external microphone with garageband/macbook

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
how do i get my macbook to recognize an external microphone plugged into the 1/8" jack on the side next to the headphone jack?



i went to the sounds control panel but the microphone still wasn't being recognized.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 5
    i am wondering this very thing.. could someone please respond
  • Reply 2 of 5
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    You need an amplifier. For example, you could plug a stereo's output into the Mac to digitize a cassette tape, but most microphones don't have an amp built-in like the stereo does. You can buy pre-amps from companies like m-audio.
  • Reply 3 of 5
    dmberdmber Posts: 204member
    i'm just talking about a microphone like for voice-chatting. i realize my macbook has one built-in, but i wanted one with a chord, so i could do the editing and she could just talk and we wouldn't have to pass the macbook back and forth. i was recording her reading a story for her second-graders that i then burned on cd.



    one like this: http://www.altechco.com/images/0.jpg
  • Reply 4 of 5
    Dmber, as already stated by BRussell, the microphone needs to be powered by an amplifier to be recognized--an unpowered one will not be recognized by the line-in port. If you don't want to get the amplifier mentioned above, you can try a USB microphone or use the iMic.
  • Reply 5 of 5
    Go to GarageBand> Preferences> Audio/MIDI and change the Audio Input to Line-In (or Built-In Input) instead of Built-in Mic
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