# Garageband Guitar Cable



## nutsngum (Jul 20, 2005)

Does anyone know of a place in the GTA that sells one of these?

http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/garagebandcables/

If you do, do you know the price??

Thanks Guys!



PS - if anyone has any good garageband tutorial sites that would rock!


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## WorldIRC (Mar 7, 2004)

I sell XLR - TRS and then you can but a $2 adapter to convert TRS to Mini-Stereo.

I work at Long and McQuade at steeles and keele.. I see you're in markham though so just go to the Markham store @ Major Mackenzie and 48.


That's for a MIC though...for guitar.. just get a patch cable and the similar mono adapter.


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## CanadaRAM (Jul 24, 2005)

Any Mac dealer should be able to order it for you - tell them that Synnex has stock. 

OTOH although it is a nice cable, there's nothing special about it. A Radioshack 1/4" mono to 1/8" stereo adaptor on a regular guitar cable would be equivalent.


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## Vexel (Jan 30, 2005)

Also, any major music store (instruments) that carries software would have them as well. Usually in the DJ department if the store has one.


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## nutsngum (Jul 20, 2005)

If i just get a normal adapter how will the power go through the guitar?


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## rgray (Feb 15, 2005)

In an ordinary setup - Telecaster, Takamine, etc. - the guitar is not powered thru the cable....


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

I've tried using simple adapter cables from guitar 1/8 to miniplug on my PowerBook and there is no usable input. I have never understood how this cable is supposed to work. don't you need a converter that include a pre-amp in order to get the levels?

EDIT: I suppose it's possible (haven't checked the site) that there is a small pre-amp built into the plug which utilizes power form the USB.


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## HowEver (Jan 11, 2005)

.


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## mr.steevo (Jul 22, 2005)

Hi,

I would think you would need power if you are plugging a guitar into your computer. When we recorded a home album we ended up renting a Prosonus Firebox from Long & McQuade for about $20 for the month. Good deal.

s.


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## rondini (Dec 6, 2001)

Plugged my guitar right into the Mac. Got the gold plated adapter plug at RadioShack(The Source). Also used iMic. Both worked fine. Not sure what this talk is about a power source for the guitar??


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

Not following the power for the guitar part myself but I have tried my Griffin iMic with adapter plug on my PowerBook and got nowhere (low level, fuzzy sound)

I have tried pre-amp boxes that connect via firewire (Line-6) and had no problems.


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## rondini (Dec 6, 2001)

When using the iMic, make sure switch is set for line level not mic level input


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## CanadaRAM (Jul 24, 2005)

A guitar does not require power. (well, a few guitars have active electronics, but they have 9V batteries on board for that) 

The cable in question is a simple monophonic audio cable, no different from plugging into a guitar amplifier. The Mac is taking the place of the amplifier. 

Straight guitar signal into the Mic or Line input is going to sound thin and tweezy. You have to rely on software amp simulation to make it sound better. Your alternative is to look at guitar amp modelling pedals like a Line6 Pod or Behringer V-Amp or one of the Roland, Digitech or Korg units, and make your guitar sound first, before it gets to the Mac. 

If you want to spend a bit more, the M-Audio BlackBox, Line6 Toneport, Native Instruments GuitarRig and others provide both a hardware USB interface, and amp modelling and effects software.


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## rondini (Dec 6, 2001)

Doesn't Garage Band provide amp modelling??


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## Vexel (Jan 30, 2005)

I use one of these:










Works fine through the input on my iMac. Oscar Schmidt/Washburn Electric/Acoustic. No power sources needed (other than the built in tuner which has a 9v battery like CanadaRAM mentioned.)

Garageband and my iMac become the sound system. Hooked to external speakers, the system works quite well.


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## nutsngum (Jul 20, 2005)

yeah if i get a normal cable with an adapter to go into my Macbook, will it sound okay in garage band? 

Can anyone confirm?


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## mr.steevo (Jul 22, 2005)

Hi,

I couldn't get proper levels using just the computer. I needed the pre amp power from the Firebox to up the levels for the album, otherwise it didn't transfer well. Compression and uping the levels to radio levels with the iBook resulted in a dirty, fuzzy sound that was not suitable for the CD that I'm selling. Moving to the firebox made the pre-mastered tracks of good enough quality to be mastered at a studio. I'm using a 1Ghz iBook and maybe they are not designed for this kind of use. Another band I know had similar disapointment with their PowerBook. 

My sense (just a guess) is that the the iBook is not universally suitable for semi pro recording. Hence my suggestion. What I liked about the Firebox was its use of FireWire rather than USB, and its extremely clear sound when boosting the levels. Two thumbs from me.

Oh yeah, if anyone wants to buy a CD it goes towards helping kids. See the Girlfriend to Thailand link below.

s.


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## cap10subtext (Oct 13, 2005)

*I've noticed the fuzz...*

I've had the same problem with less than stellar sound using my bass in garageband. I was going to post if anyone knew how to get around that. I had assumed it was just the little cable I was using combined with my inexperience.


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

You really do need a decent preamp product like the Firebox or others (Edirol, M-Audio, PreSonus, etc.). Prices range start around $150 for dual instrument firewire boxes although I did see a Behringer single-input firewire box today for $118. If I pick one up I'll put up a review.


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## nutsngum (Jul 20, 2005)

I got a normal 1/4" to 1/8" cable, I have a macbook will it not work because I just realized i'd need an audio-IN port? Or is that the port beside the speaker port on the macbook?


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## Vexel (Jan 30, 2005)

It is indeed. It's an audio-in port and not a "mic in" port.


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## nutsngum (Jul 20, 2005)

excellent, I can't wait to give it a try!


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## AppleAuthority (May 21, 2005)

nutsngum said:


> I got a normal 1/4" to 1/8" cable, I have a macbook will it not work because I just realized i'd need an audio-IN port? Or is that the port beside the speaker port on the macbook?


That is the type of cable I used to record for years, before I got an M-Audio BlackBox.

To answer your question, it is the port beside the headphone/speaker port. You need to tell GarageBand (in Preferences) to use "Built-in Input (or Line-In depending on your Mac)" as the Audio Input device. If you don't do that, your sound will be picked up with the built-in microphone by default, and will obviously sound very low and quite fuzzy.

That said, with the standard 1/4" to 1/8" cables, you may want to double check how it sound with your MacBook. The cables I used were not shielded cables, and I had a very irritating interference problem whenever my MacBook Pro was plugged in (something I never experienced with my previous iMac or PowerBooks). I think it has something to do with the way the MagSafe power connector operates, or perhaps a shielding issue inside my Mac. Regardless, make sure you check that before you keep the cable... And if you want better sound quality, a shielded cable of some sort would be very beneficial.

Once you have sound coming through GarageBand, amp modeling can be done there. GarageBand includes enough to begin with. Start by making a new "Real Instrument" track, and look under the "Guitars" section. Turn the monitor on (drop menu in the track information pane), and play with the different settings.

Obviously this isn't the most ideal setup, but there's no reason for it not to work. What kind of guitar do you have? As mentioned above, as long as you don't have something that requires external power (such as certain types of pickups), you shouldn't need anything other than the cable. The Mac acts as a pre-amp.


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## nutsngum (Jul 20, 2005)

I just have a cheaper, generic beginners yamaha electric, i'm not even sure what the model is, it's at my apartment at school unfortunetely.

I just got a nexxtech cable from the source, where can I get a shielded cable from?


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## DR Hannon (Jan 21, 2007)

My wife has been using her electric guitar on all our macs an the sound is quite good. We have a MDD dual 1.25, macbook and a imac (intel). We payed a little more for a good quality patch cord an adapter.


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## CanadaRAM (Jul 24, 2005)

nutsngum: Any music store should have cables. However to answer your question a different way, the Nexxtech cable is likely a shielded cable already if it is an audio cable.


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## ThirtyOne (Jan 18, 2003)

Sorry to revive an old thread, but...

I'm looking to do just what others on this thread have done: take my electric guitar and record using Garageband. Problem is, I want to do this on my poor, antique iMac G4 or iBook G4, neither of which have an audio-in jack. I'm looking at either USB or FireWire. Does anyone know if there's a way to do this?


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## rondini (Dec 6, 2001)

u need this
Griffin Technology: iMic

along with an adapter to go from the guitar jack cord to the mini plug.
Radio Shack/The source will have one

Or u could push the boat out and get this
Griffin Technology: GarageBand Cables


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## ThirtyOne (Jan 18, 2003)

Thanks for the quick response. The iMic was exactly what I was missing from the equation. Don't know how I missed it before.



rondini said:


> u need this
> Griffin Technology: iMic
> 
> along with an adapter to go from the guitar jack cord to the mini plug.
> ...


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