Question about audio input into a Mac

Alright, I’m trying to get back to recording demo music. I have a Mac with GarageBand on it. Eh. It’s free. I just want to mess around-so it works for this. Everything is up to date and current. 
So I plug in my Shure SM57 through my Shure X2U like I always have. It shows up as Shure Digital in GarageBand and on the display I can see that it’s picking up the mic. I tap on it and I see the green display show up when I tap on it. BUT...the “record level” will not increase. It’s not greyed out, but it’s not something I can click on. I’ve changed the input to Shure Digital in both Sounds and in the GarageBand app but neither let me change the record level sound for input. 

Can anyone help help me out here? I’m by no stretch of the imagination a techy guy. I just write pretty good sad songs and I want to mess around with some new ones. I would ask for a different cheap app I could use, but since the problem seems consistent through all of the Mac- I’m not sure that it would help. 

Thanks very much in advance for any advice. Google has been of no help. I don’t necessarily comprehend what I’m reading and feel more lost than when I started. Thanks!

Comments

  • PJinILPJinIL satan's bed Posts: 431
    I haven't messed with GarageBand before, but you might consider trying another source to see if the setup issue is with the X2U, or GarageBand. Line in an iPod or something to see if you get record levels to show up.

    Some other software I've worked with requires the track to be armed for recording before the recording levels become active. Check through GarageBand settings for meter monitoring options (input/recording/auto), maybe something there.

    If you record, what happens? Do the gain adjustments make a difference in the recording even if you don't see what is happening on the meters?


    It's amazing what you hear when you take time to listen.
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