[Chinasaur]

Looks like a good start. Dont know if there are other mixing apps for Mac, but this cant be good news if there are.

Any pros plan to buy iLife now becaue of GarageBand?

[memento]

I don't know if I call myself a "pro" (more of a hobbyist), but I plan to get garageband. I have been working on writing and recording with my 4-track. It's now time to move up. There are a number of other apps for mac that can do this, but they are not within this price range.

[midwinter]

Originally posted by Chinasaur:
Looks like a good start. Dont know if there are other mixing apps for Mac, but this cant be good news if there are.

Any pros plan to buy iLife now becaue of GarageBand?

I want garage band NOW, since it seems to solve many of the problems I've experienced with other multi-track recording options I've used, which is that they're often overkill for what I need. I need MORE than something like Cakewalk, but I don't need Cubase. And I need more than 4 or 8 tracks. But I don't need 164.

I don't know what kind of EQ settings the thing has, though....

[Macanoid]

I think we'll see quite a few add-on packs targeted at special interest groups like Dance, Hip Hop, R&B, Electronics etc!!

Eventhough I'm a Logic user, this looks quite good for a rough sketch of ideas!

[jmelrose]

I think Garage band looks brilliant. For the price, it can't be beat even if it was sold by itself. To add iDVD (which is really the only other one they are charging for, as I'm sure iMovie and iPhoto will be available online on or before the 16th) makes it positively a steal.

Anyway, it would appear that I would be able to take my loops collection from Soundtrack and use it with Garage Band (and avoid the "Jam Pack")... They both seems to use AIFF files, so I don't see why there would be a problem. Soundtrack comes with 4,000 loops, which should be more than enough. It seems Soundtrack is to some extent built-into Garage Band, so I'm not even sure I'd need soundtrack anymore. Anyone have another perspective on this?

[Tim2 at Omni]

I can't wait to get my hands on GarageBand. I've been waiting quite a while for a simple, easy to use music app and this looks like it might be it.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by Macanoid:
I think we'll see quite a few add-on packs targeted at special interest groups like Dance, Hip Hop, R&B, Electronics etc!!

Eventhough I'm a Logic user, this looks quite good for a rough sketch of ideas!

Indeed.

Actually, I'm a little bit miffed.

I paid �800 for Logic Platinum, and I got NO drum loops. I don't even get a sample player.

Okay, the fx I get are probably vastly superior, and the samples included are probably pretty vanilla (despite Jobs' repeated insistence on a "$150,000 B�sendorfer grand piano"), but still.

What IS GREAT about GarageBand is that a number of people have asked me about *exactly* this kind of product. They were wondering about switching to a Mac, because they heard they were cool for music 'n stuff, and asking about software solutions.

Now, all you need to tell them is "just get a Mac and an M-Audio Oxygen 8 keyboard - that's all you need. No, the included software is well enough to get you started."

Marvellous move, and I'm sure GarageBand alone will sell thousands of iBooks.

-s*

[jmelrose]

Well, a little bit disappointing is Soundtrack is not included with FCX. Jobs made it sound like it came with the program when he decribed adding a soundtrack made with Soundtrack, it seemed like they were packaged together. Oh well...

Interesting that the download links to all the iApps except for iTunes are now gone. Hmm...

[MOTHERWELL]

1. I already have Soundtrack - are these very different?

2. What do I need to plug in a midi keyboard to my computer?

[fat mac moron]

Originally posted by MOTHERWELL:
What do I need to plug in a midi keyboard to my computer?

USB Midi Interface

I just went to the Apple store to purchase the new iLife (I'm a gov employee, so it's $24.95), and I added the extra tracks/loops and the Monster audio jack for my guitar. Should be a fun app to bang some tunes out on...

[spiky_dog]

Originally posted by MOTHERWELL:
1. I already have Soundtrack - are these very different?

2. What do I need to plug in a midi keyboard to my computer?

from what i gathered during the keynote, i think soundtrack and this are the same. not saying that garage band == soundtrack, but rather that soundtrack is a proper subset of garage band

to hook a midi keyboard up you'd need a box like the m-audio midisport 2x2. however, many consumer keyboards (and the one that apple will sell for $99) hook up directly with USB, so no converter boxes will be necessary.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by MOTHERWELL:
1. I already have Soundtrack - are these very different?

2. What do I need to plug in a midi keyboard to my computer?

If you get something like the M-Audio Oxygen 8 or a plethora of other keyboards (probably including the Apple-supplied one), the keyboard itself has a USB port that just plugs right into your Mac. Recognition by the system is automatic. It's really nifty.

-s*

[absmiths]

This is awesome - I can't wait. Luckily I hadn't blown my money on Digital Performer yet - I just need a good multitrack solution. I want it now!!!

[k2director]

This is going to be a big success for Apple. Music is a huge part of youth/young adult culture, and to be able to make your own tracks so easily will pull a lot of people to the Mac. Add in the fact that Apple is already the hip company for digital music (iTunes/iPod), and the Mac will be a no-brainer for tons of young people.

I hope, for version 2, they add the ability to see musical notation of your compositions (not the loops of course), or at least *some* visual system that lets you see where you've placed notes, and allows you to easily nudge/adjust them a bit, so you can "clean up" a couple of mistakes you may have played.

[morgan]

yeah, i'm pretty psyched for garageband. It's what I've wanted soundtrack to be. It sounds like they basically sorta expanded and enhanced soundtrack into a new app. Very cool.

I just hope the reality of garageband lives up to the hype. But I'll be hitting my local applestore on the 16th for sure.

[Moose]

Already ordered.

[arekkusu]

It looks very intriguing, speaking as a guitar player who has been eyeing Logic Platinum for a while now.

However, there is nothing on the site/MWSF demo about _editing_ capability. Once you record MIDI/audio, can you edit/quantize the MIDI data, and cut/align the audio with sample-level precision?

This app has a very odd positioning, it is part of iLife yet it uses the ProKit interface.

AND WHAT IS UP WITH THE WOOD GRAIN IN THE WINDOW BORDER.

[absmiths]

Originally posted by morgan:
yeah, i'm pretty psyched for garageband. It's what I've wanted soundtrack to be. It sounds like they basically sorta expanded and enhanced soundtrack into a new app. Very cool.

Yeah, the record function was seriously lacking from iTunes and this is much better. I am so glad that iTunes DJ thing turned out to be fake!

[midwinter]

Originally posted by arekkusu:
AND WHAT IS UP WITH THE WOOD GRAIN IN THE WINDOW BORDER.

I think it's supposed to look like an old mixing console. I have had a couple that had wood grain on the sides.

Cheers
Scott

[Toyin]

I was looking into the USB midi converter, but for the same price you can get the keyboard which not only gives you that functionality but a MIDI controller as well.

[WinsOBoogi]

Does this thing work with my DigiDesign mBox?

Anyone know?

Thanks
- Brad

[uochris]

Originally posted by WinsOBoogi:
Does this thing work with my DigiDesign mBox?

I'd like to know the same thing. My Dad recently bought an mBox but I think he's a bit overwhelmed by the complexity of Pro Tools. This could be just the solution he's been looking for. I looked over Apple's page for Garage Band but I didn't see anything there that would answer that quesiton. Then again I don't know a thing about MIDI.

[waffffffle]

I am so glad that I didn't blow $400 on an Mbox over break. Garage band is only $29 for education and $79 for the expansion pack. THe only reason I would even have bought the Mbox would be for the software since it includes ProTools, SampleTank and Amplitube, but GarageBand includes the basic functionality of all three of those programs, and it supports 64 tracks. I can't wait to try this thing out. Now my 12" PowerBook will truly be a portable recording studio and I won't need to lug around that giant Mbox, which in my opinion is worthless for home recording since novice users don't need special audio hardware.

[waffffffle]

The Mbox is listed on this page: http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/accessories.html so it will probably work. Although you don't need it but it may give you better quality audio.

[jessejlt]

Originally posted by uochris:
I'd like to know the same thing. My Dad recently bought an mBox but I think he's a bit overwhelmed by the complexity of Pro Tools. This could be just the solution he's been looking for. I looked over Apple's page for Garage Band but I didn't see anything there that would answer that quesiton. Then again I don't know a thing about MIDI.

Yes, it does work with the mBox:
http://www.apple.com/ilife/garageband/accessories.html

As for Garage Band, I myself am not a musician, but my dad is an "aspiring" musician hobbiest, and he's thrilled. He's a Windows guy. I built him a nice AMD rig last year and he's been running Cakewalk on it ever since. He hates it. Since the Keynote, he's been on Apple's website all day checking out macs. I suspect he's going to buy a shiny new 12" PB which will suit his needs quit well.

IMO, Apple's strategy, or rather analogy of iLife being Office for the rest of your life is brilliant. I think Apple's really on to something with it's latest iApp, and as a computer enthusiast I'm thrilled to see Apple producing such powerful easy to use applications for all of us to dink around with.

Well done Apple!
jesse ;-)

[swiz]

I am so geeked about this app. My only question is does it do multitrack recording? I am a drummer and want to know if I can use GarageBand to record the drums with 5 or 6 mic's each on their own track. What would be the cheapest device to use for getting these mic's input to the Mac? Again or simultaneous multitrack recording?

Would this thing allow for this? Via GarageBand or Deck or whatever...
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...More=T6240LL/A

[WinsOBoogi]

Just ordered iLife. I just saw the keynote, and I'm SOOOOOO psyched!

I have an mBox, so, as soon as I get it, I'll be locking myself up in my apartment and seeing what I can come up with.

This should be amazing

- Brad

[Lordx_]

Originally posted by spiky_dog:
from what i gathered during the keynote, i think soundtrack and this are the same. not saying that garage band == soundtrack, but rather that soundtrack is a proper subset of garage band

to hook a midi keyboard up you'd need a box like the m-audio midisport 2x2. however, many consumer keyboards (and the one that apple will sell for $99) hook up directly with USB, so no converter boxes will be necessary.

Yea, it really makes Soundtrack look bad. I barely use Soundtrack but when I do, I always find it a pain to work with. I'm just wondering if the soundtrack loops will work with GarageBand. Does anyone know?

[jarinteractive]

Does anyone know if GarageBand supports ReWire? I know Logic does. It would be awesome to use Reason and GarageBand together.

-JARinteractive

[spiky_dog]

GarageBand is NOT a replacement for mBox type devices. it's not a hardware thing, so, as stated elsewhere, it WON'T MAKE YOUR AUDIO INPUT MAGICALLY BETTER. clear? it's an application. and, as such, should work with all of the audio input gadgets that use Core Audio certainly, mBox included. however, it's not a replacement. shall i repeat myself again?

people buy the mBox, or the apogee minime, or the metric halo uln-2 (drool) for their electronics, preamps, and inputs. these are hardware features. thus software, however new and shiny, does not render them unnecessary for those who would need those features.

[xi_hyperon]

I am really looking forward to using GarageBand, especially for its guitar amp sounds. After some thought I bought iLife, the $99 keyboard and the cable adapter for my guitar. Back in the 90s I recorded several songs using guitar, keyboard, a drum machine and a 4-track recorder. I'm excited about taking the old songs I like and redoing them using my Powerbook, as well as composing new ones.

[jmelrose]

I spoke with someone at the Apple Store today. The loops included with Garage Band are from Soundtrack's included library. The expansion pack adds more. If you have soundtrack, getting the expansion pack won't give you much more than effects/amps, and the rep thought the effects were all just taken from Soundtrack also, so it might not even be that much. buyer beware/be aware.

[ShotgunEd]

Originally posted by swiz:
I am so geeked about this app. My only question is does it do multitrack recording? I am a drummer and want to know if I can use GarageBand to record the drums with 5 or 6 mic's each on their own track. What would be the cheapest device to use for getting these mic's input to the Mac? Again or simultaneous multitrack recording?

Would this thing allow for this? Via GarageBand or Deck or whatever...
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...More=T6240LL/A

I'd say this thing would do the job ok. It says its compatible with Core Audio so I'd say Garage Band will support multiple inputs as well.

i'm not totally sure how good the eq'ing is in Garage band though, and you'd want a good amount of control over the tracks to get a good drum sound.

I'd really wish my iBook had a audio in port, looks like I'll have to buy an iMic or something, I'd love to hear how good the amp modeling on this thing is.

[chrisutley]

Okay, I know very little on this subject, just asking...

GarageBand looks allot like Soundtrack, so my initial impression was that GarageBand was simply a watered down version of Soundtrack or more or less Soundtrack Express (like Final Cut Express). Now I hear some people wondering out loud if GarageBand replaces the need for Soundtrack altogether, which leaves me scratching my head - seeing how Soundtrack is a $300 pro tool.

Can anybody clear this up?

[ShotgunEd]

from a quick read of http://www.apple.com/software/soundtrack/ it seems that Soundtrack is more specifically related to creating scores for various types of media. It also seems that Soundtrack ships with more effects and a more comprehensive EQ than Garage Band. That and a greater library of samples and loops.

[amontague]

Does anyone know if GarageBand will be useful for recording vinyl LPs?

Andrew Montague

[Technicolor]

I'm disappointed. I really, really want Final Cut Pro but for audio production. I was hoping for something that competes with Pro Tools but from Apple. After playing with Soundtrack and seeing how well the interface was designed, Logic looks like a pile. Oh well, maybe next year.

[Eug]

This is awesome. I was expecting Jobs to announce iLife '04 for $50 without GarageBand, with GarageBand for $50 too.

This is definitely a bonus! I already have the Midisport 2x2 and a MIDI controller keyboard.

[hmurchison2001]

Originally posted by Technicolor:
I'm disappointed. I really, really want Final Cut Pro but for audio production. I was hoping for something that competes with Pro Tools but from Apple. After playing with Soundtrack and seeing how well the interface was designed, Logic looks like a pile. Oh well, maybe next year.

Macworld= Consumer focus
NAMM= Pro Focus. Look to Jan 15 for salvation.

[G0Ducks]

I am a bit displeased. After reading what GB can do, and comparing it with what ST can do, I am finding out more and more that I wasted a ton of money on ST! I only purchased ST like three months ago. I would have much rather spent the money for iLife to get GB as it does exactly what I need for much much less...

Maybe I'll give apple a call. Not that it will result in anything.

A little disgruntled,

R

[dandbj]

Originally posted by spiky_dog:
GarageBand is NOT a replacement for mBox type devices. it's not a hardware thing, so, as stated elsewhere, it WON'T MAKE YOUR AUDIO INPUT MAGICALLY BETTER. clear? it's an application. and, as such, should work with all of the audio input gadgets that use Core Audio certainly, mBox included. however, it's not a replacement. shall i repeat myself again?

people buy the mBox, or the apogee minime, or the metric halo uln-2 (drool) for their electronics, preamps, and inputs. these are hardware features. thus software, however new and shiny, does not render them unnecessary for those who would need those features.

Unfortunately, I believe it would be a replacement for many people. For the longest time, there really has not been a good option for hobby recordists on the Mac platform. Because of this, people have been forced to buy way too much by way of hardware/software for their hobbyist endeavors. This has resulted in many people who own mBox/Pro Tools, Cakewalk, Logic, and the like, who would be much happier and more productive with Garageband. Such people do not utilize the high-end features of those programs anyway. For them, this may definitely be a good replacement. I am willing to wager that there are hundreds, even thousands of Mac musicians in that category. If it works as advertised, Apple may have just created the killer app for amateur and semipro musicians.

[SOLIDAge]

i just placed my order for my edu iLife...
Garageband looks AWESOME i can't wait to get my hands on it! i'm going to re-record my EP now digitally no 4 track!!

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by dandbj:
Unfortunately, I believe it would be a replacement for many people. For the longest time, there really has not been a good option for hobby recordists on the Mac platform. Because of this, people have been forced to buy way too much by way of hardware/software for their hobbyist endeavors. This has resulted in many people who own mBox/Pro Tools, Cakewalk, Logic, and the like, who would be much happier and more productive with Garageband.

Repeat after me:

GARAGEBAND IS NOT A HARDWARE DEVICE.

mBox is a hardware device.

mBox, Tascam US-428, iMic, Metric Halo Mobile I/O, MotU 828, and all those things are HARDWARE DEVICES that hook up to your computer to convert analog inputs into digital audio that is passed on to recording/editing software. They are mostly responsible for how good a signal sounds once it's in your computer.


GarageBand, Cakewalk, Logic, and the like are SOFTWARE. They do not care HOW the sound gets into the machine - whether you use the built-in 1/8" jack, or a $20 USB input device, or a $1500 Firewire audio interface, or a $4000 PCI-card solution, or a Del Monte fruit can hooked up to a piezo crystal with a piece of string.

IT DOES NOT MATTER, because all these applications are concerned with is what happens with the sound ONCE IT IS ALREADY IN YOUR COMPUTER.

You use these software applications to record, play back, edit, move around, arrange, mix, and do all those wonderful things.

GarageBand is NOT a replacement for an mBox interface anymore than a VCR is a replacement for television. They work together, and you can get TVs and VCRs of varying quality and feature sets, and sometimes, but not necessarily, the TV and the VCR will wear the same brand (as with computer audio, where ProTools makes BOTH recording software AND audio interface hardware to go with it).

But they are not the same thing.


Sorry, just needed to clear up an obvious misconception.

Such people do not utilize the high-end features of those programs anyway. For them, this may definitely be a good replacement. I am willing to wager that there are hundreds, even thousands of Mac musicians in that category. If it works as advertised, Apple may have just created the killer app for amateur and semipro musicians.

Agreed entirely. This is a huge market, I think.

And now, all you need to tell the kid who asks you is "Get an iBook and an M-Audio Oxygen 8 keyboard", and he will have *all* he needs to get started making music.

Absolutely Wonderful.

-s*

[chrisutley]

Indeed!

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
And now, all you need to tell the kid who asks you is "Get an iBook and an M-Audio Oxygen 8 keyboard", and he will have *all* he needs to get started making music.

Absolutely Wonderful.

-s* [/B]

[vmpaul]

Just got back from MW...

I thought this was the coolest thing about the whole expo. I like it a lot.

The best thing is that I can just plug my Strat right into the Mic input of my computer (with a converter cable) and record directly into GB.

The weird thing is that to output a mixed song it outputs to iTunes in mp4 format. Kinda weird not to do AIFF or mp3.

[chrisutley]

You freaked me out so I went to the Apple site, and found this:

"GarageBand saves your music as a CD-quality AIFF file and it automagically appears in iTunes."

http://www.apple.com/ilife/

What made you think it wouldn't save to AIFF format?

Originally posted by vmpaul:
Just got back from MW...

I thought this was the coolest thing about the whole expo. I like it a lot.

The best thing is that I can just plug my Strat right into the Mic input of my computer (with a converter cable) and record directly into GB.

The weird thing is that to output a mixed song it outputs to iTunes in mp4 format. Kinda weird not to do AIFF or mp3.

[vmpaul]

Originally posted by chrisutley:
You freaked me out so I went to the Apple site, and found this:

"GarageBand saves your music as a CD-quality AIFF file and it automagically appears in iTunes."

http://www.apple.com/ilife/

What made you think it wouldn't save to AIFF format?

I created a tune and exported it at the show. it was a mp4 format. I asked the rep and he said that was the format it used. Maybe i got bad info from the rep. Maybe it was the default and i didn't change it. it was real busy there.

Sorry. Glad you found that quote.

[arekkusu]

To anyone at the expo who had some hands-on time: can you tell us about EDITING?

Can it open MIDI files?
Can it display MIDI data? As piano roll? Score? Raw data? Guitar tab?
Can it edit that data precisely? (quantization, controller data etc)

How is audio sample data managed?
Can I import an arbitrary AIFF?
Create a bunch of (possibly overlapping) regions from that AIFF and insert them in the multitrack?
Edit the regions with sample-level accuracy?
Do time/pitch stretching on regions with simple dragging?

How about SPECTRAL VIEW of sample data?


(yeah, what I really want is Logic Platinum + CoolEditPro + Amplitube + G7. For $49.)

[rsh]

I think GarageBand looks insanely cool, an iMovie for budding musicians. The best thing to consider is that it will be included with EVERY new Mac. Think about it.

What can this mean for schools? The home users? (Even someone who just like to plunk around but isn't a real musician, like me?)

Can you buy any Dell with anything comparable to iLife 04 as a "for free" value-add?

Think about the in-store demo for iLife. Think about the kids bringing their moms and dads into the Apple stores to buy more Macs.

Think too, about how mightily Apple has delivered on Job's 1984 description of the Macintosh as "a bicycle for the mind."

[dru]

Originally posted by Chinasaur:
Looks like a good start. Dont know if there are other mixing apps for Mac, but this cant be good news if there are.

Any pros plan to buy iLife now becaue of GarageBand?

For the half who don't play and don't aspire to be on American Idol it takes its place with all those AOL cds as a cup holder.

Of course Apple will sell a buttload x 2 to the wannabe youth market.