Audio Recording with GarageBand

This tutorial teaches how to record audio using the lab microphones and covers some of the basic editing tools available in GarageBand.

Before beginning this tutorial, check out a microphone from a consultant on duty. Plug it into the USB port on the front of the computer.

To open GarageBand, right click the Applications folder in the Dock and select GarageBand from the Music & Audio folder.

The following window will appear. Select Create New Song.

Save the project to the Desktop.

Click OK. This warning does not affect the functionality of the application.

Click the GarageBand Menu and select Preferences...

In the resulting window, select the Audio/MIDI tab. Click the Audio Input dropdown menu and select AK5370. This is the name of the external microphone checked out from the lab.

Open the System Preferences located in the Dock.

Select the Sound control panel.

Select the Input tab. Make sure the AK5370 is selected. Check the Input level and modify it by adjusting the Input volume. To check the level, make sure the microphone's green button is on and speak into it.

Go back to GarageBand. Make a new track by selecting New Track from the Track menu.

In the resulting window select the Real Instrument tab. If you want to record your voice, select Vocals and the effect you want to use. Click OK.

To record some audio, make sure the microphone is turned on and click the red record button circled below.

To stop recording, either click the record button or the play button circled below.

To adjust the volume at different points throughout the song, click the triangle circled in the diagram. A track volume menu will drop down. Adjust the volume by clicking and dragging the volume line. The red arrows are pointing at the volume line.

To modify the effects on the track, click the information button in the lower left corner of the window.

The track info window will appear. The track info window is where effects can be added, removed, or modified for the particular track. The Chorus effect is selected below.

For more advanced options, select the circled button next to the effect.

To splice, trim, or further modify the track, open the Track Editor by selecting the circled button in the lower left.

The track editor window will appear at the bottom of the main menu.

To export you music to mp3, wav, aif, or aac, select Export to iTunes under the File menu.

iTunes will open with your song selected. Right-click the song and select Show Song File to find where GarageBand saved your file.