
Connecting musical instruments and microphones to your computer
You can connect an electric musical instrument or microphone to your computer and record it in a Real Instrument track. There are several ways to connect instruments and microphones to your computer.
To connect an electric musical instrument or a microphone to your computer:
If your computer has an audio input port, you can connect a microphone or an electric instrument to it. When using the audio input port, be sure to set sound input to "Line in" in your computer's Sound preferences. Open System Preferences, click Sound, click the Input button in the Sound pane, select "Line In" in the sound input list, then drag the Input volume slider to set the input level.
You can connect an audio interface to your computer, then connect instruments and microphones to the audio interface for recording. Audio interfaces are available in a variety of compatible formats, including USB, FireWire, PCI, and PC card formats. When using an audio interface, be sure to choose the interface from Audio/MIDI pane of GarageBandPreferences.
You can also connect an audio mixer or console to your computer, and record microphones or instruments through the mixer.
If you use an audio interface to connect musical instruments, check the manufacturer’s specifications to make sure the interface is compatible with Mac OS X 10.2.6 or later. Also make sure the audio interface uses a format supported by your computer. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, which may include installing the correct driver on your computer.
