hope you can help a gband beginner.....i'm using a fast track usb to record real bass onto garageband on a mac mini. my problem is low in put. i've whacked up the input volume on the computer to 10, same on the fast track but the bass notes barely register when i record. push the output volume up to full on the bass track and you can still hardly hear it. anyone got any ideas?
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I don't know the fasttrack - does it have a high-impedance instrument input -- or a switch for guitar vs. line level?
It sounds like you are piping a passive pickup bass into a line level input which is expecting much more voltage than the bass is putting out.
First and most obvious solution would be to use an effects pedal, compressor or preamplifier to boost the bass signal before it enters the Fasttrack.
Do you have access to any stomp boxes or outboard recording gear? A mixer?
A DI box that would allow you to connect the bass to the microphone input of the Fasttrack?
Ultimately, if you havs $100 or more, go and buy an amp/cabinet simulator box for the bass, like a Line6 Bass Pod, or something.
It sounds like you are piping a passive pickup bass into a line level input which is expecting much more voltage than the bass is putting out.
First and most obvious solution would be to use an effects pedal, compressor or preamplifier to boost the bass signal before it enters the Fasttrack.
Do you have access to any stomp boxes or outboard recording gear? A mixer?
A DI box that would allow you to connect the bass to the microphone input of the Fasttrack?
Ultimately, if you havs $100 or more, go and buy an amp/cabinet simulator box for the bass, like a Line6 Bass Pod, or something.
yeah, checked all that. i was assured when i bought the fast track that it had a pre-amp. tried to get in touch with m-audio but can't access their website
would it work if i ran a cable from the headphone socket of a practice amp to the back of the fast track and boost the signal that way?
would it work if i ran a cable from the headphone socket of a practice amp to the back of the fast track and boost the signal that way?
i use a yamaha rbx270 bass with a new cable, plugged into the back of the fast track, button on instrument setting and the fast track is plugged into the usb socket of the mac. i've also been using a cheap keyboard, not MIDI, through the fast track and the sound from that records at a high level.
OK, I still think you are running the bass through a line-level iinput. I'm confused about plugging into the back of the unit -- the inputs are on the front. The only input jacks on the back are the Insert jacks, which are line level.achingly hip said:
Plug the bass into one of the Mic/Inst inputs on the front of the Fasttrack, switch it to Inst rather than Line, disengage the Pad button if it is on, adjust the Gain knob until you get consistent green LED but not red Clip LED showing, and see what happens (make sure Phantom Power is turned off).
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thanks canada ram, but like i said in the top post i'm using fast track usb and the one in your post is fast track pro or mobile pre i think.....looking at the products on the m-audio website, my fast track is featured in their garageband focus page, so you would think it would work properly or maybe say 'not suitable for bass'
i see that on the fast track USB, they've got an icon of a guitar at the jack, one would think it'd take guitar...
with everything hooked up, try pressing the button in and out and let us know if it makes any difference at all. also confirm all volume positions for us, including guitar pickup and fast track gain.
plus, have you plugged headphones into the unit to see if the gain is proper there? maybe the issue is in the USB or computer area.
with everything hooked up, try pressing the button in and out and let us know if it makes any difference at all. also confirm all volume positions for us, including guitar pickup and fast track gain.
plus, have you plugged headphones into the unit to see if the gain is proper there? maybe the issue is in the USB or computer area.
tried it with a guitar and mic at the weekend. mic is hitachi hmp 606, plugged in with a jack, put fast track button on line and the same happened.... whacked up the input on the fast track and vocals barely registered on garageband. same with guitar. used my mate's Line 6 Pod XT to boost the signal to the fast track and that worked fine. must be the fast track box. this is actually the second one, i returned the first one because of the same problem. well pissed off that it doen't work.