Now that I've covered some of the basics of getting audio in to your Mac, let me look at the software options. The Peavey XPort is a USB device designed specifically for electric guitars. If you don't have a dedicated line in, USB devices such as the Peavey XPort provide a suitable input and are designed specifically for electric guitars. Currently, the only Mac models that have a dedicated line in port are the Mac mini and Mac Pro. If you have an electric guitar, you'll need to make sure you have a line in connection on your Mac. The Blue Microphones Snowball USB mic is a popular microphone for budding musicians and podcasters. These types of microphones offer a high quality of sound and can be used to record conversations, vocals and musical instruments. Occasionally, some devices use proprietary drivers so double-check before spending any money.Ī popular USB microphone that's a good all-rounder for recording both vocals and musical instruments is the Blue Microphones Snowball USB Mic.

Mac OS X supports the ASIO (Audio Stream Input/Output) standard which the majority of USB devices are developed for. Tip: Always check with the manufacturer before purchasing and audio interface. Many of them are fully Mac compatible and require no drivers to install, they simply appear as a usable audio input device in System Preferences. Whilst your Mac will likely have a built-in microphone (with the exception of the Mac mini and Mac Pro) which can be used, the quality is mediocre at best.įor the best results, it's recommended to use a dedicated audio device such as a USB microphone that best suits your needs.

If you're wanting to capture audio such as vocals, musical instruments or even just dictating notes, you'll need a way of getting that external audio in to the Mac. In this tutorial, I'll look at the different ways you can capture and record audio to include in your future projects. But no matter how good your musical or conversational aspirations are, they'll be for nought if we can't effectively capture our music or record our conversations. Whether you're wanting to become the next Bob Dylan or start your own podcast, the Mac has some of the best software around to help you make this a reality.

Capture desktop audio mac