OK Since none of the 145+ viewers replied to my post, I've repeated it, with a new question- Anyone out there messed w/ GarageBand? As a quick slap together tool it looks good. Can it be rewired to Logic or PTle? Please someone help, cause Apple has a promotion until Jan 10th bundling iLife and OS X Panther

NOW MY ORIGINAL QUESTION - CAN SOMEONE GIVE THEIR 2MBits?:

My production partner was given a G-4. I believe it was one of the first generation, with the 100 Mhz buss. Question is this, is this computer going to be viable? I don't even think it has an available PCI slot, I believe it is occupied.
I was thinking of recommending he get a PT digi-002R. So how well would this work out? Is the whole firewire hookup going to be fast enough?
I think it would help the CPU out alot if we abandon 96KHz and just go with 48. But I don't want him to get the PT Mbox because A. We need the 8 ins/outs and B. Someday on a better computer we will want to run @96.
PT ? - Does the latest LE software freeze tracks? I know this'll help our slow g4.
Comments? Thanks MadManDan

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Gear list: If you can't find it, grind it

Edited by MadManDan (06/01/05 06:32 PM)

Quote MadManDan:

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OK Since none of the 145+ viewers replied to my post, I've repeated it

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Maybe we didn't know, didn't care or had better things to do!

I don't know the answer to most of your post, except this bit....

Quote MadManDan:

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My production partner was given a G-4. I believe it was one of the first generation, with the 100 Mhz buss. Question is this, is this computer going to be viable? I don't even think it has an available PCI slot, I believe it is occupied.

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All G4s had 3 PCI slots, one might have the video card, so you should have 2 others to play with. Although I think they mostly had the video card into a slot leaving 3 PCI slots free. Either way, you must have free slots, or other stuff plugged into them.

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Cubase, guitars.

Maybe you posted in the wrong forum.....Try Macjams...

Don't you worry about Apples promotion ...There will be more promotions...They're pretty close to releasing "Tiger" X.4
Here's my 2cents....G4 W/100mhz bus???....how is the processor 800mhz? 1ghz??
What kind of G4????
Your pci slot is occupied...???????? What are your priorities????
Do you know anything about PT and learning-curve....Garage- band is EASY.... & everything from GB can easily be transfered to L7(latest Logic)

I think I have an idea why you didn't get any reply's.....

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------BunnySmoke-------

Don't know about rewiring it to Logic or Pro Tools LE, but you can import Apple Loops from Garage Band into Logic. I work with DP4.5 and I just use Garage Band to mess around with the drum kits and export the results to iTunes, then import the aiff files into DP, or in your case it would be into PT or Logic.

Best bet to find out about compatibility with your particular G4 is to go onto the Digidesign site and see which Apples will work with the audio interface you want to get. BTW, the Digi 002 is very good - a friend of mine has one and its smooth sailing.

Edited by ekimeno (06/01/05 10:54 PM)

garage band is a great notepad very usefull .

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A note a day keeps work at bay

1. GarageBand is a fantastic app and great fun.

2. ReWire options are limited because GB works in the same mode as Cubase and Logic (i.e. they're all masters or clients, or whatever) and thus can't be Rewired together.

However, Logic Express and Pro can import GB songs entirely, all AppleLoops and MIDI, everything, so you can start a project in GB which is very quick and easy to use, and then continue in Logic. How I wish Cubase could import GB songs . . .


NOW MY ORIGINAL QUESTION - CAN SOMEONE GIVE THEIR 2MBits?:

If your G4 doesn't have a spare slot that what are the (3 or 4) PCI cards already fitted? Do you need them?

Is it viable? well it's as viable as it was when introduced for running software from that time.

The fastest it could be (on a 100MHz bus) is a Dual 500, but the single 400MHz models were much more popular. I'll assume the latter.

As such, it will make a decent OS9 platform for running ProTools, or Logic 6 or whatever, but it is about 5 years old (or more) and processor power is limited compared with current Mac's. In other words, it is not an OSX machine, and thus it won't run GarageBand, and it won't run more than a few native plugs in OS9 either.

Neither is it worth spending too much on it - especially with a £260 1.2 GHz G4 a week away, if the rumours are correct.

However if it is a dual 500 you may get some OSX mileage out of it for less demanding app's but not enough to be much fun.

Either way, take the burden off the CPU by going the Digi hardware route, or bite the bullet and accept that the computer has come to be a central item in the (modern digital) studio and funds should be accordingly allocated.