfaces.
BEST INTERFACE FOR GARAGEBAND ~~ TOP AUDIO INTERFACE REVIEWS (USB, PORTABLE, IOS)
Welcome to the Best Interface for Garageband guide. If you're looking for the best interface for Garageband, see our reviews. We tested USB, iOS, Midi and iPad audio interfaces, so use this guide to get the best interface for Garageband. We can help you get the best interface for Garageband!
| Interface | Description | Rating | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (2nd Gen) | Small but powerful audio interface. | 5 out of 5 | CHECK PRICE |
| Focusrite iTrack Solo Lightning | Perfect for a home studio. | 4.5 out of 5 | CHECK PRICE |
| Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 | The best choice for serious musicians. | 5 out of 5 | CHECK PRICE |
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (2nd Gen) USB Audio Interface
Not only does this small but powerful audio interface give you all of the features that you need to get the best recordings, but it's also easy to use. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 operates smoothly with your Garageband setup, and you can use it in a home studio or on the go (it's very portable). This USB audio interface can work with iPad, iPhone and every PC or laptop.
The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface is easy to use directly out of the box. This is the best interface for Garageband at this price!
This audio interface is compact, portable, easy to use, and a great choice for people that need a simple interface for Garageband. It features multiple inputs, so you can connect a mic, musical instruments and media players.
It offers great audio quality, if you don't clip or peak the audio. But don't worry, there is a dial for each input as well as the master volume dial on this interface. And, the Go:Mixer also comes with a peaking LED which comes in very handy when recording.
Though this interface for Garageband is pretty versatile, it is lacking XLR input and 48v Phantom Power, which is the only downside of this interface.
Another Focusrite audio interface in this guide, that's right! Focusrite is known for producing extraordinarily high quality USB and Thunderbolt audio interfaces for both Mac and PC. Now, with the iTrack Solo Lightning, they are offering most of their top features combined into this little box.
While the iTrack Solo Lightning is smaller and lacks a few of the features of Focusrite's more expensive interfaces, this audio interface still compares well to other interfaces at this price point.
Don't let me get started on the mic preamp! It gives you the ability to record clean and clear recordings every time, and there's also 48v Phantom Power, so you can use any studio quality condenser microphone you want.
Its super-low latency will certainly impress even the best musicians, especially those who are using Garageband and an iPad to make music.
If you need a portable audio interface for Garageband, this might be the one! The iRig Pro I/O is designed to be 'plug and play', and it's easy to use with studio gear - microphones, guitars, basses, keyboards.
It packs 1/8' stereo headphone output with preamp and level control, and it's compatible with iOS devices. Besides that, the unit can charge your iPhone or iPad while in use, if you take advantage of the optional DC power supply.
Did I mention it also features MIDI Out jack? This feature gives you even more flexibility and control over your MIDI gear.
If you have some older gear with five-pin MIDI connectors, the PreSonus AudioBox iTwo is a good choice and a Focusrite 2i2 alternative.
That said, AudioBox iTwo has the same iPad functionality and it's just as portable as the 2i2, but harder to use. because of the smaller design.
The AudioBox iTwo might be the best interface for people with older gear.
If you don't mind spending a little extra and want to get the best interface for Garageband, pick the Komplete Audio 6 Mk2.
The Komplete Audio 6 Mk2 features a unique design and it's easier to set up and use than other interfaces we listed above, but it's more expensive. And, the Komplete Audio 6 Mk2 interface has all of the advantages of the Focusrite 2i2, but adds two extra line inputs and outputs, and features a built-in MIDI interface.
Use Ipad Mic With Garageband Download
Let's take a look at top considerations when buying top audio interfaces for Garageband.
When buying the best interface for Garageband, you want to make sure that the interface is portable and compatible with your software. Don't worry, all interfaces above are compatible with Garageband and most operating systems (iPad, iOS, Mac, Windows computer).
Whether you like recording live music or you want to use MIDI instruments with Garageband, it is essential that you pick an audio interface with the correct inputs and outputs.
When buying audio interfaces, the first thing you notice is their design. And, good design also makes an interface easier to use!
If you need something portable, we recommend small interfaces (USB or lightning) without a lot of knobs, as they are much easier to use with Garageband - we tested it! You can see a photo, read reviews and check ratings before buying any gear on Amazon or Sweetwater.
The Wire Cutter, Gearank, The Garage Band Guide and Tabers Best Reviews also submitted good reviews on their websites. You can read their buying guide as well!
More then ever, it has become easier to lay down your song ideas while on the move. With GarageBand for iPad, we are also closer then ever to having a full professional recording studio in a very thin package. And at a price of $4.99, who can complain? For those who are just starting out, here's a first tutorial on recording guitar to get you and your iPad rocking.
Setup and Equipment needed
First off before even starting the application, you should get the hardware you need to enable you to record your guitar to your iPad. There are two basic input types you need to consider:
- Guitar Input for Electric Guitar and Bass (IK Multimedia iRig, Apogee Jam, AmpKit Link)
- Mic Input for acoustic guitar (IK Multimedia iRig Mic, Blue Yeti Pro -- requires Apple's Camera Connection Kit)
L to R: IK Multimedia's iRig, Blue Yeti Mic, Apple's Camera Connection Kit
Guitar Amp
Launch GarageBand for iPad and plug your guitar into the iRig. On the left of the screen is a ' 1/4' jack' button which lets you add a noise gate. Handy for those distorted tones. Next to it is the guitarist's best friend: the Tuner... no excuses for a flat g-string!
In the middle, you can select from different amp combinations and even save settings of your own. You can also swipe the amps to keep the same preset settings and try these settings on different amps.
On the far right is the 'pedals' section. Here you can add up to 4 pedals, change their effects level and remove pedals. To get back to the amp section, tap the 'Amp' icon on the right of the screen. One nice thing about GB for iPad is that you can change the amps settings after you've recorded your part and even create your own presets for future recordings.
Audio Recorder
If you want to record acoustic guitar, you can use the iPad's built in microphone but I would recommend looking at Blue Microphone's 'Yeti Pro' or Apogee's upcoming 'Mic' to add a professional sheen to your recordings. When you first open Audio Recorder it gives you a VU meter to check your audio input levels. A noise gate is also available by tapping on the '1/4' plug' icon.
Once you record a take, you can then add processing to the sound from a preset selection that include effects and voice transformers. The effects also give you sliders for compression, reverb, chorus, etc. depending on the effect you choose.
Recording Tips!
First and foremost... PRACTICE! GB on the iPad does not allow editing like GB on a Mac and you don't get features like Flex Time, multiple takes, pitch correction, etc. Also, you will have to play the parts at the tempo of the song unlike those who slow a song down, record their part, and speed it up after. While some would look at this as a detriment, I look at it as positive growth for musical skills and it ultimately gives you a better understanding of your song. After all, becoming a better musician is a life long process and not a means to an end.
After recording an electric guitar you have plenty of options to affect the tone as the amps have EQ and FX pedals to compress, etc. If you want to record feedback on the electric guitar, you will need to connect the output to your speakers and boost the main volume. But... be careful as each amp/guitar has it's own characteristics for feedback and some are just plain uncontrollable ear-piercing squeals. Layering guitars also has the usual big sound but also eats up tracks so planning is crucial.
Also, when planning your song parts, take into account that GB for iPad does things in 'sections' and only up to 10 sections. While this may not seem like a big deal, you will want to figure out the parts/sections of your song beforehand. For example, song intro, verse 1, pre-chorus, verse 2 with added guitar, pre-chorus with organ, Chorus, verse 3 with less instruments, bridge, intro, Chorus, Chorus 2, End, etc. You can put the 'Sections' into 'Automatic' mode which gives you whatever amount of bars you want i.e. Record intro and verse 1 together.
When recording an acoustic guitar or instrument, be sure to try different takes with your USB microphone or iPad mic on different spots and distances from the guitar. Mic placement is very critical to get a decent sound. For example, placing a mic close to the sound hole of the guitar can add unwanted bass frequencies. Although with the iPad mic I found this to be the best spot.
Also, there are No EQ Frequency bands to allow you to fix things after recording. For a brighter tone, consider newer strings or a harder pick. If using the iPad's mic, make sure your room is as quiet as possible, because it'll pick up every little sound as the signal to noise ratio is not great. Another trick is to use the Guitar Amp settings for EQ control. I found the most natural to be the Clean Combo setting with the gain off. As you increase the gain, it adds some crunch to the tone. This way you can EQ somewhat and even add some nice compression and chorus. Even playing with the Noise Gate setting gave some interesting results. Metal Acoustic! Experimentation is key.
Use Ipad Mic With Garageband Download
Stay tuned for more GarageBand for iPad tips and tutorials on recording synths, pianos, etc. and vocals!