GarageBand FAQ: Record Wet or Dry

Q. When I record in Apple's GarageBand, should I record Wet or Dry?
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A. For those not familiar with the terms "wet" and "dry", they relate to effecting a track or not (or the amount, mix, of effect). For the most part I (strongly) recommend recording everything dry, and there are several reasons for this.

GB's effects are rendered in real time, this means that your CPU has to do a whole lot more work while it's still recording you. Why push the machine when you don't have to? And you're more likely to get through a recording session without any type of error popping up (which will of course happen during the perfect take)
You don't want to play or sing "to the effect". You may find your brain trying to compensate for things it hears and knows aren't the way they should sound. You want the performance itself to be spot on, then effect it later to enhance it

An effect during recording may also hide a less than perfect performance that will come out later when you get to mixing and mastering. You want to hear defects while you're still recording so you can trash and retake what you need to.
Finally, since GB's effects are "non-destructive" (they don't alter your recorded file) you can add them, change them, and remove them at any time. At recording time isn't when you should work on effects. In the quiet of your mixing room is when you should... And you should spend that time tweaking them to perfection.
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GarageBand from Apple Computer uses audio loops and MIDI loops in Apple Loops format. It can work with Audio Units plug-ins. Apple Macintosh Compatible FireWire and USB interfaces can be used to connect Audio and MIDI instruments to your Mac, and be recorded into GarageBand.

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