Advice please

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GuitarAddict

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My MacBook pro is now longer able to run garage band due to it being almost 20 years old and having had several software updates.
If I replace it I will also need a new USB type mixer as the new Macs no longer have a line in.
Do I go for a new one at considerable expense or go for a stand alone Tascam12 that will probably do everything I want if I buy a drum machine as well.
Any advice appreciated.
 
When i say drums I mean drum machine or garage band drums, but I am thinking of going back to an electronic kit.
 
iPads are fairly inexpensive, and you can run a really updated version of GB on it. You’ll need an interface for it though.
 
GuitarAddict said:
My MacBook pro is now longer able to run garage band due to it being almost 20 years old and having had several software updates.
If I replace it I will also need a new USB type mixer as the new Macs no longer have a line in.
Do I go for a new one at considerable expense or go for a stand alone Tascam12 that will probably do everything I want if I buy a drum machine as well.
Any advice appreciated.
Click to expand...
I have a Tascam Model 12 and have used it's direct recording capabilities, but I generally route it into my laptop and record in Cubase. Did not have any problems with the direct record, although you will be limiting yourself from doing a lot of post production if that is how you intend to use it. Best of luck and happy to give you more feedback if you are seriously considering the Tascam Model 12!
 
I tend not to do much post really. EQ and maybe fine tune the reverb but I don’t do much else. I try to record like it’s a band in a live room all tracking together which limits the possibility of overdubs and changing much due to bleed over into other mics.
Most of my favourite artists tend to record like this, at least that’s what the utube videos show of they are to be believed. Lari Bassilio and Bonamassa to name but 2.
Maybe I’m doing it all wrong but the final results sound okay to me.
 
GuitarAddict said:
I tend not to do much post really. EQ and maybe fine tune the reverb but I don’t do much else. I try to record like it’s a band in a live room all tracking together which limits the possibility of overdubs and changing much due to bleed over into other mics.
Most of my favourite artists tend to record like this, at least that’s what the utube videos show of they are to be believed. Lari Bassilio and Bonamassa to name but 2.
Maybe I’m doing it all wrong but the final results sound okay to me.
Click to expand...
straight to two track tape, i think you’re doing all right.
 
My advice, after going through spending a lot of money and replacing most of my recording rig late last year and early this year, is use a Windows machine and download Cakewalk or Reaper. Reaper is cheap and worth it. Cakewalk is free and quite good. You can pick up an interface for a reasonable price. If you want it to be portable, use a laptop. That is what I do. I had a stand alone unit and didn't really like it. You have a lot more options and power with the DAWs that I mentioned. If I were staring from the beginning today, this is the direction I would go.

If you spend the money on a new Mac, it is hard to go wrong with Logic Pro. It has a ton of built in stuff that is great for a guitar player creating his own music.
 
Yes I’ve just seen the new Macs come with Logic Pro for a bit extra money. Think after watching a few utube vids on the 12 I’d get frustrated doing everything through that tiny screen.
 
JasonE said:
My advice, after going through spending a lot of money and replacing most of my recording rig late last year and early this year, is use a Windows machine and download Cakewalk or Reaper. Reaper is cheap and worth it. Cakewalk is free and quite good. You can pick up an interface for a reasonable price. If you want it to be portable, use a laptop. That is what I do. I had a stand alone unit and didn't really like it. You have a lot more options and power with the DAWs that I mentioned. If I were staring from the beginning today, this is the direction I would go.

If you spend the money on a new Mac, it is hard to go wrong with Logic Pro. It has a ton of built in stuff that is great for a guitar player creating his own music.
Click to expand...
But, he needs at least 5 inputs, so 6 as they come in even numbers. So he'll have to look into a higher model of interface if he goes that route.

Most affordable digital mixers that allow you to use them as a recording interface, are not full duplex. What this means is, it might be an 8 channel or 12 channel mixer, but your digital output to your DAW is only "stereo." Or, (like my little Soundcraft Notepad, it's 12 channels, but it's digital out to the DAW is only 4. You have to go to bigger or higher models to get full duplexing and get more recording channels fed to your DAW. This is one area that affordable multi-channel digital recorders are better. IF it's got 12 channels, most of them will record 12 channels all at once.

And, you can take those 12 tracks and dump them into a DAW on the computer, mix, pan, EQ, master a pretty good sounding track, and retain the "live" vibe.
 
GuitarAddict said:
I tend not to do much post really. EQ and maybe fine tune the reverb but I don’t do much else. I try to record like it’s a band in a live room all tracking together which limits the possibility of overdubs and changing much due to bleed over into other mics.
Most of my favourite artists tend to record like this, at least that’s what the utube videos show of they are to be believed. Lari Bassilio and Bonamassa to name but 2.
Maybe I’m doing it all wrong but the final results sound okay to me.
Click to expand...

If it sounds good to you, you're doing it right. There may be other "accepted" ways to do it, there may be more efficient ways, but it's all about how it sounds in the end.

Personally, after moving from a standalone Roland VS-1880 to a Mac, I can't imagine going back to a standalone unit. There's just too much flexibility with the computer. I'm all Logic Pro and ProTools now (thanks to Les, Sergio, and the computer I replaced last year, I'm about 70-30 Logic). And I consider the $200 to upgrade to Logic Pro well worth it. Garage Band is always still there, and my understanding is the stuff ports fro GB to Logic pretty well.

Depending on how many inputs you actually need at one time, there are some nice interfaces at decent prices. I'm using a Focusrite 18i/20 just to keep from rerunning cables a lot. Until the machine update, I was also using my MBox interface as well.

I'm a big fan of giving myself room to grow.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
But, he needs at least 5 inputs, so 6 as they come in even numbers. So he'll have to look into a higher model of interface if he goes that route.

Most affordable digital mixers that allow you to use them as a recording interface, are not full duplex. What this means is, it might be an 8 channel or 12 channel mixer, but your digital output to your DAW is only "stereo." Or, (like my little Soundcraft Notepad, it's 12 channels, but it's digital out to the DAW is only 4. You have to go to bigger or higher models to get full duplexing and get more recording channels fed to your DAW. This is one area that affordable multi-channel digital recorders are better. IF it's got 12 channels, most of them will record 12 channels all at once.

And, you can take those 12 tracks and dump them into a DAW on the computer, mix, pan, EQ, master a pretty good sounding track, and retain the "live" vibe.
Click to expand...
Ah, I somehow missed that he needed to use 5 inputs at the same time. That definitely complicates things. I went with an interface that has more capabilities than I need but I wanted to buy one that would last me for a long time. I would be able to do this on my laptop but I spent $1500 on my interface.
 
Thanks to all those who chipped in with advice. Very much appreciated.
I have decided to try upgrading my current MacBook with some more RAM. It only has 4 gig atm and the max that that model can have is 8 and it’s only £40 and simple to fit. From advice received from the IT guy it should make enough of a difference to stop it freezing up.
If not it’s £3500 just to get back to where I was a few years back. Very frustrating.
 
I understand the frustration, but you are running a 20-year old computer. The fact that it's running this stuff at all is a testament to both its build quality and your resilience to keep working it. I ran my last computer for something like 11 or 12 years. It may cost a lot to replace it, but you're still way ahead in a game where it seems like most people replace their machines every 3-5 years.
 
I absolutely agree with you.
I am however a bit of a dinosaur. I guess I want the convenience of the latest update running on my ZX81.
We’ll see what happens.
 
Agree as well. I felt bad that I couldn't squeeze a couple more years out of mine. And I do kind of miss the chance to pace while the computer boots up, then again while it loads a project.

I don't miss the messages about how there's too much going on for the computer to handle.
 
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