Can I Plug A Usb Mic Into An 8 Track Via Xlr Or A 1/4 Inch Jack

What are some good external microphones for a Mac?

You don't say anything about your requirements or what you might want to use the mic for. Generally, any USB mic will work, as will any analog mic that plugs into the 1/8" audio jack. It doesn't start to get awkward until you are looking at higher-end audio mixers with XLR inputs (even then, most of that stuff works out of the box for Mac). So, the question isn't really Mac-related per se.Personally, I have 2 mics I use: a Samson Go Mic and a Zoom H4n. The go mic is switchable cardioid/omnidirectional, compact, and good for teleconferencing and, in a pinch, podcasting. The Zoom H4n is a high end digital audio recorder and you can record on it independently (and transfer the recordings to the Mac) or use it directly as a USB microphone. It features wonderful stereo recording, plus multi-track recording with external mics (you can connect 1/4" and XLR to it). It's a great mic for podcasts, recording lectures, and I also have a hot-shoe and use it for video.I have friends that use Blue's Snowball and Yeti mics and swear by them (for podcasts and music recording).If you have a specific use in mind, you might Google for some reviews.Here's a link to a podcast I do for our local Presbyterian Church using a Zoom H4n. The intro and outro parts are recorded using it as a USB mic with GarageBand. The sermon portion is recorded using it as a digital recorder with the microphone mounted on a table-top tripod sitting on a church pew about 6-8 feet from the speaker (he tends to pace a bit, so it varies), then imported into and edited using GarageBand: http://burlingtonpres.org/2015/0...

Is self-producing your own music easier than ever?

Yes it is. At this day and age, you have literally a studio in your laptop or phone as mentioned by Gabriel BalensieferThere's your time-based plug-ins, dynamic and EQ plug-ins, capability to record live with either an in-built microphone(not recommended), USB microphone or an audio interface (XLR microphone). You can plug your guitar or keyboard in with a 1/4 to 1/8 inch adaptor straight into your device, or through an audio interface.If you need samples, most DAW at present will come with in-built vst libraries. These libraries can get you started, but if you ever need better or more powerful libraries, you can always purchase external plug-ins.Even Garageband that comes free with any mac computer purchases, can already do all stated above. Windows based machines also have free DAW with the same function.Gone were the days where producers use tape recorders to record their tracks, unless there's a particular reason to do so.

If I'm recording music on GarageBand (Mac computer), and I want to add simple live guitar and vocals, could I just do so by getting a good microphone and hooking it up to my computer?

No, unfortunately not.All microphones require amplification. The microphone signal is a really low level. It has to be converted to Line level vía a microphone pre-amp.The second part of of this is the analog sound needs to be converted into digital so the computer can capture the sound. This is done with an Analog-to-digital converter. Every computer has one built into the sound card (if it has that microphone input). The problem with this is it sounds horrible!When recording every single stage of the signal (including the microphone cable) affects the sound. So using a really nice microphone but plugging it into the $0.35 A/D converter is horrible sound.You will want to get a USB audio interface. There’s lots of options here, and my opinion is don’t spend less than $1,000 on the interface :) but that’s cuz i am a hifi advocate. Most people find a $200 interface to be good enough.It also depends on if you want to record acoustic or electric guitar. The microphones I would use are dramatically different. For acoustic I would use a large diaphragm condenser microphone (which requires +48V of power found on most interfaces). If it’s an electric guitar amp, I prefer a Shure SM-57, dynamic microphone.So here’s a gear list that you will wantmicrophone (condenser for acoustic, dynamic for electric)Microphone XLR cableAudio interface (has microphone preamp and A/D concerter built in)Mic standHeadphonesWhen recording live instruments you are going to find that latency becomes and issue. This is when the audio you are listening to in headphones is delayed and out of sync from what you’re playing on guitar. This happens to everyone doing digital recording.Some software has settings that reduces the latency. Generally the more you reduce the latency the harder your computer is working, and the worse the software performance will be. It’s a complicated balancing act unless you have a REALLY expensive computer and other hardware.So you will have to do your best. Good luck!OH! And vocals… I would also use a large diaphragm condesor microphone. Often times I use the exact same microphone on vocals that I use on the acoustic guitar.

Should I buy an audio interface or get my sound card on my computer replaced?

I love reading the comments below because I know exactly what you're asking. I'm not sure if this question is still an issue for you, but for you and anyone else reading1) When people talking about recording say "Audio Interface" they're talking about external hardware that mostly functions as a recording device such as Avid's MBox or Steinburgs UR series.2) When anyone mentions a "sound card" they're referring to the PC's sound... card. I'm not sure why some of the other posts were so condescending over a question that should have been obvious to anyone with that much experience.First off... you don't mention your setup or what "Youtube covers" is, so I'll make this easy...If you're going to use actual instruments, get an external "audio interface". I, personally, use the Steinberg UR44 (which has plenty of features for recording) and I love it. It's headphone jacks also pass enough power that you won't need an extra OP amp to power them (I can only confirm the UR44 has this, though I'm sure many of it's competitors also do, double check just to be sure). Steinberg also has really great customer service and they'll answer any question you have no matter how stupid (^_^). For your price range, the smaller models should be sufficient, and they run about $200.I assume you're going to be playing an instrument during the recording session, but, if not... then get a sound card. I recommend Asus sound cards or Creative Labs, but mostly Asus (Creative Labs if you also do a lot of online gaming).As far as hardware/software compatibility... Avid, Focusrite, and Presonus are the most commonly found, but Steinberg products can outshine them... if you're willing to use all Steinberg hardware/software. Their products really shine when used together (not in the same way other products do, mind you), but that quality drops quickly when mixing and matching, so there's plenty to think about. I've always liked Cubase and I didn't even know the UR44 was Steinberg until I bought it, but I loved them. Your results are almost guaranteed to vary, so you'll have to think it over. Also, if you're using Midi devices, you'll need an audio interface that has a compatible jack for it, so be sure the product you're buying suits all your needs. Or, you could post what you have and what you want to do and I could narrow the list down. If I missed anything or if you have any other questions, ask away.Teaching or learning... I do love music.

What professional microphone for Mac is recommended and why?

This is a strange question, since the computer isn't relevant. When a professional is selecting a microphone, they are going to take into account a wide variety of factors about what they need: polar pattern (omnidirectional/unidirectional/cardioid/etc), transducer type (condenser/electret/dynamic/etc), capsule shape, directivity, impedance, frequency response, dynamic range, distortion, sensitivity, form factor, preamps, etc. The microphone a professional would choose would take those all into account. After selecting a model, then they'd also select the means of connecting it to the associated computer or recording equipment (there are a variety of USB and FireWire interfaces that can connect common mic connectors like XLR, 1/4-in or 3.5 phono).On the basis of your question, I presume you aren't looking for a professional microphone per se, but a higher-end consumer or "prosumer" microphone. You don't specify how it is to be used, what you intend to record, or the environment in which it is used. In that case, I'd generally recommend any of the digital audio recorders from Zoom, Tascam, Marantz, or Sony that can also be connected via USB to a computer. They all have very good sound quality, and, being a recorder, they are portable and you can make your recordings "in the field" or "on location" and bring them back to the computer for editing -- they can also be plugged into the computer and used directly as a microphone. The higher-end models add inputs for other external mics. For example, I use a Zoom H4n which has a pair of cardioid polar mics built-in and two combo XLR - 1/4in phono inputs and a 1/8 mini jack to monitor; it can record 4 tracks. It's a decent multi-purpose mic and recorder.If you just want a decent mic, Blue makes a nice collection of USB microphones for this purpose, and the Samsung Go Mic is cheap and compact for on-the-road work. For recording music at home, Røde and Shure both make some very good mics in the $200-$300 range.

When recording guitar into a computer, which would be better for quality tone, a compressor or audio interface?

You will always need some type of audio interface. Be it the crappy built-in audio with a mini jack input of your PC/Mac, or a dedicated USB or Thunderbolt box with XLR and 1/4′ jack inputs and decent built-in preamp circuits. If you have some money to spend, get yourself a decent interface a learn how to use it properly. Alternatively you could pick up one of these affordable mini USB-interfaces specifically designed for electric guitar. (Like for instance the iRig.)If you’re not in the position to buy an audio interface, you still need a piece of equipment to lift the signal of your electric guitar to line level before you can expect to record it properly with your computer. This is often refered to as a DI box. A simple analog mixing console will do the job as well.Now for compression: compression comes for free with basically any DAW (digital audio workstation) software you’ll be using to record and mix your music. All of them have at least one decent compressor plug-in as part of the bundle. So there’s no need to buy a dedicated analog compressor. At least, not until you’ve reached a more professional level.