Mac Music Creation

[Distant Cousin]

How do

Ok, so I'd like to use my Mac for recording music, using Cubase. And I'd like to get a good interface box for plugging guitars and mics into, and I'd also like a MIDI Keyboard.

However, I'm confused as to what would be best/I'd need as there's so much out there.

So could anyone recommend some stuff? Thanks ^_^

[ascender]

I'm just starting out doing this too. I picked up a USB midi interface a couple of weeks back, its a EDIROL UM 2EX which is made by Roland and seemed to be recommended on a few places.

Someone said its worth getting a pre-amp box to plug your various instruments in to, which then goes in to the Mac via the above interface. I've not looked in to this part yet.

The whole keyboard and sequencer thing is the next step although I'm assuming you use your software & Mac as the sequencer. So, a cheap Midi keyboard is next on my list too.

How about software, I've got Garageband on here at the moment, I'm not sure how it compares to Cubase though?

[Distant Cousin]

Cubase is a more professional App, and I actually know how to use it since I use it a lot at college ^_^

I found a MIDI Interface, the Focusrite Saffire FireWire 400. I saw a demo of it a while back and I think you just plug your instruments (in my case bass and guitars) straight into the inputs.

What does a Pre-amp box do?

[Magnakai]

That's a good choice.

A MIDI interface is literally just a way of getting MIDI information (and nowt else) into your computer.
The Saffire is a decent sound card overall. It has mic pre-amps etc built in., as well as a 1 in and 1 out MIDI interface. A pre-amp will amplify the signal level of stuff like microphones and stuff to a usable level. Otherwise it's just going to be uselessly quiet/distorted.

It's also got a high-impedance instrument input. This means you can boost the extremely low output level of a guitar or bass to be useful and audible without using an amp. It'll still be a very clean and sharp signal, but that's sometimes what you want. You'll generally get the best results from micing a guitar or bass cabinet, though an amp simulation thing like the Logic one or a Pod is pretty good too if you've got the right settings.

Anyway, yeah. The Saffire's a pretty decent choice from what I've heard.