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Provides: Record guitar and vocals on your computer, complete with effects

Developer: M-Audio

Minimum Requirements: G3 Ma with native USB support, 64MB RAM, CD-ROM drive, Mac OS X v10.2.8

Retail Price: $129.95

Availability: Out now

GarageBand users who wish to create and record their own sounds quickly discover limitations to the "plug-n-play" capabilities of making music on the Mac. We struggle first with hearing anything picked up from the built-in mic, then contending with the atmospheric background noise it picks up. Efforts to use the 1/8" mini-jacks for sound input call for a trip to Radio Shack for adaptors for our 1/4" guitar and amp cables, and awkward behind-the-computer plug-n-pull calisthenics. M-Audio offers an overachieving solution for the beginning user to address interface needs for instruments and microphones.

The FastTrack USB recording interface simplifies the recording process by moving primary controls and ports/jacks to wherever they work for you. Plug the USB cord directly into your Mac and put the FastTrack where it is most convenient for you (within about five feet of the computer). Then, take advantage of the offered inputs. Line 1 is a microphone line in, line 2 a 1/4" line they label as a guitar, but which works as well for external keyboards and other instruments that need traditional amplification. The FastTrack, powered from the computer's USB port, provides a high-quality input free from the line and background noise as well as the signal loss that commonly wrecks low-quality recordings.

Additionally, the FastTrack offers you an audio out (using a 1/8" mini-jack) with a range of options. It has its own volume dial, which is expected. A much handier feature is the "mix" knob. This allows you to choose whether to monitor/listen in on the sounds as you are making them, or the sounds as they are being processed in GarageBand (or Sequel, Logic, or any other recording program). This is useful either when creating a heavily processed sound through GarageBand or an effects pedal, or effects software (like GT Player Express, which is included with the FastTrack), or when you're recording a low-level track on top of multiple other tracks when those sounds might drown out your current instrument. An example: laying down an accent guitar track late in the recording process. You might want to monitor the drums, lead guitar, bass, and vocals while you lay down the track. At times those other instruments will wash out your guitar. Dial away from "playback" toward "input" and you'll hear the sounds you're making, as well as the combined sounds balanced at whatever level works with you. You do not have to fuss with the audio levels of your recording or set anything for recording the track that you'll have to reset again later.

The "mic input" knob gives you some control and amplification of the line in, though the FastTrack should not be confused with a full-featured pre-amp. For optimal volume and input signal strength, visit your Sound Preferences, max the input setting, and set it to "Minimum Delay." The review iMac G5 had no difficulty recognizing the FastTrack, and it showed up on the Sound Preference panel and GarageBand preferences panel without the installation of the software. In my experience, using FastTrack with some other programs, for example, Sequel, required additional set-up steps, but again the advantages in line and sound quality, as well as monitoring capabilities, are well worth the effort.

Though there are higher-end products that offer more features, the ground-level price of the FastTrack makes it an appealing audio interface. Beginning and intermediate users of GarageBand and other Mac recording software will find the functionality satisfactory, and a tremendous improvement over the built-in microphone and input jacks.