So you like being able to capture your ideas anywhere without having to worry about losing them, but you don’t like the audio quality from the built-in microphone on your computer or phone? Not to worry, we’re here to help!
We want you to be able to record your voice, instruments or any form of audio without compromising on sound quality, so in this three part series on getting sound into BandLab, we start things off with microphones.
Before you start recording anything, we’d recommend you use Google Chrome for BandLab, as you won’t yet enjoy all the BandLab functions on other browsers.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Chrome will prompt you to allow BandLab to use your microphone. Please click on “Allow”.
2. The default will be your device’s built-in microphone. You can choose which microphone you want to use by clicking on the 
icon in the address bar.
Remember to use headphones to get clear sound, and to prevent your mic from capturing (re-recording) your backing tracks when you record.
Now that you’re ready to capture that idea, here are some alternatives to the built-in microphone:
USB Microphones
If you value plug ’n play convenience and you want something affordable and simple, consider a USB microphone.
Blue Microphones Snowball
The Blue Microphones Snowball is the first mic that comes to mind if you want a good mic at an affordable price and a no-frills solution to getting good quality audio into BandLab.
Simply plug it in and you’re good to go! Whether you’re recording vocals, acoustic guitar or even piano, the Snowball is an excellent entry-level USB microphone.
Blue Microphones Yeti 
If you have a little extra room in your budget, the Blue Microphones Yeti is worth every cent. A big step up in audio quality and features compared to the Snowball, the Yeti is great for anyone who wants excellent sound with minimal fuss.
it has loads of great features, as explained by the good people at Blue Microphones here.
USB Audio Interface
The convenience of USB microphones make them the perfect choice for BandLab. However, if you already have an XLR microphone but no audio interface, here’s a perfect solution: the Blue Microphones Icicle
The Icicle is a small, compact and inexpensive USB Audio Interface.
Simply plug your microphone’s XLR cable into one end of the Icicle, then run a USB cable from the Icicle into your computer, just like the illustration above. Easy!
The Icicle has a built-in preamp and 48V phantom power for condenser microphones.
Don’t let anything get in the way of your creativity.
We love the plug ‘n play aspects of all this gear—which is what makes them perfect for recording quality sound into BandLab.
In the next instalment of our series, we’ll take you one step further and show you ways to record your other instruments.
