If your using a microphone that connects with a audio line-in cable, then plug it into your Mac's headphone port, Apple has combined the audio line-in and the headphone ports on the latest MacBooks. Now we need to tweak your apps to use that microphone instead of the default built in mic. MacBook Pro (From $1,299.99 at Best Buy) Lenovo IdeaPad (From $299.99 at Best Buy). You have to hit 'Allow' when Hangouts asks for permission to use your microphone to record audio (or video. Imovie for macbook pro tutorial.
Whether you run a podcast or like recording musical covers, you can probably benefit from live monitoring your audio input. That is, with the input turned on, the sounds you input are automatically fed through the output so you hear back the sounds as you're making them. The effect is similar to using a microphone on stage and hearing the sound instantly pump through the speakers around you.
Having this feature is important for testing out your microphone's volume level, the proximity to the speaker, audio quality and more. Perhaps you also just want to capture a bit more reverb. Here are two ways on the Mac to enable live monitoring for free.
Note: This will work for both your Mac's built-in microphone as well as third-party microphone accessories.Download AudioMonitor
How To Use Microphone On Macbook Pro
AudioMonitor is a free application for OS X that lets you monitor and edit the audio input coming into your Mac. You can download it at Softpedia. Note that it downloads as 'MTCoreAudio' but for our intents and purposes, the application itself is AudioMonitor.
How To Allow Browser To Use Microphone On Macbook
When you download the program, it'll reveal itself as a package of contents. The only one you need to be interested in is AudioMonitor. Drag that icon over to the Applications folder on your Mac to install the program. Feel free to discard the rest.
Once you can launch AudioMonitor from Applications, you'll notice it's a very basic and lightweight app. Before you turn on live monitoring, make sure you select the proper input at the top. If you're using your Mac's microphone, keep the Built-In Microphone and Internal Microphone options selected. Otherwise, choose the name of your accessory in the drop down menu when it's connected.
Also verify the output source is correct at the bottom. When you're all set, click Play Through to turn on live monitoring. You can test it out by turning up the volume on your computer and speaking into the microphone. You should hear your own voice play back to you in realtime, which means live monitoring is working.
Use GarageBand
GarageBand is typically used for musical instruments and recording projects, but if you don't want to download a new app, GarageBand also has a live monitoring feature. I prefer using AudioMonitor because it's way more lightweight and straightforward, but GarageBand works fine too.
Whether you run a podcast or like recording musical covers, you can probably benefit from live monitoring your audio input. That is, with the input turned on, the sounds you input are automatically fed through the output so you hear back the sounds as you're making them. The effect is similar to using a microphone on stage and hearing the sound instantly pump through the speakers around you.
Having this feature is important for testing out your microphone's volume level, the proximity to the speaker, audio quality and more. Perhaps you also just want to capture a bit more reverb. Here are two ways on the Mac to enable live monitoring for free.
Note: This will work for both your Mac's built-in microphone as well as third-party microphone accessories.Download AudioMonitor
How To Use Microphone On Macbook Pro
AudioMonitor is a free application for OS X that lets you monitor and edit the audio input coming into your Mac. You can download it at Softpedia. Note that it downloads as 'MTCoreAudio' but for our intents and purposes, the application itself is AudioMonitor.
How To Allow Browser To Use Microphone On Macbook
When you download the program, it'll reveal itself as a package of contents. The only one you need to be interested in is AudioMonitor. Drag that icon over to the Applications folder on your Mac to install the program. Feel free to discard the rest.
Once you can launch AudioMonitor from Applications, you'll notice it's a very basic and lightweight app. Before you turn on live monitoring, make sure you select the proper input at the top. If you're using your Mac's microphone, keep the Built-In Microphone and Internal Microphone options selected. Otherwise, choose the name of your accessory in the drop down menu when it's connected.
Also verify the output source is correct at the bottom. When you're all set, click Play Through to turn on live monitoring. You can test it out by turning up the volume on your computer and speaking into the microphone. You should hear your own voice play back to you in realtime, which means live monitoring is working.
Use GarageBand
GarageBand is typically used for musical instruments and recording projects, but if you don't want to download a new app, GarageBand also has a live monitoring feature. I prefer using AudioMonitor because it's way more lightweight and straightforward, but GarageBand works fine too.
All you need to do is open GarageBand and make sure you're starting on a blank slate, i.e. not opening a previously worked on file. For your new project, select Empty Project then click Choose.
GarageBand will ask you about your input settings. Select Record using a microphone or line input at the top. Then underneath, make sure the checkbox to the right is ticked that reads I want to hear my instrument as I play and record.
Proceed to your new project and you'll notice your first track has a lit icon that looks like an upside Wi-Fi signal. That's live monitoring, enabled. Make sure you have a pair of headphones ready, then try speaking into your mic to test out hearing your own voice.
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Connect a microphoneYou can connect a microphone to your computer to record your voice, an instrument, or any other sound to an audio track in GarageBand. You can connect a microphone to an audio input port, USB port, or other port on your computer, or to an audio interface connected to your computer. You can also use your computer's built-in microphone to record sound.
After you connect a microphone, you choose the input source for the track you want to record in, and optionally turn on monitoring. Monitoring lets you hear yourself play so that you can hear the part you want to record as well as the rest of the project.
Connect a microphone to your computer
Do one of the following:
If you're using your computer's built-in microphone, choose Built-in Microphone as the input source in GarageBand > Preferences > Audio > Devices.
Connect the microphone to your computer's audio input port (if it has one), then choose Built-in Input as the track's input source.
Connect a USB microphone to a USB port on your computer. Choose the USB microphone as the track's input source.
Connect an audio interface to a USB or FireWire port, then connect a microphone to the audio interface for recording.
Connect an audio mixer or console to an audio interface connected to your computer.
Set the input source for a microphone
Select the audio track.
Click the Smart Controls button to open the Smart Controls pane.
In the Recording Settings area, choose one of the following from the Input pop-up menu:
If you're using your computer's built-in microphone, choose Built-in Microphone.
If you're using a microphone connected to your computer's audio input port, choose Built-in Input.
If Built-in Input doesn't appear in the menu, choose GarageBand > Preferences, click Audio/MIDI, and choose Built-in Input from the Audio Input pop-up menu.
If you're using a microphone connected to a USB port, choose the microphone.
If you're using a microphone connected to an audio interface, choose the channel number for the microphone.
If the audio interface channels don't appear in the menu, choose GarageBand > Preferences, click Audio/MIDI, then choose the audio interface from the Audio Input pop-up menu.
Make sure the input format matches the microphone or instrument. Choose a mono input for monophonic instruments (with a single channel), and choose a stereo input for stereo instruments (with a pair of channels). To change the input format, click the Format button to the left of the Input menu.
Drag the Recording Level slider to change the input volume level for the sound source.
If the Recording Level slider is dimmed, you can't change the input volume in GarageBand. In this case, use the device's own volume control.
Turn on monitoring for a microphone
In the Recording Settings area, click the Monitoring button .
The Monitoring button lights orange to indicate that monitoring is turned on.
To avoid unwanted feedback, you should usually turn off monitoring when you're not playing or singing. Using headphones rather than speakers to listen to your projects can also help avoid feedback.
