Garageband 2, MacMini

[workshed]

I know, it's garageband and all, but now they boast up to 8 live tracks and their own version of Autotune. Sounds like they are really trying to take a chunk of the DAW market:

http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/

Oh, and the Mac Mini. Still not as cheap as a PC (no monitor), but they're getting closer:

http://www.apple.com/macmini/

-Bret

[tony moore]

i'll prolly get flamed for this, but i really dig garageband. the new features will make it very useable for me. i didn't see it mentioned, what does it record at? 16/44? and can i use the instruments that came with logic? which i dread every time i plug in that silly dongle...

the macmini looks like another cube to me. not that the cube was bad. and i guess you could save several hundred going the route of a mini and a cheaper monitor vs an imac...

tony

[workshed]

I like Garageband for a lot of things as well. I like the built-in software instruments quite a bit, because well, I just don't have the money or energy to learn how to use real synths. Just plug in my Keystation and it works. I've also found Garageband to be better for sketching a song out. Less labor involved than setting up PT. Like anything, Garageband is best if you delve beneath the surface and find the lesser-documented features.

I'd assume it records at whatever your hardware is capable of. Not sure on that, but I use my MBox with mine, so I'd guess it's limited to the A/D converters on that.

While GB is pretty limited from a "pro" standpoint, it has its uses. Also, there is a sweet compressor plugin setting hidden in there that adds some great analog warmth to tracks. Try it on the grand piano software instrument. Sounds awesome.

Mac Mini is pretty cool in some ways, but i agree that it's like a budget cube. There are probably some great uses for it, but probaby not as a primary audio workstation.

I'm going to have to face an upgrade soon, as my Dual G4 450 is starting to buckle at audio and video tasks. This machine has served me well, but it looks like it might be time to upgrade to a G5.

-Bret

[tony moore]

i dig!

it'll be interesting to see how far apple takes garageband. i've been wrestling with logic for about 6 months now and am realizing i'll only use 5% of what it can do. if garageband 3 has just a few more features, it would prolly become my only audio program. i mean, who am i kidding, my music is made for me and friends and such.

yep, i dig the sounds in garageband too and was interested to see there are more fx for gb 2...

i keep waiting to see if they'll ever come out with a g5 laptop. but my little pb 12 is still chugging along and i use it for week, play, music, home, you name it.

so if it took them not qute a year to upgrade gb, when is logic due?

tony

[splice]

I checked out that Mac Mini today. Went through the steps, as though I was going to buy it, and after adding in the extra ram and what-not to get it up to par for recording. It came out to like $1200, and that was maxed out at 1 gig of ram. Yuck. I think there are better ways of spending less money.

[workshed]

Yeah, I think it's probably geared as more of an entry-level Mac for casual users. I can't see using that thing for anything too intenstive where you'd want the ability to upgrade it. Unfortunately for Apple, you can buy a completely outfitted PC for the $499 entry point, *and* it's more upgradable.

I'm holding out for one of those Dual 2.5 gHZ G5s, myself. Mmmm, dual G5.

-Bret

[Milkmansound]

or at the very least the mac mini G5...

[tony moore]

noone in their right mind would buy ram from mac!

[adoigi]

noone in their right mind would buy ram from mac!

I agree...way too expensive!But have you got an alternative?

[spankenstein]

Best Buy, CompUSA, Frys... Memory for Macs is no different than memory for PCs

[darjama]

given the small form factor though, are you sure they're using standard DIMMs? I didn't see anything about it in the specs.

I'm typically a diehard PC guy, but a $500 machine that I can leave at my rehearsal space and haul my motu 828 back and forth from home sounds tempting. And if garageband doesn't float your boat, there's always tracktion.

[DryCounty]

I checked out that Mac Mini today. Went through the steps, as though I was going to buy it, and after adding in the extra ram and what-not to get it up to par for recording. It came out to like $1200, and that was maxed out at 1 gig of ram. Yuck. I think there are better ways of spending less money.

You should never do this via Apple's page -- get your own display, hell even a 19" VGA for around $150 and your own RAM (1 GB should equate to at MOST $200-250 via dealram.com). Apple is known for it's ridiculous prices on accessories/ram -- look elsewhere for everything else.

[jeddypoo]

I've been using garageband to record solo instruments and process my drum tracks (which I record with a DAW using Audicity), and I'm pretty goddamn impressed by the quality I'm getting out of it. It certainly depends on the type of music you do, but for me it's working out wonderfully. The only advantage Protools is gonna have for me once I get gb2 is editing. And I don't do much editing, cause I'm coming from an analog past.

[goldenechos]

I checked out that Mac Mini today. Went through the steps, as though I was going to buy it, and after adding in the extra ram and what-not to get it up to par for recording. It came out to like $1200, and that was maxed out at 1 gig of ram. Yuck. I think there are better ways of spending less money.

Well the interesting thing about RAM w/ the mini-mac is that it cost $75 to get yourself 512mb and $425! to get yourself a GIG of ram!!!!

If you can live with 512mb (and you probably can) the minimac is still pretty affordable.

tony echos

[62junior]

All ram is NOT created equal. With every OSX upgrade Apple has made more demands on RAM so many folks buying cheap RAM out there have experienced problems which have been attributed to RAM, ie. kernel panics etc. The good news is you can still get RAM for way cheaper than Apple sell it and most reputable dealers will give a lifetime guarantee on their DIMMS. Crucial, OWC, etc.

Just beware of blowout RAM.

peace, K.S.