Applies to: All Interfaces

Note: This walkthrough is using GarageBand Version 10.3.2 and a Clarett 2Pre USB - the screenshots might look different in other versions.

Please open GarageBand, and select Empty Project in order to create a new project. In this area, you can also pre-select your interface as the Input Device and Output Device by expanding the Details section. Once done click Choose.

With an Empty Project you can now select your track type - for audio recording, we can select either Microphone or Instrument. Select the one appropriate for your recording input. In this view, you can also select the Input you want to record and also the audio input and output device if this was not set previously. 

When selecting your Input you can select either a mono input or a stereo input. If you are not sure which is right for your recording please look at our article about Mono vs. Stereo and When To Use Them

Now Press Create and a new Untitled Project will be created. If you are not sure of your audio settings you can always change or check your audio input and output settings by selecting the following.

GarageBand > Preferences > Audio/MIDI

Now your interface is selected as the Input and Output audio device you can now begin recording. On your audio track, you can now also select the input you are using on your device. 

To begin recording your selected input you can now either press Record from the transport bar or press R on your keyboard.

Input Monitoring & Record Enable

Using input monitoring you can hear your input from an instrument or microphone going into GarageBand while you play and record. When you turn on input monitoring for a track, you will hear the sound from the musical instrument or microphone going through GarageBand along with any plugins or effects you add to your track.

Using the record enable function in GarageBand you can enable more than 1 audio track to record at the same time. For example, if you want to record vocals on a microphone and a guitar both connected to an interface at the same time you can enable recording on both tracks in GarageBand.

To find these functions in GarageBand right-click your audio track in GarageBand and select Configure Track Header

Now tick the boxes next to Record Enable and Input Monitoring

These options will now be selectable for all audio tracks in your project.

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Further information on GarageBand's functions and features can be found by turning on the Quick Help Button or by going to Apple's GarageBand User Guide page.