fan noise and other issues

[podcastinjapan]

I have a new Macbook Pro, which I bought strictly for audio recording. I want to use Garage Band with my M-Audio Fast Track Ultra USB interface to record interviews in stereo (2 mics/2 tracks) for a podcast. I have no intention of ever connecting the Macbook to the internet. I'm having two problems:
1). Using Garage Band, I find the computer heats up quickly and the fan comes on. And the fan is very very noisy, so the mics pick up the fan noise.
2). Because of the heat problem with Garage Band, I also downloaded a different audio recording program, called Audacity. (I downloaded Audacity to a flash memory via using another computer, and then I installed Audacity on the Macbook). Audacity records OK, and the computer doesn't heat up as much, so I don't hear the loud fan noise. However, when recording, the recording indicator is spastic -- it moves, then stops, then moves, then stops, and so on. The files sound OK, but the recording indicator does not move smoothly.
I am using the Macbook just as I got it out of the box, except for installing the M-Audio interface driver and Audacity. As I said, the computer has never been connected to the internet; nothing else has been installed or changed.
Q: Are there things I can or should do (close programs running in the background) or change settings, so the system won't be taxed so heavily? Is Garage Band a cpu hog? And why is Audacity making the recording indicator so spastic? (I never had either of these issues when recording with my old SONY Vaio pc).
I'd appreciate any advice/suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I wouldn't think GarageBand in particular would be taxing the MacBook Pro's cpu itself. Now MacBook Pros do run hot, but these are pretty high performance laptops. There's a couple things I would look into. Firstly… the MBPs have 2 graphics cards. The higher-performing one is supposed to kick in automatically for tasks that need it. You can try using a utility called gfxCardStatus to ensure the low-power one is in use. You shouldn't need the faster one for GarageBand.

Secondly, try a cooling docking pad for your MacBook. There are quite a few out there, many of which are passive, others have fans that may be less noisy for you.