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Forbodium · Apr 6, 2006, 02:02 PM

I've been using OSX for about 5 months now and just recently decided to check out the Garageband (v2.0.1) app that comes with OS 10.4. My question is pretty basic, but I can't figure out the answer. How can I use it to record the sound that my Mac is playing? I could see the sound of a streaming video being registered on the level meters, and I can see the "head" moving along the timeline during recording, but no sound actually gets recorded. Why is it not working?

jam8 · Apr 6, 2006, 02:44 PM

You are probably trying to record over a software instrument track. You can only record what you are trying to do over a "basic" track. Go to the menu on the top of your screen, hit track, and hit new basic track. Then select this new track, hit the record button, and that should do the trick!

Forbodium · Apr 6, 2006, 03:26 PM

I tried making a "Basic" track and having that selected while recording. The resulting track is still silent. However, now I know that the level meter was actually showing the results of having the Metronome activated (by default). When I turn that off, I can see that the meter doesn't register the sound that my Mac is playing. I've tried the streaming video's sound, I've tried an aiff file, both played in itunes and played in Quicktime Player. I can't get it to record this stuff (or anything else, yet).

Can you (or anyone else) help me get this app to record something (anything, as long as I can see some kind of result)?

Jacke · Apr 6, 2006, 04:10 PM

AFAIK, Garageband only takes audio from an audio input, such as a built-in mic or line-in. (Meaning it doesn't record what your Mac is playing.)

If you want to add an AIFF file to your song you can just drag-and-drop it in there.

Forbodium · Apr 6, 2006, 04:46 PM

I was actually hoping to just record the sound from the streaming video. I guess I will have to find an app that specifically allows recording the Mac's sound. Don't know why Apple would make a sound-editing app that doesn't have this feature.

Thanks to both of you for the help.

Jacke · Apr 6, 2006, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Forbodium

Don't know why Apple would make a sound-editing app that doesn't have this feature.

Uh, it's called Garageband, as in a band in a garage. It's meant to simplify the process of making your own music to the degree that it's fun.

You might want to check out Wiretap Pro or Audio Hijack Pro, which both seem to do that sort of thing.