MacBook Pro able to record audio with headphones plugged in?

[H. Montgomery]

My mac is a MacBook pro with OS X 10.5.8. I have SoundFlower, Audacity, and Garage Band on my computer. Here's the situation:

I want to do a podcast with someone who lives a couple thousand miles away, but I have to use my head phones in order to hear what this person is saying because my right speaker is (currently) toast. So, my plan was to use Skype as the communication tool, and then use one of these programs to do the recording. I've been jumping through some crazy Google hoops to find the answer, but I'm not finding anything similar enough to my situation to provide me with an answer. The situation I've encountered is that through Audacity and Soundflower, I can get my mac to record sound coming from it while my headphones are plugged in, but the mic doesn't get picked up. Is it possible to get the mac to record external audio while the headphones are plugged in, or not? Any help in this or an older thread would be massively awesome.

 

[Mooseknuckles]

This is kind of tricky...here is a great tutorial on what you need to make this work. Recording a Podcast with Skype and GarageBand for Free - YouTube

 

[H. Montgomery]

Thanks a bunch! It was kind of a hassle setting it up, and it took awhile, especially because I had to hunt down an old version of LineIn since I don't have the newest OS. I took it for a test run today and I got it how I need it. For now. Sound quality isn't the greatest (I mean, best possible that you could expect for Skype), but it does what I need for the moment.

 

[Mooseknuckles]

This is the great part of DAW software, You can export your recordings into Audacity or what i use Adobe Audition CS5.5 and completely clean them up..With a little practice your recordings can sound great. Garage Band is decent for recording but you really should think about another software to mix and master with...Glad you got it working

 

[Anathielia]

No tech support for Mac.

I Am really getting upset because I like to go to this site called SingSnap and they have a live chat where you can sing and on my windows computer I can "play through mic" Which means the people in my chat hear what I here and what I am singing. The quality is amazing. I have used it to make MP3s of my covers and my original songs, but this Computer is really beginning to tick me off. It is top of the line and it can't any of the things that I want it to do. Every time I try something it screws up my audio so I can't change it back. the sound quality sucks and I haven't been able to use my account in weeks because of this. If there isn't a simple program for this, I don't think I will ever purchase Mac products ever again. Windows is more user friendly I can use my FLstudios on it and The play thru mic is one click in my sound setting. I don't have to download anything I don't have to change 30 settings to get a **** poor quality sound at best, and I don't have to worry about listening a personal message while on a skype cal with someone and worry if they are going to hear it becausd my settings are still messed up. Please fix this so people like myself that have low computer skills and lots of money for toys can click and unclick a button and be done. Windows did it why can't you? Your products are way more expensive. I could get 6 windows floor modal laptops or desktops for the price I paid for this thing I find nearly useless for the things I need it for. I feel ripped off and extremely frustrated! Please help or I have no choice but to switch back to PC.

 

[chscag]

Please fix this so people like myself that have low computer skills and lots of money for toys can click and unclick a button and be done. Windows did it why can't you? Your products are way more expensive. I could get 6 windows floor modal laptops or desktops for the price I paid for this thing I find nearly useless for the things I need it for. I feel ripped off and extremely frustrated! Please help or I have no choice but to switch back to PC.

We can understand your frustration, however, our forums are in no way affiliated with Apple. In other words, you're not speaking with Apple. If you have suggestions or a complaint, contact them directly.

 

[chas_m]

The reason you feel ripped off and frustrated is because you have not bothered to learn how your computer works.

Your claim that it's a "button click" in Windows is untrue, and even so there was a time when you didn't know it. You learned it, just like everyone who has ever used a computer has had to learn it, no matter how intuitive it seems now after years of repetition and practice. Riding a bike or driving a car is intuitive now, but I promise you there was a time when it would have seemed impossible to you.

A better approach to finding an actual answer to your problem is to stop, think about a clear way to describe what you want to do, then ask nicely. Chances are very, very high that what you want to do is quite simple -- once someone shows you how. And the best way to have that happen is to explain:

a. The computer equipment and software you're using.
b. Specifically what you want to accomplish
c. What you've already tried

I hope your answer comes soon.