Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
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- neilrocks25
- Hall of Fame Member
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- Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:17 am
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Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
I have looked at an iMac and MacBook Pro for music recording and production.
I leaning more towerds getting the MacBook as space is a premium, but I won't have enough usb ins and outs.
Any ideas how to get round this I will need to run the following off USB
Audio interface
NI maschine
Keyboard
And possibly a fader bank. Sounds a lot but surprisingly I can fit this into a small amount of space.
Is it possible to use the Lightning connectors, I know there is a FireWire interface?
Or perhaps use the USB controllers on a USB 2 bank that goes into the USB 3 slot.
It's either that or throw my wife out to make space for an iMac and desk, I don't think my son would be too happy though.
I leaning more towerds getting the MacBook as space is a premium, but I won't have enough usb ins and outs.
Any ideas how to get round this I will need to run the following off USB
Audio interface
NI maschine
Keyboard
And possibly a fader bank. Sounds a lot but surprisingly I can fit this into a small amount of space.
Is it possible to use the Lightning connectors, I know there is a FireWire interface?
Or perhaps use the USB controllers on a USB 2 bank that goes into the USB 3 slot.
It's either that or throw my wife out to make space for an iMac and desk, I don't think my son would be too happy though.
Gear
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
I just use a USB hub so I can plug multiple USBs into one slot. Some things like interface should have their own but I have things like monitors plugged into multiples
Gear:
1976 Gibson Les Paul Custom
2016 Gibson The Element AL13 1958 Standard Historic Les Paul
2016 Leo Lospenatto TV-Star Mötor Custom
2015 Ronin Songbird Custom
2015 Maton MS500 50th Anniversary Edition
2014 Rickenbacker 4003 Jet Glo
1975 Hiwatt DR103
1974 Hiwatt cab SE4122 W/ Fane speakers
2015 Verellen Skyhammer amp
2015 Verellen 4x12 cab w/ WGS Vet 30 speakers
2016 Benson Monarch
2016 Benson Rotary Cab
25 delays
"wouldn't play a Laney if you paid me"
1976 Gibson Les Paul Custom
2016 Gibson The Element AL13 1958 Standard Historic Les Paul
2016 Leo Lospenatto TV-Star Mötor Custom
2015 Ronin Songbird Custom
2015 Maton MS500 50th Anniversary Edition
2014 Rickenbacker 4003 Jet Glo
1975 Hiwatt DR103
1974 Hiwatt cab SE4122 W/ Fane speakers
2015 Verellen Skyhammer amp
2015 Verellen 4x12 cab w/ WGS Vet 30 speakers
2016 Benson Monarch
2016 Benson Rotary Cab
25 delays
"wouldn't play a Laney if you paid me"
- neilrocks25
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- Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:17 am
- Location: British isles
Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
That's what I thought, I wish Apple did a USB hub for their lightening 2 interface it would make a lot of sense.
Gear
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
- nightflameauto
- Crystal Lettucer
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Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
On my recording macs I just keep a hub for all the piddly shit. Keyboard, mouse, drawing tablet (useful for MIDI input sometimes), backup drives, etc. Main USB/Firewire/Lightning interface is used for recording drives, interface, and any audio intensive devices.
- neilrocks25
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- Posts: 4759
- Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:17 am
- Location: British isles
Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
nightflameauto wrote:On my recording macs I just keep a hub for all the piddly shit. Keyboard, mouse, drawing tablet (useful for MIDI input sometimes), backup drives, etc. Main USB/Firewire/Lightning interface is used for recording drives, interface, and any audio intensive devices.
I am just hoping multiple USB controllers will be ok, and the bandwidth will be high enough
Gear
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
- nightflameauto
- Crystal Lettucer
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Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
neilrocks25 wrote:nightflameauto wrote:On my recording macs I just keep a hub for all the piddly shit. Keyboard, mouse, drawing tablet (useful for MIDI input sometimes), backup drives, etc. Main USB/Firewire/Lightning interface is used for recording drives, interface, and any audio intensive devices.
I am just hoping multiple USB controllers will be ok, and the bandwidth will be high enough
I've never had a problem and my main has two hubs with tons of crap attached to them. If anything gets iffy it's letting a Time Machine backup roll while recording multiple tracks. I just try to remember to shut off backups during sessions.
- Sex Panther
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Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
Don't do it. 
(Glad I could help
)

(Glad I could help

- neilrocks25
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- Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:17 am
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Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
nightflameauto wrote:neilrocks25 wrote:nightflameauto wrote:On my recording macs I just keep a hub for all the piddly shit. Keyboard, mouse, drawing tablet (useful for MIDI input sometimes), backup drives, etc. Main USB/Firewire/Lightning interface is used for recording drives, interface, and any audio intensive devices.
I am just hoping multiple USB controllers will be ok, and the bandwidth will be high enough
I've never had a problem and my main has two hubs with tons of crap attached to them. If anything gets iffy it's letting a Time Machine backup roll while recording multiple tracks. I just try to remember to shut off backups during sessions.
Ok good to know maschine for example has 2 screens and lots of buttons, lights etc. mixed with a keyboard and maybe faders I worry about it being too much. But I guess I won't hit everything at once.
Sex Panther wrote:Don't do it.
(Glad I could help)
I am sick of pc recording, I have a pc laptop already and it's ok but it does glitch and I thought it was time to move up as I need to upgrade cubase etc.
I used to build dedicated pc's but now it's time to move on
Gear
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
- nightflameauto
- Crystal Lettucer
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Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
For a reference, my old computer (we're talking iMac from 2010 or so) I could roll twelve MIDI tracks and about 15 audio tracks with TONS of plugins per track before things would start getting sketchy. My iMac from last year I haven't ever scratched the surface of outpacing the CPUs.
- neilrocks25
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Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
nightflameauto wrote:For a reference, my old computer (we're talking iMac from 2010 or so) I could roll twelve MIDI tracks and about 15 audio tracks with TONS of plugins per track before things would start getting sketchy. My iMac from last year I haven't ever scratched the surface of outpacing the CPUs.
Cool, I think an iMac would be better but space and portability is the problem
Gear
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
- nightflameauto
- Crystal Lettucer
- Posts: 15543
- Joined: Thu May 30, 2013 10:29 pm
- Contact:
Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
neilrocks25 wrote:nightflameauto wrote:For a reference, my old computer (we're talking iMac from 2010 or so) I could roll twelve MIDI tracks and about 15 audio tracks with TONS of plugins per track before things would start getting sketchy. My iMac from last year I haven't ever scratched the surface of outpacing the CPUs.
Cool, I think an iMac would be better but space and portability is the problem
Yeah, it's basically the same computer these days. Just a different case/screen and IO options.
- neilrocks25
- Hall of Fame Member
- Posts: 4759
- Joined: Fri Jan 18, 2013 2:17 am
- Location: British isles
Re: Thinking about getting a MacBook Pro for music recording
nightflameauto wrote:neilrocks25 wrote:nightflameauto wrote:For a reference, my old computer (we're talking iMac from 2010 or so) I could roll twelve MIDI tracks and about 15 audio tracks with TONS of plugins per track before things would start getting sketchy. My iMac from last year I haven't ever scratched the surface of outpacing the CPUs.
Cool, I think an iMac would be better but space and portability is the problem
Yeah, it's basically the same computer these days. Just a different case/screen and IO options.
Good to know, thank you

Gear
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/
Gibson les paul Traditional, les Paul signature T, U.S strat, Japanese Strat , 1970s Greco Tele, Charvel So-Cal Pro Mod style 1, Fernandes TEJ-85, 70's Greco tele. Marshall JVM 205c (Dan Gower modded), JCM900 SL-X, some pedals, Yamaha THR10
YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn9mDZX16nm60_-wcgZg9Vg/videos
Website https://www.guitarsmusicandtech.com/