Garageband - Can't hear while recording

Question

Rosebiddy Author

Level 1

4 points

Garageband - Can't hear while recording

I can't hear thru headphones and preamp while recording. Playback is fine.

Checked all preferences per previous posts.

Recording voice over, not music.

Catalina OS

Posted on Dec 6, 2020 9:12 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

iMacarroni

Level 2

357 points

Dec 7, 2020 11:37 AM in response to Rosebiddy

Greetings, This may be too obvious to mention, but, does the MobilePre have a direct monitor button like the one shown here?

There are two ways to monitor as you record: 1. Direct Monitor - the input signal gets sent to the headphones and line outs before it goes into the computer. 2. The signal goes to the computer and is processed (reverb, echo, etc.) and then is sent back to the MobilePre headphone out. 1. Is zero latency, 2. has some latency depending on other stuff.

If you can't monitor either way, I'll guess there's a hardware problem.

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Answer 2

Dec 7, 2020 4:03 PM in response to Rosebiddy

Hi again,

I suspect the M-Audio unit is incompatible with Catalina on some level. Catalina doesn't support any 32-bit software and I'm thinking that the M-Audio "software control panel" too old to work with Catalina. This image is what I'm talking about. Is this software loaded?

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Answer 3

Dec 8, 2020 11:39 AM in response to Rosebiddy

Hi again,

One last thing you could try that wouldn't cost anything is to download and install "soundflower" a free app that lets you route audio on a Mac. After installing it you could set "sound flower 2 channel" in GarageBand output settings and set the MobilePre as the output for the soundflower output. Sounds screwy but, you never know. Maybe tinkering around with the outputs could serendipitously turn up the solution.

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Answer 4

Rosebiddy Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 6, 2020 10:29 PM in response to Rosebiddy

Additional info:

GB 10.3.5

Audio-Technica XLR mic and Headphones -- recording and playback okay

M-Audio MobilePre

I followed these procedures and still can't hear during recording.

Checked System Preferences > Input & Output - shows the MobilePre

Checked System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Microphone -- GB is checked

Checked GB Preferences > Audio/MIDI > Devices -- output and input correctly show MobilePre

Track header -- monitoring icon is on (highlighted)

Restarted GB after plugging in all equipment

Rechecked all the above settings

Still no sound thru the headphones while recording.

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Answer 5

Rosebiddy Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 7, 2020 2:49 PM in response to iMacarroni

I have an older MobilePre which does not have a direct monitor button on front or back.

Tested gear (same mic, headphones, preamp) with Audacity and I can hear myself during recording (although there is a latency issue). Playback is fine.

Just can't hear using Garageband so I suspect there's another setting I'm overlooking.

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Answer 6

Rosebiddy Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 7, 2020 8:30 PM in response to iMacarroni

Hi, again. Thank you for your continued efforts to solve this problem. I appreciate it!

I was unable to install the MobilePre driver as the MacBook 2020 has no SuperDrive. I had called M-Audio support to see if they had a driver, but the rep had not heard of that model (PID/Ver: 200F on the back sticker) and couldn't help me. It is an older model (8/2007) but I have a friend using this same model and it works on his PC, although he doesn't use headphones.

I decided to plug in all the gear and see what happens. As I said above, with Audacity I got recording and playback, but there was a latency with the headphones during recording, so I thought I'd try Garageband and unfortunately get no sound thru the headphones during recording.

I also tried plugging in the headphones in the MacBook headphone jack, but same problem.

I just now tried the same gear using my previous MacBook (2010 with GB 6.0.5), went through the settings for input/output, and still no sound through the headphones during recording. I also installed the MobilePre driver on the old computer, but it won't work on an Intel Mac.

I'm thinking of trying next:

• Continue looking for a fix for the latency issue with Audacity

• A third software

I'm open to more suggestions 'cause I'm stumped!

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Answer 7

Dec 9, 2020 8:31 AM in response to Rosebiddy

On El Capitan, and some other Mac OS versions you are able to change the security levels for what you are allowed to install. I can not guarantee that the software you downloaded does not contain malware, it is your judgement that will have to make that decision. If you choose to install it you may be able to by opening the System Preferences (under the little apple in the menu bar) / Security & Privacy / General tab.

There you can temporarily allow other software to be installed.

Soundflower is a useful app if you are into audio on the computer. I have had it installed on several systems and have never noticed any malware problems.

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