Need a mac suggestion! Help!

Heather Ruby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 188

Hi. I'm an old broadcaster who's been doing a lot of local VO work, but am trying to get my own setup started, and recently purchased a macbook.

My questions: Is garageband really sufficient for professional sounding editing?
and as I'm technically challenged: How do I switch files from the apple file over to mp3?

I'm going to see the MAC GENIUS tonight, but I don't think he's a VO GENIUS so I need your help!
Thanks in advance.

Heather
www.hhruby.voices-com

David Lawrence · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 29 Sep 2006 Posts: 117

Heather,
I, too, just recently sprung for a Macbook. I don't use garage band so I can't help you there. As for iTunes, simply right click on a song (or file), then select "convert selection to MP3" and you should be good to go. I'll do that so as to be able to import, say, a music bed into protools. FWIW...

David J.

Chris Camilleri · **Voice Talent** Joined: 28 Sep 2006 Posts: 19

Hi, Heather! You're one generation up on me - my portable rig is an iBook G4, but that being the case, what works well for me should work better for you. I use Audacity (freeware) for general recording, Digital Performer for work where I might need to do significant EQ'ing / time manipulation / effects, etc. Logic Express would also work well for this - I just interface better with Digital Performer, your mileage may vary. For format conversion I use SoX (also freeware) - converts almost any format to almost anything else, with a minimum of fuss.

Hope this helps...

Chris

Heather Ruby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 188

Thanks, guys. Appreciate the feedback. I started playing around a bit on garageband, with my USB mic. We'll see what all I have to purchase to make it all work.

Happy VO-ing..
Heather

Phil McCullough · **Voice Talent** Joined: 29 Mar 2006 Posts: 3

Hi Heather:

I use a G4 Powerbook for my VO work and have had good success with Sound Studio by Freeverse. It allows multitracking, EQ adjustment and compression/expansion, and saves output as AIFF, WAV or MP3 files.

With Garageband, you have to output the audio file into iTunes and then save it as an MP3. (under Advanced, select Convert Selection to MP3)

Hope that helps.

Phil

Heather Ruby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 188

Thanks for the info. I'm only 2 weeks into my Mac genius visits, so still learning the audio ropes. Appreciate the info on garageband.

I just downloaded a free beta version of Adobe Soundbooth for Mac. I'm going to play around on it tonight a bit, to see what it will do. Its supposed to be a simpler Audition, yet with more teeth than Audacity, so it might be perfect for tech-challenged 'me'. We'll see.

TTFN...
Happy VOing.
Heather

James Donaldson · **Voice Talent** Joined: 06 Aug 2003 Posts: 7

Heather - wondering how you made out? - as I wrote on the Pro Forum - I swear by GarageBand (and I have edited with some pretty sophisticated sound equipment in radio). Got a top of the line Shure mic (unidirectional) for vo work and am happy with input and output.

I like that there is a way to get it all done - eq's etc, if you just experiment a little. Although I have Audacity from my previous G4 laptop I am using a MAC tower now (pc) and I have (so far) been wowed by what I have discovered. I think the conversions are the simplest thing to do. From GB to Itunes to an Advanced MP3 and upload. Also have enjoyed using the music beds from time to time. Not great, not bad selection.

Only complaint to now seems to be that (as far as VO) can't seem to do *drop-in inserts* where the clip being moved inserts easily between a couple of other clips. So far I have had to move things away, create a hole, and move them back- and that is time-consuming and a pain....

Did need to get a interface (FastTrack MAudio single input $99) - some problems with FastTrack but not the MAC.

Good Luck - Any insights or questions just shout out!

Jim Donaldson

Matt Prather · **Voice Talent** Joined: 19 Feb 2007 Posts: 63

Hi, Heather ---

I use a PowerBook G4 with Amadeus II for general recording, which I then munge a lot in GarageBand. The combo usually works pretty well, and I originally started using Amadeus II (not free, but shareware at around $40) because of its compatibile file formats (not everything I was using at the time was!) for the work I was doing as a VUI/IVR designer, as well.

I really like my Snowball from Blue Microphones (available at any Apple store). For the price of around $99, it's great! Cardioid or omni, fuss-free setup into a free USB port, and surprisingly good frequency response --- this thing is better than it has any right to be, at the price! Smile

My only quibble is that it does sometimes pick up some low-frequency hum or rumble, but it's usually easily gotten rid of.

Still lusting after a "real" desktop iMac, though, I have to confess.... Sad

Best,
Matt

Heather Ruby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 188

Thanks guys, for the input. I have to admit, I'm still without much direction on garageband b/c I have had to cancel my last couple of Mac creative visits, and the prior one, there was no audio guy to talk to. Sad

My own futzing around in garageband leaves me sad, b/c I have experience only with CoolEdit (now Audition) and I can't seem to find the same ease of use in GB. So I get discouraged..not finding an easy way to edit at all. Nor am I sure that my Samson USB mic and preamp is going to be satisfactory. So I see what you mean about looking into that shareware, thanks, and also creating holes in GB to edit, b/c I don't see any other way. That's why I need a Mac Genius! AHGH!

Throw in a little discouragement with the process here at V123 (several auditions, large numbers of talent auditioning,) and I wonder whether I'm throwing good money after this. However, I tell myself, one good job, and I've almost paid for it, so I trudge ahead.

Thanks for the input and ideas! Best of luck.
Heather

Heather Ruby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 188

BTW, why did you need this Fast Track 'interface.' Not sure what purpose that serves. Sorry, I'm no techie. I used to splice audio tape, but this is beyond me!
Heather

Maya Kuper · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 97

The interface is what goes between the microphone and the computer. Smile

It connects to your computer via USB or FireWire, and the microphone connects to the interface with its regular old mic cable.

The interface serves as a preamp for your mic, and a headphone amp for you. It's basically like an external sound card for your computer with much better quality and less noise than the sound card that's built into your computer.

Heather Ruby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 188

Thanks, Maya. So this is for the regular, non USB mics. Thanks. Smile

HH

Maya Kuper · **Voice Seeker** Joined: 04 Oct 2006 Posts: 97

Yep! It's for old-fashioned mics. Not necessary for USB mics like the Samson C01U.

Heather Ruby · **Voice Talent** Joined: 08 Sep 2006 Posts: 188

Just did my first response to a lead in my own closet with my Macbook, Samson usb mic and edited in garageband. I have to say, I'm shocked at the quality. I don't have a preamp really,other than this cheesy Samson one, and yet the sound was okay..certainly CD quality, I think.

So I just wanted to update you guys on my original post. I think this is gonna work after all! Thanks for your input.

Heather

Connie Blasing · **Voice Talent** Joined: 07 May 2005 Posts: 1

Some very good info. Thanks for sharing all that. I'm in gearing up mode for buying a computer. I have been going back and forth between a Mac or a PC since I'm fairly familiar with both platforms. It looks like there's actually some great audio and editing software for Macs.