GarageBand 2

What is GarageBand?

GarageBand is technically a MIDI sequencer. A MIDI sequencer software allows users to record, edit and play songs created using a MIDI keyboard. (MIDI instruments do not produce sounds on their own, but through a synthesizer, which GarageBand possesses.)

Besides recording MIDI tracks, GarageBand also allows users to record real instruments like guitar, electronic drums, electric guitar/bass/violins, etc.

What can you do with GarageBand?

1. Record.

After you've decided which instruments to record (real or software instruments), simply click the Record button and you're good to go. Don't like the first take? Just select the particular track, click 'delete', and re-record it!

2. Edit

For MIDI tracks, you can transpose, change the position of notes, and change tempo rates. For both software and real instruments, you can copy, paste and crop off unwanted parts of a recording.

3. Mix

GarageBand allows basic mixing for each tracks, i.e. fading in and out.

4. Playback

You can listen to your recordings over and over again, by (1) listening to the entire song; (2) listening to a solo track by muting the other tracks; or (3) listening to a selected part of a track using 'cycling' or looping of a certain part of a track.

Pros and cons of GarageBand

Pros:

• User-friendly interface features and buttons.

• Easy as ABC. Just drag and drop any of the default sample loops to your desired track and let your creative juices flow! There's no right or wrong when it comes to creating music.

• Wide variety of loops, especially drum loops. You can also download for free or purchase loops from certain websites.

• Features like basic mixing, panning, punch-in, punch-out, cycling, count in demand, metronome, variety of sound effects (you can customize a new sound), muting/locking/soloing tracks etc. ......just to name a few.

• Hooking up a guitar or keyboard in a jiffy without much hassle.

• Easy sharing. GarageBand conveniently exports your song creation to iTunes. There are many ways you can share your GarageBand creations with the world. For example, you can upload your songs on websites like iCompositions.com, MacIdol.com, etc.

Cons:

• Number of tracks depends on your Mac's horsepower, as GarageBand drains power and memory. I usually switch off other applications when using GarageBand.

• Limited default loops for piano, electric piano, brass instruments and violas.

So now you have a rough idea what GarageBand can do. What's more exciting is that the newly launched GarageBand 2 has more features for you to fiddle around with!

What's new in GarageBand 2?

• Built-in Tuner. Yep, you heard me right. A built-in instrument tuner. Simply play a note on your guitar or bass and the indicator will display whether your instrument is in tune or not. Piece of cake! Now your songs will never sound off-key again!

• Beautiful Notation. GarageBand 2 allows you to view your song creation in notations. In case you don't know what notes are, it's also known as 'tadpoles', 'taugeh' or those little black lollipop look-alikes.

• Lock it up. You don't have to worry about careless mistakes anymore. Simply lock a track that you're not working on to ensure it is protected from any 'potential' accidents like accidentally deleting it, etc. Also, by locking tracks, you are actually reducing consumption of horsepower!

• What? You sang out of tune? And you played out of beat? No worries, GarageBand 2 allows you to enhance your out-of-tune or off-beat recordings without having the hassle to re-record it!

• Change of voice! GarageBand 2 allows you to change your voice pitch! If you're ever short of a vocalist, just do it yourself! Need a male voice? Simple, just use the 'vocal transformer' and you get whatever voice tone you desire.

• Create your own loops. Record your performances and save them as loops. You can then select and use them just like other loops from the Loop Browser.

There's so much you can do with GarageBand 2! I'm talking about good, quality songs that you can create entirely on your own! How cool is that? Why not start making music today? It's entirely possible, with GarageBand 2.