I've attached a basic GarageBand course to this thread (More Info) -- hopefully it will clarify the difference between Software Instrument & Audio tracks, and the setup & recording of both. From your descriptions I can't really understand exactly what you're trying to do -- are you trying to record a Software Instrument track or an Audio track? If you're not familiar with the difference between MIDI (Software Instrument) and Audio then the course should help to clarify that. Whether you record your piano track as a Software Instrument or an Audio track will depend on what kind of MIDI/USB keyboard you have? Does it have its own internal sounds (Audio track) or will you be using the sounds included in GarageBand (Softtware Instrument track)? - If you're recording a Software Instrument track you have to have a MIDI keyboard plugged in to the computer. If you load a GarageBand piano into the Software Instrument track (from the Library) and select the track, when you play on the keyboard you should hear that sound from the GarageBand piano. The track will record MIDI data --the notes you play. - If you're recording an Audio track then your keyboard would have to provide the piano sound -- if your keyboard is just a MIDI controller, then it would have no sounds, and you'd have to use a Software Instrument. If you keyboard does have its own piano sound, then you'd record an audio wave. The attached GarageBand course looks like it should cover all the basics of this..

Hi - If you're using a GarageBand instrument like 'Steinway Grand Piano' then you're not using an Audio track, you must be using a Software Instrument track. You haven't said what keyboard you have—if your keyboard does have a USB MIDI connection, then this needs to be connected to be able to play and record Software Instrument tracks in GarageBand. It sounds like you're hearing a piano sound from the keyboard's internal sounds through an audio connection, which is why it would only be heard when you create an Audio track. But your description of the connection is vague [what kind of wires? what interface? what keyboard? what outputs from the keyboard are connected?]—it's hard to be specific without a better understanding of your setup. The course I recommended talks about all this in videos 2, 4, and 10—2 discusses the difference between Instrument and Audio tracks, 4 discusses the equipment hookup, and 10 covers recording a Software Instrument track. But if you're really brand new to working in a DAW then the best thing to do would be to go through the entire course to start with..

I'm not clear on exactly what you're doing -- are you recording an acoustic guitar with a microphone into an Audio track and selecting an Audio track preset ['natural flat pick', 'echo strum']? If that's the case then USB MIDI has nothing to do with it, that only relates to Software Instrument tracks. The problem is when you say 'I choose the acoustic guitar section' its not clear exactly what you're choosing -- a Software Instrument or an Audio track preset..? Since there's no visual here it's important to use the GarageBand terminology or it won't be clear exactly what you're trying to describe.. Again, confusion between Software Instrument [MIDI] tracks and Audio tracks seems to be at the heart of your issues. Remember, with a Software Instrument track the instrument sound comes from within GarageBand, triggered by a MIDI controller/keyboard, but with an Audio track the sound comes from the external [real] instrument. I really recommend checking out the relevant videos..

So you are recording a real acoustic guitar into an Audio track? If that's the case then the USB/MIDI connection will have absolutely nothing to do with that. Again, I really recommend checking out the GarageBand course video[s] on the difference between MIDI/Software Instrument tracks and Audio tracks.. As to why your acoustic guitar recordings may not sound good, well that depends on the specifics of the recording.. - Are you using a microphone or plugging a cable directly from the guitar into the interface? Recording acoustic guitar with a mic will always sound much better. - If you're using a mic, what mic? How is the acoustic guitar miked up [position, distance, etc]? What are the settings on the interface mic preamp? - If you're plugging the acoustic guitar directly into the interface, which 1/4" input on the interface are you using, Line or Instrument [should be Instrument] -- if it's the wrong one that can result in poor sound quality. The presets you mention are only processing for the acoustic guitar signal -- they will not necessarily make the signal sound good if it's too poorly recorded to begin with..

Ok, if you're using a direct connection [1/4" cable] from a pickup in an acoustic guitar, that won't provide the same kind of nice, rich, open acoustic guitar sound that you'd get by recording an acoustic guitar with a decent mic. An acoustic guitar's onboard pickup is more suitable for live amplification [through a PA system] than for recording, where a mic is always preferred. But it's common to plug an electric guitar [or bass] straight into the interface [as opposed to miking up a guitar amp] -- in that case you'd want to use an Instrument input, which should be a 1/4" jack on the interface labelled either Instrument or Inst or sometimes Hi-Z.

Ok, yes the Hi-Z input is the Instrument input -- it should be used whenever you have an electric guitar or bass plugged directly into the associated 1/4" input in the interface [but only when you're recording those instruments]. As to sound quality issues, I'm a little confused.. You said you were using acoustic guitar presets -- acoustic guitar section, natural flat pick and echo strum -- were you trying to get the electric guitar to sound like an acoustic guitar? Those presets are not designed to do that, they're just supposed to take a real acoustic guitar recording and improve the sound quality a little. If you are looking for a regular electric guitar sound, then you could do one of two things: - Plug the electric guitar into a real guitar amp and mic up the amp - Plug the electric guitar in directly (to the Hi-Z input, as you are doing) and use an electric guitar preset on that track in GarageBand with an Amp Designer plug-in [which would simulate the sound of a real guitar amp]

Hang in there, it'll all start to come together gradually..