So So Sound Quality. Another common complaint from users is that the sound quality when recording using iRig in Garageband isn’t 100% fantastic. In fact, my good buddy Andy Combe recently mentioned this exact problem on The Garageband Guide Facebook Wall. He wrote that his guitar tracks were sounding ‘ muddy ’ and ‘ dirty ’ when he. Luckily, the iRig interface comes with all of the necessary cords, so you’ll have everything you need to start as soon as possible. The best way to make iRig function with Garageband. This is a guide to getting the audio interface to function with Garageband iOS, although you may run into issues at some point.
In this feature I ditch the recording studio and take a look at the best portable interfaces for GarageBand musicians who want the freedom to record anytime, anywhere.
The beauty of an app like GarageBand for iOS is that you no longer need to spend ludicrous amounts of money renting studio time or wait until your ‘big break’ to write, record and release your own music.
If you want your DIY music to sound its best however, you’ll need to ditch that inbuilt mic on your iOS device and invest in an audio interface of some kind.
There’s tons of choice out there and it can be hard to work out what interface is right for you. I’ve brought together 3 of the best portable recording interfaces on the planet to help you narrow down your options.
Let’s take a look..
£74.99/$99.99
Compact, portable, and easy to use, the Roland GO:MIXER makes it simple to record high-quality audio with your iDevice.
With multiple inputs available, you can connect a mic, musical instruments, and media players and mix them all together at the same time.
The unit features the ability to combine five sources at once via inputs for a ¼” jack vocal mic (no XLR input or +48 V Phantom Power here), guitar, stereo keyboard, and two stereo line-level devices (such as music players, drum machines, etc.).
The quality is great, assuming you don’t clip/peak the audio. There is a dial for each main instrument input as well as a master volume dial to adjust as appropriate. The GO:MIXER also has a peaking LED which is useful to have.
All in all this little box is incredibly versatile, though the lack of XLR input or 48v Phantom Power would definitely prove limiting for some.
Tech Specs
- Inputs: 8 channels
- Outputs 2 channels
- Connectors INSTRUMENT (L/MONO, R) jacks: 1/4-inch phone type
- LINE IN 1 jack: Stereo miniature phone type
- LINE IN 2 jack: Stereo miniature phone type
- MIC jack: 1/4-inch phone type (no plug-in power)
- GUITAR/BASS jack: 1/4-inch phone type (high impedance)
- MONITOR OUT jack: Stereo miniature phone type
- USB port: USB Micro-B type USB Bus PowerCurrent Draw40 mA
- Accessories: Lightning to USB Micro-B type cable (50 cm, 1 ft 7 inches)
- USB OTG Micro-B type to USB Micro-B type cable (50 cm, 1 ft 7 inches)
£81.99/$119.99
Focusrite has a great track record for producing extraordinarily high quality USB and Thunderbolt audio interfaces for Mac and PC. With the iTrack Solo Lightning, they’ve packed most all of the killer features from their range into this little box.
While it is smaller and lacking a few of the features of some of Focusrite’s more expensive units , the iTrack Solo packs enough of a sonic punch to hold its own against most other interfaces at this price range.
The mic preamp used here series are nothing short of phenomenal, giving you clean and clear recordings every time. There’s also +48 V Phantom Power available, so you can use a studio quality condenser microphone to really push the quality of your recordings to the next level.
Super-low latency brings confidence to your performance, letting you record and monitor with software effects in real time.
New gain controls and a sleek metal chassis underscore its industrial design – this thing can take one hell of a beating!
Tech Specs
- 1 microphone input – XLR, 1 Instrument input ¼’ unbalanced, 2 Gain knobs,
- 48V Phantom power switch, Direct monitor switch
- 2 unbalanced monitor outputs – RCA Phone, DEVICE LINK port (to connect iTrack Solo to iPad)
- USB 2.0 Port, Kensington Lock slot
- Supported sample rates 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 88.2 KHz, 96 KHz – Mac and PC 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz – iPad
- In the box: iTrack Solo, 1.2m USB cable, 1.2m “DEVICE LINK” cable (to connect to a Lightning iPad), Getting started guide, Registration card, USB power supply (US only)
- Compatible with: iTrack Solo Lightning: Any iPad with Lightning connector, Standard iTrack Solo: iPad (1st gen), iPad (2nd gen) and iPad (3rd gen)
£127.99/$149.99
iRig Pro I/O is a pocket-sized full-featured audio and MIDI interface that gives you 24-bit/96kHz recording studio quality sound everywhere you go with a few additional essential features for mobile recording.
Its designed to be “plug and play” and easy to use with all of your gear — studio mics, vocal performance mics, guitars, basses, keyboards — whatever it is, iRig Pro I/O can probably handle it.
It features a new 1/8″ stereo headphone out with preamp and level control, making it compatible with even the most recent iOS devices. Plus, when used with the optional DC power supply, the unit will charge your iPhone or iPad while in use for unlimited playing and recording time – super handy!
The Pro I/O also features a new MIDI Out jack that gives you even more flexibility and control over your outboard MIDI gear.
Despite it’s small size the iRig Pro I/O has it where it counts, packing the features you’d expect from a full scale audio interface into it’s sleek form factor.
Tech Specs
- High definition 24-bit/96kHz audio plus MIDI interface for iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC and Android devices
- Connects to everything, yet easily fits in your laptop bag, gig bag or pocket
- Neutrik™ combo input for guitar, microphone or other instruments with a professional quality preamp, phantom power and gain control
- iPhone 7 ready with integrated headphone output with volume control
- Powered via USB bus, two AA batteries or the optional iRig PSU 3A (PSU simultaneously charges iOS device)
- Detachable Lightning and USB cables included for connection to iPhone, iPad, Mac and PC (MFi certified)
- Comes with a Velcro strip to secure iRig Pro I/O to a mic stand
- Comes with over $/€550 worth of full version Software & Apps
There you have it, that’s my top 3 favourite portable audio interfaces for use with GarageBand for iOS.
Is your favourite on the list? What did I miss out? Leave a comment and let me know, or come and join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
Connecting your guitar to Garageband iOS is incredibly simple, assuming you own the proper equipment.
To put it simply, if you want to connect your guitar or bass guitar into Garageband iOS, you just need an audio interface. I would recommend either the iRig HD 2 or the Apogee Jam Plus, with the iRig HD 2 being the cheaper option. I suggest getting the iRig HD 2 here from Amazon simply because it’s the one I own and I know it works.
by the way, I have a list of all the best products for music production on my recommended products page, including the best deals, coupon codes, and bundles, that way you don’t miss out (you’d be surprised what kind of deals are always going on).
Fortunately, it comes with all of the appropriate cables so the moment you buy it, you have everything you need to get started right away.
To connect your guitar into Garageband iOS:
1) Connect your device to an audio interface like the iRig HD 2 with a thunderbolt to micro-usb cable
2) Turn on your iPhone
3) Open Garageband and choose your Amp Type
4) Plug your guitar into the audio interface
5) Turn the monitoring button on.
This is a short-form explanation of how to get the audio interface to work with Garageband iOS, however, you may run into problems initially.
When I first tried to connect to the audio interface, it didn’t work right away, so I understand your struggle.
For an in-depth tutorial on how to connect your guitar into your iPhone (by the way, I recommend this one from Amazon if you’re in the market for one), including some basic troubleshooting, follow the tutorial shown below.
Connecting Your Guitar/Bass Guitar to Garageband iOS
There’s no question that the ability to connect instruments into an iPhone is easily one of the greatest developments for music producers, instrumentalists, and keyboardists (get PianoForAll from their site if you really want to take advantage of the keyboard for your tracks).
It’s incredibly simple, compact, convenient, and it sounds great as well.
As I mentioned above, there are a few pieces of gear that you need to make this work, and we’ll explore that in detail after.
In case you’re struggling to get it to work, or maybe you just want an illustrated guide, I’ve included more of an in-depth tutorial.
1) Connect a Lightning to Micro-USB cable to your iPhone and the iRig HD 2’s Micro-USB port.
The iRig HD 2 and the Apogee Jam Plus comes with a Lightning to Micro-USB cable, so you shouldn’t have to go out and buy one, which is very convenient, however, you can grab one here from Amazon if you didn’t get it for whatever reason.
2) Turn on your iPhone. The iRig HD 2’s LED light will turn blue.
The moment you type the passcode into your iPhone, and it starts to turn on, you’ll notice that the LED Light on the iRig HD 2 actually turns a soft blue color. It’s letting you know that it’s going to start working soon.
3) Open Garageband
Now that you have your audio interface connected to your iPhone, you want to turn Garageband on and then go into the interface.
Once it’s opened up, go into the Tracks, and choose Amp. It doesn’t matter which “Track” you use. It can either be a distorted amplifier or clean.
From here, you’ll get into Garageband iOS’s Amp Designer, and you should see a prompt that says:
“Audio Device Connected.”
You’ll be presented with two different options, “Turn On Monitoring,” and “Cancel.”
Obviously, you want to hit “Turn On Monitoring,” that way you can actually hear what you’re doing.
Additionally, you can turn this on in the Input Settings.
4) Plug Your Guitar Into The Audio Interface’s Guitar Jack.
After you’ve turned on the monitoring button (more on monitoring in my guide), you can plug your guitar into the audio interface, and you’ll be able to hear what you’re playing after you’ve arrived at the Amp Designer screen which looks like what you can see in the image below:
And voila, you’re now connected to Garageband iOS.
Important Things To Note
1) You Have To Connect Headphones or Speakers to the iRig HD 2
It’s important to note that the guitar won’t make any sounds through the iPhone’s regular speaker, so you have to connect headphones into the iRig HD 2.
Additionally, you can connect the Audio Interface into a pair of studio monitors such as the iLoud Micro Monitors (on Amazon), which is also a great option.
How To Use Irig With Garageband
2) Watch For Clipping
In the case of the iRig HD 2, you have to watch out that you’re not feeding a signal that’s too hot into GarageBand iOS, otherwise, it’ll sound distorted and unclear.
The iRig HD 2 sounds the best when the LED Light is the color green, rather than orange or especially red.
For me, I like to have the volume on the right-hand side of the device turned all the way up, and then the Gain on the left-hand side of the device is around half-way to the maximum.
3) Active Pickups Make A Difference
I have an ESP Eclipse II, a PRS SE Custom 24 (from ZZounds), as well as an Epiphone Les Paul Custom, and there’s no doubt that the ESP Eclipse II feeds a much hotter signal into the audio interface on account of its active pickups.
For that reason, you may have to either turn the pickups down on the guitar or compensate for that hotter signal through the Gain knob on the left-hand side of the device, by the way, you can grab a similar model from ZZounds.
4) There Are Fantastic Amp Plug-Ins Available in the App Store
One of the greatest reasons to use Garageband iOS, in addition to its portability and convenience, is the fact there are a plethora of very inexpensive plug-ins that you can buy on the App Store (I’ve compiled a list in my other guide).
For example, for around $20, you can get your hands on a great amp simulator.
Moreover, there are many other plug-ins that cost only around $3-5, which is quite a bit cheaper than what you would have to pay for a third-party plug-in on Garageband Mac OS.
5) Amplitube 4 Comes With iRig HD 2
Amplitube 4 is one of the most popular amp simulators for guitar players and Garageband users (although, they’ve since updated it to Amplitube 5 on Plugin Fox), and an iRig HD 2 purchase comes with the software for free.
However, all of the amps, cabs, and effects it comes with are not free. It’s up to you if you want to buy any of them, but it’s worth considering.
Personally, I was a bit disappointed when I found out that Amplitube 4 came with iRig HD 2 but you can barely even use it on account of the fact all you get are demos.
6) Subscribe to JamPlay For Awesome Online Guitar Lessons
Not only can you record, track, mix, and master your guitars with just a few pieces of gear and software, but you can also get really good guitar lessons from online platforms like JamPlay, which is my personal favorite. Use the coupon code “1buck” to get your first month for a dollar.
I couldn’t recommend JamPlay enough, because it doesn’t matter how good your gear is if you don’t even know how to play on time, record, or even make solid melodies.
What Gear You Need To Connect Your Guitar Into Garageband iOS
1) An Audio Interface
An audio interface is the most important piece of gear, and there are a number of options available to you.
As I already mentioned above, you can grab either the iRig HD 2 or the Apogee Jam Plus (on Amazon), depending on your budget and what you’re trying to accomplish.
The iRig HD 2 is a much cheaper option and it’s made out of plastic, whereas the Apogee Jam Plus is around twice the price, but it’s built better and less subject to breaking.
You can read more about the iRig HD 2 in this article here because I don’t want to dive into a review of it.
All I can say is that it works great, with its only disadvantage being that it’s made out of a finicky plastic.
2) Lightning to Micro-USB Cable
As I said already if you purchase either of the aforementioned audio interfaces, you should get one of these cables directly in the box.
If, for whatever reason, you don’t have one, you can probably get one at the Apple Store or on Amazon.
3) Guitar Cable
Assuming you’re a guitar player or a bass guitar player, you should already have a cable. But if you don’t, I recommend getting one from Ernie Ball like this one from Amazon.
These are high-quality cables that will last a very long time, assuming you take proper care of them.
I also recommend getting a guitar cable that has a right-angle on the side that goes into the guitar, and then a straight cable for the other side, like what’s shown in the image above.
The reason for this is that when you’re sitting on your couch or wherever, you don’t have to worry about the cable jamming into the couch and slowly wearing it down over time.
4) Headphones or Studio Monitors
Unfortunately, you can’t actually use the iPhone’s speaker as a monitor when using an audio interface with Garageband iOS.
You either have the option to connect headphones into the iRig HD 2 or Apogee Jam Plus, or you can connect studio monitors to it.
If you don’t already own a pair of solid studio monitors, I recommend the following products.
Etymotic ER3SE Studio Monitors
How To Use Irig With Garageband Mac Pro
In the article I already wrote about the Etymotic ER3SE’s, I explained how amazing these headphones are. They aim for flat frequency response, and they’re easily the best pair of earbuds I’ve ever owned.
In addition to their aim to have a flat frequency response, which means there is no boost of low or high-end frequencies, they have considerable clarity, and the noise-canceling function on them is the best I’ve ever tried.
Put simply, you can hear all of the frequency spectrum clearly, rather than one more than the other, and you don’t have to worry about the sounds from your environment.
IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors
As I explained in my review of them, these are easily one of the best purchases I’ve made in the last 2 years. Basically, I use the Etymotic earbuds for when I’m doing chores and when for I’m traveling, and then I use these Micro Monitors for my home studio.
The IK Multimedia iLoud Micro Monitors are high-quality studio monitors that also aim to have a flat frequency response, however, they also come with Bluetooth capability so you can use them as regular speakers as well. What makes these speakers so special is their Bluetooth capability, their compact size, as well as their sound.
They sound very good, and they’re incredibly small. They’re compact enough that you can actually take them on the road with you by stuffing them in your backpack or in your suitcase. They’re that unobtrusive, although, I plan on getting the bigger version of these which are the STM monitors (also on Amazon) simply because I want bigger, louder, speakers, but I digress. This is all of the gear you need to hook up your guitar to Garageband iOS.
YouTube Video Tutorial
Can You Use Irig With Garageband On Iphone
Conclusion
How To Use Irig With Garageband Mac Pro
In the future, I’ll be exploring Garageband iOS’ Amp Designer specifically so stay tuned for that. That’s all for this tutorial.