Pros & Cons of GarageBand

Do you use a lot of loops in your compositions? Then purchasing all the jampacks would increase your Apple loops library, and if you got another recording software later that uses Apple Loops, then you would still be able to use them. On the other hand, if you don't use the loops and you record your own instruments, then you might want to save your money and get Logic Pro instead. It has the additional features your are looking for and is certainly a pro level application. It has a more complicated interface but that's the price you pay for the additional features. The JamPacks do contain additional software instruments, but you can purchase software instruments or even find free soundfonts for whatever additional instruments you want; certainly the Jam Packs have no corner on the market for sound fonts that work in Garageband.

But for my experience, I downloaded the trial of Logic Express and found that I couldn't really get into it. Too complicated! I don't change tempo all that much in my songs, and if I want to use more than 2 effects on an instrument, I just duplicate the track and add additional effects on the duplicate track. I just use Garageband and I find it does everything that I need, and I just don't talk to my more snobbish music friends about the software, I just play them my songs, and everyone is impressed. Like Aerosmith says, I "let the music do the talkin'"

Remember, JamPacks will work with Logic. So if you buy them and move on from GB to Logic (Express or Pro), you won't lose your investment in the JamPacks.

Of course GB is limited. Just like iMovie and iDVD are limited compared to their "Pro" counterparts. But what Apple gives you at that super-deep-discounted price is amazing, and really easy to use. Pros who have looked at GB are generally impressed by what it can do. Many use it as a quick sketch pad to start their compositions. They can then bring their GB files into Logic when and if they need Logic's more advanced features.

I know I'm not the only person in the world who has played with more advanced DAWs, but never really got into them, and then tried GB and got hooked.

I'd say, buy the JamPacks you want as your budget allows, keep using GB, and when you need the advanced features that are only in Logic, move up to that. You can still use GB for the tunes where you don't need the features of Logic. It's not like buying Logic prevents you from using GB.

iMac G5 20", MacBook Mac OS X (10.4.8)

Instead of duplicating the track, duplicate the region

Create a new track with the additional effects you want, and then option-drag the region into this new track. Mix to suit taste.

If it's important to effect the effects, then export the track with the first two effects, drag the export back into GB and add more effects to it.

Neither is perfect, but both will work.

What Hangtime explains is more what I meant. Only I'll duplicate the track and then change the effects to the additional effects I want to apply (that way if you have set volume or pan points, they also are in the duplicate track). What that also does is that it gives you the option of sort of automating the effect, to apply that additional effect to parts of the song, by using volume curves.

now i get it...

And that's what we love to hear. Enjoy ~~ Hang %-)>

I'm a former Cubase fanatic who's been making music on computers since the 80s, and I now use GB almost exclusively (with Logic as needed).

Of course your mileage may vary. I mostly make synthpop and trance, with intentionally aritificial (and hopefully unique) sounds entirely generated by softsynths. If you're recording a five-piece real band playing jangly indie rock, for all I know GB won't work as well for you (despite the name...).

It did take me a few months to get to this point, but looking back, it seems inevitable.


iMac 17" Core Duo Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I started using GarageBand pretty early on and I've been addicted ever since. It's an amazing program and a huge value for the money. This may sound cheesy, but it's changed my life. I'm 40 years old and played in lots of garage, punk and noise bands "back in the day." I took a step back from music years ago when career, etc. took over my life. Because of GarageBand, I picked up a guitar again, got a cheap little USB keyboard and I'm now playing with sound in a way I never imagined...especially for a $99 application suite.

Pros:
Ridiculously easy interface. Highly intuitive. Very powerful for it's simplicity. Lots of options to manipulate sounds. I rarely use loops, but create my own drum parts, keyboard sounds and track guitar, bass and vocals live. I've been playing with GB since it's release and have never been bored with it!

Cons:
I don't like the "notchy" feel of the master or track volume level sliders. Often I need to either reduce or increace the volume of a track by just a hair and can't because of this. Most of the effects are great, but some are lacking. I've never been able to get a good wah sound from the wah effect. Other than that, more control over mastering and exporting would be a good thing. Higher resolution when exporting would be great as well.

My cons are nitpicky, though. I love this program. I'm a designer and I believe that GarageBand is as groundbreaking for music as Photoshop or Quark was for graphics. It's a program that I've dreamt about prior to it's release.

a $99 application suite.

Better than that, how about a a $69.99 application Suite.

$69?!?

Ooops, my bad...the Apple retail police will be coming after me!

So it's an even BIGGER bargain. So worth it, the other apps are awesome as well.

Thanks for clearing up the price thing, HangTime.

I hated GB when I first used it as it seemed like it was aimed at non-musicians and I couldn't get it to work like the PC sequencing package I was used to.

4 months down the line and I love it. Like Mark I'm producing stuff I could only dream of before. It's what I always wanted to do but never had the technology or ability (I still don't have the ability).

Pros: pretty much as Mark although I find adjusting the volume using the volume curve gives a fair degree of control of 1 or 2 db. I've also bought the M-Audio iControl which has very good volume controls.

Cons: can't change tempo in a song, can't easily punch in and out, no midi export facility, no score printing or ability to put lyrics onto the screen but for,what was for me, a "free" package that came with my iMac it's bloody brilliant.

Cheers

Dick

Hey guys.

I've used GB on and off over the past few years, and I think it's brilliant to, especially considering that it's so simple to use, atleast doing the basics anyway, and that it comes with any Mac you purchase free. Definitely the way to go to start off with as an amateur, until you learn to become pro.

James.

"I don't like the "notchy" feel of the master or track volume level sliders."

Try this. It's free. And incredible:

I don't like the "notchy" feel of the master or track volume level sliders.

X

"I don't like the "notchy" feel of the master or
track volume level sliders."

Try this. It's free. And incredible:

I don't like the "notchy" feel of the master or track
volume level sliders.

X

Er..... what is?