Topic: martin acoustic/electric > ua-5 > macbook > GB ???

[jctibbitts]

yeah, so I haven't taped in a while but I still have my modded Edirol UA-5 and I was playing with Garage band for the first time and had a question and thought I would ask it here (not sure if this is the right forum either).

So I have a Martin acoustic / electric and I'm trying to record on garageband.  The built-in mic on my macbook works and recordings (just for fun) don't really sound that bad, but I want to go directly into my mac.  Could I go into my UA-5 (and use that to power the electronics on my martin) and usb out of the ua-5 into my macbook?

I would just try...but I lost the USB cord for the ua-5 and before I go running around town i thought i'd ask.  google searches tell me to buy the M Audio Fast Track recording hub...but if this ua-5 will do it i'd rather not spend the $120.

Thanks

[Chris K]

it should work.

martin > guitar cord > trs input of UA-5 > usb cable > Macbook > Garageband

when i had a ua-5 i tried this but with cubase on my mac g4 and it worked. you will have to make sure your audio preferences is using the ua-5 for input.

also, the UA-5 does not use a special usb cable, any usb cable you have lying around will work.

good luck!

[Krispy D]

yes any old USB cable will work.  you could also just mic the guitar and not introduce the internal pre at all.  I would use two mics and get one behind the sound hole near the bridge and another higher up halfway up the neck.  This is a very common acoustic micing technique and can produce some really nice results.

something like this:

[Matt Quinn]

If the preamps are modded in the UA5, I don't think it will work, as the Oade mod disables the 1/4" inputs.


Krispy has the right idea, mic up the guitar itself. I supose you could also use adapters & go in through the RCA inputs on the back of the Edirol, too.

[Krispy D]

If the preamps are modded in the UA5, I don't think it will work, as the Oade mod disables the 1/4" inputs.


Krispy has the right idea, mic up the guitar itself. I supose you could also use adapters & go in through the RCA inputs on the back of the Edirol, too.

You could but it will sound like shit.  Two pre's. It's gonna get hummy!  I've done exactly what the op is trying to do.  the mics are his best bet.

[jctibbitts]

yeah, I could do the mic route but I don't have mics anymore.  Just trying to do something with what I have here and have it be as small and compast as possible. this isn't for anything serious, just playing around.

i know this ua-5 is modded, but not sure what mod it is.  so it won't be the preamp if i go 1/4 inch in?  and it will sound shitty if i just adapters go 1/8 inch in?

so if i'm looking to go directly into my mac with my acoustic/electric (w/o mics) what's the best route?

[Krispy D]

depending on your mac you should be able to just run straight in to your machine.  1/4 out of the guitar into a 1/4-1/8 in adapter into the mic in on the back.  Then go into preferences and under the audio tab change the input to line level.  Done.  Avoid the UA5 all together.