How can I avoid Garageband's metronome to get recorded in an Audio Track?

Question

kikedeolivos Author

Level 1

16 points

How can I avoid Garageband's metronome to get recorded in an Audio Track?

Hi all,

My setup

Korg M50 (1/4 outputs connected to the 2x1/4" inputs on the back of the speakers, which have an Audio interface)

Macbook (GB)

Alesis M1Active 320 USB speakers with Audio interface. http://www.alesis.com/m1active320usb?tt=5

Workflow

I open a session in GB, create a new Real Instrument Track and setup input and output via the Alesis monitors, which have an Audio Interface and are connected via USB to the Macbook.

I turn the metronome ON, ie, I'm recording a bass line (Real instrument, not MIDI) and the metronome click is being recorded with the bass line. Turning off the Metronome is not an option because I need it to keep up with the tempo. Anyhow, if I was to record the bassline without the metronome and then, on a new instrument track I record a piano (Real instrument track), the piano gets recorded along with the bass line which resides on Track 1.

I've tried to use the Macbook Audio input (Same trial) and the speakers as an USB output, setup the recording levels on GB, metronome on or off and the metronome doesn't get recorded along with each track, so, it works.

Any help on this matter is appreciated.

Thank you.

GarageBand (Mac) '11, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 13, 2012 10:52 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

kikedeolivos Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 13, 2012 12:01 PM in response to Keith Barkley

No bleed from the speakers or headphones, it's just the INPUT.
If I use the speakers - which are a USB Audio interface - input, the metronome gets recorded along with any audio track.

If I don't use the metronome and record an audio track, when I record a second audio track, this new track is also with the playback of the first one...very annoying, which doesn't happen if I use the Macbook input, ie, plug in my keyboard to the 1/8" audio port on the Macbook.

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Answer 2

Philip76

Level 1

4 points

Jul 24, 2017 4:02 PM in response to kikedeolivos

I know it's been five years and you will have given up or solved this by now, but I think I have found the solution to your problem and this might be helpful to others who search for the same problem.

Garageband isn't recording your metronome.

What is happening is that you've probably left the metronome turned on, and this means it will run *during playback*. This had me confused for ages the other day, and I finally realised I needed to turn OFF the metronome during playback, otherwise I would hear it over my recordings. Try turning it off each time you finish recording.

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Answer 3

Mar 13, 2012 11:58 AM in response to kikedeolivos

The only way is to use headphones.

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Answer 4

kikedeolivos Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 13, 2012 12:05 PM in response to Keith Barkley

The metronome is NOT being captured / recorded through the Macbook internal mic. (Playback through the speakers). The metronome is being recorded via the INPUT which I set to Alesis USB Stereo Audio Codec.

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Answer 5

Mar 13, 2012 12:49 PM in response to kikedeolivos

Sounds like an Alesis problem.

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Answer 6

kikedeolivos Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 13, 2012 1:10 PM in response to Keith Barkley

Connections are as follows.

1) From the keyboard (2x1/4"'s male) to the back of the Alesis (2x1/4"'s female, labeled as Input)

2) From the Alesis USB to an USB port on the Macbook.

3) In System Preferences/Audio, Input and Output are set to USB Audio Codec driver. (Alesis)

4) Open Garageband, select a Real Instrument Track, set input to Stereo 1 / 2 USB Audio Codec. (Alesis driver)

I should be able to record any track with/without the metronome or previous tracks being recorded along with the new real instrument (Audio) track: not happening.

Thanks

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Answer 7

kikedeolivos Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 13, 2012 2:05 PM in response to kikedeolivos

Routing the output to the Macbook worked out but it's frustrating to monitor the input from the speakers and listen the result from the headphones connected to the Macbook.

I just found out that the bit resolution (In and Out) on the Macbook is 24 and on the speakers, 16.

I think that, if no mic is necessary, the Macbook audio board is more than enough for a decent keyboard / bass / guitar recording. Perhaps I should sell these Alesis and buy a cheaper 2.1 (Have my Alesis headset flat response for mixing) and a little mixer with phantom power, if vocals through a condenser mic are required.

Thanks

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Answer 8

isteveus

Level 5

4,334 points

Mar 13, 2012 6:25 PM in response to kikedeolivos

If you go to Garageband > Preferences > Audio midi and choose the alesis for both input and output. it will work as advertised. Right now you are recording from the built in mic and not the alesis audio interface, that is why you are getting the metronome.

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Answer 9

kikedeolivos Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 13, 2012 7:10 PM in response to isteveus

I always do that and no fruit. How can a REAL instrument track , direct from my keyboard could be recorded from the mic?

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Answer 10

isteveus

Level 5

4,334 points

Mar 13, 2012 7:19 PM in response to kikedeolivos

What sound like is happening is you have the speakers playing the sound direct from the keyboard (dry). You then have the built in mic picking up the sound from the speakers, in this case both the keyboard audio and the metronome.

If you send the interface input to a garageband track then you can not get any bleed.

You need to send the interface input to garageband. You can then choose to monitor wet (keyboard after going to garageband) or dry.

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Answer 11

kikedeolivos Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 13, 2012 7:24 PM in response to isteveus

The speakers ar NOT being used for monitoring the recording: I'm recording with headsets.

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Answer 12

isteveus

Level 5

4,334 points

Mar 13, 2012 7:47 PM in response to kikedeolivos

There is no way to record the metronome to a audio track without using a mic. Likewise if you are using a audio interface with a keyboard line out to a track, there is no way to also record the playback from another track.

It is possible to send track playback and metronome to a interface input and send it back to another track along with a instrument but that would take planning and setup or a very big user mistake.

Also just want to make sure you know setting the System Preference > Sound in and output does not set garageband in and output. You have to set it in garageband preferences.

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Answer 13

kikedeolivos Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 13, 2012 8:32 PM in response to isteveus

"...Also just want to make sure you know setting the System Preference > Sound in and output does not set garageband in and output. You have to set it in garageband preferences.."

Yes, I know from day one.

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Answer 14

Mar 14, 2012 7:10 AM in response to isteveus

I am not exactly sure what is going on, but I think the Alesis takes all the audio input signals and routes them through the speakers *and* the USB bus.

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Answer 15

isteveus

Level 5

4,334 points

Mar 14, 2012 7:25 AM in response to Keith Barkley

I think the same thing Keith. I would guess the op has the computer audio out plugged into the speaker and it's being routed back through the usb (or the built in mic). That is why I said it would take planning and setup or a big mistake to do.

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