In this feature I ditch the recording studio and take a look at the best portable interfaces for GarageBand musicians who want the freedom to record anytime, anywhere.

1. Mac Garageband Tutorial
2. Apple Midi Interface

The beauty of an app like GarageBand for iOS is that you no longer need to spend ludicrous amounts of money renting studio time or wait until your ‘big break’ to write, record and release your own music.

You can connect a real MIDI keyboard through a USB cable (on most newer gear) or a MIDI adapter (on older equipment). You can connect other MIDI instruments, including guitars, woodwinds, and drums, and record onto a real instrument track in GarageBand. Click the red Record button when you’re ready to rock. The MIDI cable plug contains five metal pins set in a semi-circle that connect to the five holes in the MIDI port on an instrument. The MIDI cable can be linked with an adapter to connect a keyboard to work with GarageBand, an audio software program designed for Apple Mac computers. The adapter includes a USB plug to connect with a Mac.

If you want your DIY music to sound its best however, you’ll need to ditch that inbuilt mic on your iOS device and invest in an audio interface of some kind.

There’s tons of choice out there and it can be hard to work out what interface is right for you. I’ve brought together 3 of the best portable recording interfaces on the planet to help you narrow down your options.

Let’s take a look.

£74.99/$99.99

Compact, portable, and easy to use, the Roland GO:MIXER makes it simple to record high-quality audio with your iDevice.

With multiple inputs available, you can connect a mic, musical instruments, and media players and mix them all together at the same time.

The unit features the ability to combine five sources at once via inputs for a ¼” jack vocal mic (no XLR input or +48 V Phantom Power here), guitar, stereo keyboard, and two stereo line-level devices (such as music players, drum machines, etc.).

The quality is great, assuming you don’t clip/peak the audio. There is a dial for each main instrument input as well as a master volume dial to adjust as appropriate. The GO:MIXER also has a peaking LED which is useful to have.

All in all this little box is incredibly versatile, though the lack of XLR input or 48v Phantom Power would definitely prove limiting for some.

Tech Specs

• Inputs: 8 channels
• Outputs 2 channels
• Connectors INSTRUMENT (L/MONO, R) jacks: 1/4-inch phone type
• LINE IN 1 jack: Stereo miniature phone type
• LINE IN 2 jack: Stereo miniature phone type
• MIC jack: 1/4-inch phone type (no plug-in power)
• GUITAR/BASS jack: 1/4-inch phone type (high impedance)
• MONITOR OUT jack: Stereo miniature phone type
• USB port: USB Micro-B type USB Bus PowerCurrent Draw40 mA
• Accessories: Lightning to USB Micro-B type cable (50 cm, 1 ft 7 inches)
• USB OTG Micro-B type to USB Micro-B type cable (50 cm, 1 ft 7 inches)

£81.99/$119.99

Focusrite has a great track record for producing extraordinarily high quality USB and Thunderbolt audio interfaces for Mac and PC. With the iTrack Solo Lightning, they’ve packed most all of the killer features from their range into this little box.

While it is smaller and lacking a few of the features of some of Focusrite’s more expensive units , the iTrack Solo packs enough of a sonic punch to hold its own against most other interfaces at this price range.

The mic preamp used here series are nothing short of phenomenal, giving you clean and clear recordings every time. There’s also +48 V Phantom Power available, so you can use a studio quality condenser microphone to really push the quality of your recordings to the next level.

Super-low latency brings confidence to your performance, letting you record and monitor with software effects in real time.

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New gain controls and a sleek metal chassis underscore its industrial design – this thing can take one hell of a beating!

Tech Specs

• 1 microphone input – XLR, 1 Instrument input ¼’ unbalanced, 2 Gain knobs,
• 48V Phantom power switch, Direct monitor switch
• 2 unbalanced monitor outputs – RCA Phone, DEVICE LINK port (to connect iTrack Solo to iPad)
• USB 2.0 Port, Kensington Lock slot
• Supported sample rates 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz, 88.2 KHz, 96 KHz – Mac and PC 44.1 KHz, 48 KHz – iPad
• In the box: iTrack Solo, 1.2m USB cable, 1.2m “DEVICE LINK” cable (to connect to a Lightning iPad), Getting started guide, Registration card, USB power supply (US only)
• Compatible with: iTrack Solo Lightning: Any iPad with Lightning connector, Standard iTrack Solo: iPad (1st gen), iPad (2nd gen) and iPad (3rd gen)

£127.99/$149.99

iRig Pro I/O is a pocket-sized full-featured audio and MIDI interface that gives you 24-bit/96kHz recording studio quality sound everywhere you go with a few additional essential features for mobile recording.

Its designed to be “plug and play” and easy to use with all of your gear — studio mics, vocal performance mics, guitars, basses, keyboards — whatever it is, iRig Pro I/O can probably handle it.

It features a new 1/8″ stereo headphone out with preamp and level control, making it compatible with even the most recent iOS devices. Plus, when used with the optional DC power supply, the unit will charge your iPhone or iPad while in use for unlimited playing and recording time – super handy!

The Pro I/O also features a new MIDI Out jack that gives you even more flexibility and control over your outboard MIDI gear.

Despite it’s small size the iRig Pro I/O has it where it counts, packing the features you’d expect from a full scale audio interface into it’s sleek form factor.

Tech Specs

• High definition 24-bit/96kHz audio plus MIDI interface for iPhone, iPad, Mac, PC and Android devices
• Connects to everything, yet easily fits in your laptop bag, gig bag or pocket
• Neutrik™ combo input for guitar, microphone or other instruments with a professional quality preamp, phantom power and gain control
• iPhone 7 ready with integrated headphone output with volume control
• Powered via USB bus, two AA batteries or the optional iRig PSU 3A (PSU simultaneously charges iOS device)
• Detachable Lightning and USB cables included for connection to iPhone, iPad, Mac and PC (MFi certified)
• Comes with a Velcro strip to secure iRig Pro I/O to a mic stand
• Comes with over $/€550 worth of full version Software & Apps

Mac Garageband Tutorial

There you have it, that’s my top 3 favourite portable audio interfaces for use with GarageBand for iOS.

Apple Midi Interface

Is your favourite on the list? What did I miss out? Leave a comment and let me know, or come and join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.