Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

My Recording Setup – How I create Jam Tracks

by 28 Comments

I get lots of questions from site members wanting to know what my “home recording studio” setup is for recording these weekly jam tracks, so I’ve put together 2 videos to walk you through the process. The first video video is a quick walk-through of the hardware that I use, and the second video is a tutorial on software.

I record everything on my 3 year old Apple MacBook Pro (the best investment I ever made), using Apple Logic X (multi-track recording software). I have Komplete Audio 6 audio interface that I use for connecting a keyboard to my laptop. With the keyboard I record all piano, organ, and bass parts. Other than that I use an iRig which allows me to connect my electric guitar to my laptop via USB, all guitar and amp effects are simulated through Apple Logic X (which I’ll show on the video). And really that’s my entire “studio”. It’s inexpensive, super easy to use, and 100% portable.

Here’s the first video, which is a brief walk-through of the hardware that is involved.

Home Recording Video Part 1 (Hardware)

And here’s the second video which gives you a fairly thorough overview of the Apple Logic X software that I use for multi-track recording. It’s easier to see this one if you click on the little “Full Screen” icon in the bottom right corner.

Home Recording Video Part 1 (Software)

If you have any additional questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

Comments

  2. Brian, simply Thank you!! Between you and Bryce’s audio and recording demo’s I have no more excuses except time. I am deeply grateful for the time you invested to do this.

    I started using garage band but I have Logic and have been experimenting with both, the interfaces are pretty similar…..I have been using IRig for the guitar into my ipad garageband and am amazed by the simplicity. I am also playing with my Fender mustang 3 direct into the mac and software, but can’t figure out yet how to override the apple instrument effects to capture my M3 only…..lots of experiments….will settle on a standard workflow soon.

    One question you may help with…in my experiments I used an apple guitar rhythm preset, I was in the key of E and it chugs along forever in E. Is there a way in garageband or Logic to preset or automate a progression or is the only option to record 2 bars of E, then one bar of A, then E again etc….which I am doing by going to the key on the top menu and changing it for the new bar….

    Thanks for your help I am very grateful…

    Roberto

    • Roberto, I don’t know of a way to preset a progression the way that you’re describing. I would probably do it the way you are. Hopefully you’re just copying and pasting those bars of E and A when you have to reuse them, instead of re-recording them each time.

      • Thanks Brian!

        LOL, The copying didn’t occur to me until after a few attempts….that obviously were always off by a bit of some element, usually time……so I learned the hard way! But, yes, now doing it that way. Seems like it should have hit me….but the idea of reusing a piece of music was somewhat foreign as a beginner at this….

        It’s kind of odd that with all the power in that software that presetting a blues progression or simply laying out chords in a bar isn’t in there…..will do more research on it….

        Thank you!

        Roberto

    • You could record the progression onto a loop pedal, and then pass it into Logic to create a track.

      I suppose it would be just as easy to cut/paste a sequence of measures, as Brian suggested in his response, but this would be a good excuse to buy a loop pedal, if you don’t already have one. 🙂

      -IAmHe

  3. Thanks for that Brian,

    nice to see how you work.

    If I may, here’s a tip for everyone just starting out recording stuff – put a turnaround first! It’s a really good way to settle in and feel the pulse of the track before you commit yourself.

    BBG

  4. Hi Brian,
    Thanks for this.

    Very similar to my process when I use GarageBand.

    I had a couple more questions:
    1. In Logic X ‘Drummer’ is the drummer track a MIDI track? If so, I think that it is worth pointing out that that allows one to get into a much more detailed level of editing (length of drumbeats, placement of drumbeats and so on) than just accepting what the ‘Drummer’ presets give you when you move the ‘ball’ around the screen, and so on.

    2. Do you use a method similar to the one that Bryce described when you are actually recording videos – i.e., do you record the your performance to Logic on the computer at the same time you are recording the video, and later synch your computer performance to the video, thereby replacing the video camera’s audio track?

    Non keyboard players might also be interested to know that the Alesis (USB) keyboard you showed in Part 1 does not have weighted keys (as your Kawai does) – that might be an important detail for some people (by the way, Alesis is a respected audio component manufacturer – their drum machines, in particular are very well known).

    Thanks again,

    drutgat

    • By default, the drum track is not midi – but you can easily convert it to MIDI by RIGHT clicking the track and choosing “Convert to MIDI”

      As for the video – I have a video camera that has 2 XLR inputs, so the mic that picks up my voice is going into one of them, and my guitar is going into the other – Later I sync the backing track (MP3 file) – and completely lose the mic track (for the intro part)

  8. Thank you Brian – great explanations!!!

    I would be also interested to see some more Details behind recording of the actual lessons (what kind of camera, what kind of Mic to tap the amplifier, what kind of Amplifiers , etc…).

    Best regards and wishes – cheese

  9. That’s cool for sure unfortunately I’m a windows user. Are there any MixPad users out there? I think it’s a similar product for windows. I’ve downloaded the free version but hesitate to purchase the product. Not very impressed with the sound quality. Maybe the real thing would be better than the freebie?

  11. Hi Brian, all others reading,

    I have an iRig HD which Iuse through Amplitube on my iPad/iPhone but which I would also like to be able to use through my PC at times.

    Brian I see that you are using yours through a Mac with obviously excellent results, do you know of any software I can use on a PC please?

    I have tried using Amplitube 3 which does not appear to work and is far too complex in any case. IK appear to have stopped replying to any requests for help and assistance….

  13. Thanks Brian,
    I download the tracks with the lessons, on to my computer and use the tracks for each lesson when I need it. So it’s all set up where I just press on a certain track to play with. Thanks again Aloha Harold…

  15. OK…I’ve found that the option “Save link as…” isn’t actually saving the link (or the URL or “location” in compu-speak) but the file that the URL points to … so I’m saving the MP3 file itself…

    So don’t bother responding…I think I’ve got it. Sorry for any interruption!

    Jay

  17. I’m a new guy on here Brian and I use pro logic 9 which works quite well but have never figured out how to use my Yamaha weighted key piano with midi and just line it in through my interface.
    I’m wondering if you go into your interface with the midi cable ?
    I hav e a duet 2 in out.
    Thanks

    PS ….your working the Sh.t it of me

  18. I’m a new guy on here Brian and I use pro logic 9 which works quite well but have never figured out how to use my Yamaha weighted key piano with midi and just line it in through my interface.
    I’m wondering if you go into your interface with the midi cable ?
    I hav e a duet 2 in out.
    Thanks

    PS ….your working the Sh.t it of me
    Ok just looked it up , the duet does not support midi.

  19. Brian, I only joined Active Melody about a week ago but I’m loving the lessons. I’m a disabled Nam Vet and I’m 67 years old now. I’ve been playing since I was 15. I lost interest about a year ago so now I’m having to re-learn a lot of stuff. I heard you say you have a blues course that shows the boxes or patterns. I need that so could you tell me what the course number is for that? These lessons are a God send…especially for somebody like me. Many thanks. Oh yeah, I saw where a lot of guys were asking about aps to record their music. I use an app called Acoustica Home Studio Pro from Acoustica.com. Its simple to use and is loaded with great features. Not too expensive either.

    Daryl

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