Quick & Easy Garage Band Question, sound & basics Options

[secuirty949]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but hey, 90% of the messages here are beyond me, so I'll try to start small...


Just a macbookpro and garage band for me right now.

Best way to get rid of background noise when recording simple songs?
What additional purchases are [i]necessary[i] to record stuff that gets job done for demo or fun imovie type stuff.
Cheap and sensible MIDI interface for my old school casio with mini function?


Ok, take it easy on me, I know these are basic questions. I'm more of a content guy then a tech guy,

thanks,
Dan

[gdoubleyou]

The best way is to record in a quiet enviornment, but if you are using the internal mike it will allways pickup sound from the machine.

MOTU and M-audio have a selection of USB midi interfaces.

Be aware that Garage Band doesn't output midi to external devices, you will have to get the "midi out " plugin to trigger sounds from your Casio, otherwise you can use it as a controller for the internal Garage Band instruments.

[rickenbacker]

For removing noise from recordings already made, you might try SoundSoap from BIAS.

For shutting out hiss in between vocal or instrumental passages, use a Gate effect. I believe GarageBand has one. A Gate does what you think it does - it either opens to let stuff through (your singing) or shuts to keep stuff out (the air-conditioning hum you accidentally captured when you weren't singing).