GarageBand

This article is about music software. For other uses, see Garage band (disambiguation).

GarageBand

File:Garageband mac os x.png GarageBand 5.1
Developer(s)	Apple Inc.
Stable release	10.0.0 / October 22, 2013 (2013-10-22)
Operating system	OS X
Type	Digital audio workstation
Website	www.apple.com/mac/garageband/

GarageBand for iOS

Developer(s)	Apple Inc.
Stable release	2.0 / October 22, 2013 (2013-10-22)
Operating system	iOS
Type	Digital audio workstation
License	Proprietary
Website	www.apple.com/ios/garageband/

GarageBand is a software application for OS X and iOS that allows users to create music or podcasts. It is developed by Apple Inc. as a part of the iLife software package on OS X.

Features

Audio recording

GarageBand is a streamlined digital audio workstation (DAW) and music sequencer that can record and play back multiple tracks of audio. Built-in audio filters that use the AU (audio unit) standard allow the user to enhance the audio track with various effects, including reverb, echo, and distortion amongst others. GarageBand also offers the ability to record at both 16-bit and 24-bit Audio Resolution An included tuning system helps with pitch correction and can effectively imitate the Auto-Tune effect when tuned to the maximum level.

Virtual software instruments

GarageBand includes a large selection of realistic, sampled instruments and software modeled synthesizers. These can be used to create original compositions or play music live through the use of a USB MIDI keyboard connected to the computer, an on-screen virtual keyboard, or using a standard QWERTY keyboard with the "musical typing" feature. The synthesizers are broken into 2 groups: [virtual] analog and digital. Each synthesizer has a wide variety of adjustable parameters, including richness, glide, cut off, standard attack, decay, sustain, and release; these allow for a wide array of sounds to be created.

Guitar features

In addition to the standard tracks, Garageband allows for guitar-specific tracks that can use a variety of simulated amplifiers, stomp boxes, and effects processors. These imitate popular hardware from companies including Marshall Amplification, Orange Music Electronic Company, and Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. Up to five simulated effects can be layered on top of the virtual amplifiers, which feature adjustable parameters including tone, reverb, and volume. Guitars can be connected to Macs using the built-in input (requires hardware that can produce a standard stereo signal using a 3.5mm output) or a USB interface.

MIDI editing

GarageBand can import MIDI files and offers piano roll or notation-style editing and playback. By complying with the MIDI Standard, a user can edit many different aspects of a recorded note, including pitch, velocity, and duration. Pitch can be set to 1/128 of a semi-tone, on a scale of 0-127 (sometimes described on a scale of 1-128 for clarification). Velocity, which determines amplitude (volume), can be set and adjusted on a scale of 0-127. Note duration can be adjusted manually via the piano roll or in the score view. Note rhythms can be played via the software instruments, or created in the piano roll environment; rhythm correction is also included to lock notes to any time signature subdivision. GarageBand also offers global editing capabilities to MIDI information with Enhanced Timing, also known as Quantizing. Whilst offering comprehensive control over MIDI files, GarageBand does not include several features of professional-level DAWs, such as a sequencer for drum tracks separate from the normal piano roll. However, many of these shortcomings have been addressed with each successive release of GarageBand.

Music lessons

A new feature included with GarageBand '09 and later is the ability to download pre-recorded music lessons from GarageBand's Lesson Store for guitar and piano. There are two types of lesson available in the Lesson Store: Basic Lessons, which are a free download, and Artist Lessons, which must be purchased. The first Basic Lessons for both guitar and piano are included with GarageBand.

In both types of lesson, a music teacher presents the lesson, which is in a special format offering high quality video and audio instructions. The lessons include a virtual guitar or piano, which demonstrates finger position and a musical notational area to show the correct musical notations. The music examples used in these lessons features popular music.

In an Artist Lesson the music teacher is the actual musician/songwriter who composed the song being taught in the lesson. As of November 2009 the artists featured are: Sting (Roxanne, Message in a Bottle, Fragile), Sarah McLachlan (Angel), Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy (I Don't Care, Sugar, We're Goin' Down), Norah Jones (Thinking About You), Colbie Caillat (Bubbly), Sara Bareilles (Love Song), John Fogerty (Proud Mary, Fortunate Son, Centerfield), Ryan Tedder of OneRepublic (Apologize), Ben Folds (Brick, Zak and Sara), John Legend (Ordinary People), and Alex Lifeson of Rush (Tom Sawyer, Limelight, Working Man, The Spirit of Radio). No new Artist Lessons have been released in 2010, and Apple has not announced plans to release any more.

Additional audio loops

Jam Packs

Jam Packs are Apple’s official add-ons for GarageBand. Each Jam Pack contains loops and software instruments grouped into certain genres and styles.

The current Jam Packs are as follows:

• GarageBand Jam Pack: Remix Tools
• GarageBand Jam Pack: Rhythm Section
• GarageBand Jam Pack: Symphony Orchestra
• GarageBand Jam Pack: World Music
• GarageBand Jam Pack: Voices

There was also another GarageBand Jam Pack, initially known just as GarageBand Jam Pack, later GarageBand Jam Pack 1, which was discontinued in January 2006. Beginning with the release of the Remix Tools and Rhythm Section Jam Packs, each Jam Pack was designated with a number. The release of GarageBand Jam Pack: World Music also saw a redesign in packaging.

MainStage 2

MainStage 2 by Apple also includes 40 built-in instruments – including synths, vintage keyboards, and a drum machine – to use in GarageBand. It also features an interface for live performances and includes a large collection of plug-ins and sounds.

Third-party instrument and Apple Loop packages

In addition to Apple, many other companies today offer commercial or shareware virtual software instruments designed specially for GarageBand, and collections of Apple Loops intended for GarageBand users.

GarageBand can also use any third-party software synthesizer that adheres to the Core Audio (Audio Units) standard. However, there are limitations, including that Audio Unit instruments which can respond on multiple MIDI channels or ports can be triggered only on the first channel of the first port. This means that multi-timbral instruments which contain multiple channels and respond to many MIDI channels, such as Native Instruments Kontakt and MOTU MachFive, are not ideally suited for use in GarageBand.

Third-party vendors also offer extra loops for use in GarageBand. Users can also record their own loops through a microphone, via a software instrument, or by using an audio interface to physically connect a guitar or other hardware instrument to a Mac or iOS device.

Sample multitrack source files

In 2005, Trent Reznor from the band Nine Inch Nails released the source multitrack GarageBand files for the song "The Hand That Feeds" to allow the public to experiment with his music, and permitted prospective GarageBand users to remix the song. He also gave permission for anyone to share their personalized remix with the world. Since then, Nine Inch Nails has released several more GarageBand source files, and several other artists have also released their GarageBand files for the public to experiment with. (For more information, and to download the source files for that song and others, visit [1]).

New Zealand band Evermore also released the source multi-track files for GarageBand for their song "Never Let You Go".

Ben Folds released Stems & Seeds, special version of his 2008 album, Way to Normal. Stems and Seeds contained a remastered version of Way to Normal, and a separate disc containing GarageBand files for each track from the album to allow fans to remix the songs.

Limitations

A lack of MIDI-out capability limits the use of external MIDI instruments. There is also only limited support for messages sent from knobs on MIDI keyboards, as only real-time pitch bend, modulation, sustain, and foot control are recognized. However, since GarageBand '08, other parameters affected by MIDI knobs can be automated later, per-track. GarageBand has no functions for creating multiple time signatures, though the software does now allow a tempo track to automate tempo changes. The ability to reverse tracks is also not available.

Other than pitch bend, GarageBand is limited to the pitches and intervals of standard 12-tone equal temperament, so it does not natively support xenharmonic music. Logic Pro supports different tunings, but not GarageBand; however, audio units which support microtuning (using .scl or .tun files, or some other method) can be used in GarageBand to produce alternative pitches.

History

GarageBand was developed by Apple under the direction of Dr. Gerhard Lengeling, formerly of the German company Emagic, makers of Logic Audio. (Emagic was acquired by Apple in July 2002.)

The application was announced during Steve Jobs’s keynote speech at the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco on January 6, 2004; musician John Mayer assisted with its demonstration.

GarageBand 2 was announced at the 2005 Macworld Conference & Expo on January 11, 2005. It shipped, as announced, around January 22, 2005. Major new features included the abilities to view and edit music in musical notation, to record up to 8 tracks at once, to fix timing and pitch of recordings, to automate track pan position, master volume, and master pitch, to transpose both audio and MIDI, and to import MIDI files. System requirements.

GarageBand 3, announced at 2006’s Macworld Conference & Expo, includes a 'podcast studio', including the ability to use more than 200 effects and jingles, and integration with iChat for remote interviews. System requirements.

GarageBand 4, also known as GarageBand '08, is part of iLife '08. It incorporates the ability to record sections of a song separately, such as bridges, and chorus lines. Additionally, it provides support for the automation of tempos and instruments, the creation and exportation of iPhone ringtones, and a "Magic GarageBand" feature which includes a virtual jam session with a complete 3D view of the instruments. System requirements.

GarageBand 5 is part of the iLife '09 package. It includes music instruction, and allows the user to buy instructional videos by contemporary artists. It also contains new features for electric guitar players, including a dedicated 3D Electric Guitar Track containing a virtual stompbox pedalboard, and virtual amplifiers with spring reverb and tremolo. GarageBand 5 also includes a cleaner, redesigned user interface as well as Project Templates. System requirements.

GarageBand 6, also known as GarageBand '11, is part of the iLife '11 package, which was released on October 20, 2010. This version brings new features such as Flex Time, a tool to adjust the rhythm of a recording. It also includes the ability to match the tempo of one track with another instantly, additional guitar amps and stompboxes, 22 new lessons for guitar and piano, and "How Did I Play?", a tool to measure the accuracy and progress of a piano or guitar performance in a lesson. System requirements.

GarageBand for iOS

On March 2, 2011, Apple announced a version GarageBand for the iPad. It has many features similar to the OS X version. Music can be created using the on-screen instruments, which include keyboards, drums, a sampler, and various "smart instruments". It also acts as a multitrack recording studio with Stompbox effects and guitar amps. Songs can be emailed or sent to an iTunes Library. Additionally, projects can be imported to GarageBand for OS X, where they can be further edited. This also allows instruments from the iOS platform to be saved into the software instrument library on the Mac. The app is compatible with iPhone 3GS or higher, the third generation iPod Touch or higher, and all versions of the iPad, including the iPad Mini. It requires iOS 7 to run. As of version 2.0, the app is free, but requires an in-app purchase for all of the instruments and sounds.

Instruments

• GarageBand includes a standard keyboard instrument and "Smart Keyboard" instrument. The keyboard is set up like a standard keyboard, and features several keyboard instruments (some of which are customizable), including grand piano, electric piano, various organs, clavinet, synth leads, synth pads, and bass synths. It also has many different sound effects. The keyboard is capable of playing arpeggio and includes a pitch bend. The smart keyboard is arranged like the other smart instruments, allowing the user to play chords on piano, electric piano, organ, clavinet, and four adjustable synthesizers. Also included is an autoplay feature, which plays one of 4 rhythms for each instrument.

• There are two different kinds of drum instruments in GarageBand. The touch drums instrument includes three acoustic drum kits (Studio Kit, Live Kit, and Vintage Kit) with a realistic set up, and three electronic drum kits (Hip Hop drums, House drums, and a drum kit with Roland TR-808 and 909 samples) set up like drum machines with customizable sounds that can be saved as separate drum kits. The other drum instrument is the "Smart Drums" instrument, in which the drum sounds can be arranged on a grid by complexity and volume. It contains all six drum kits in the touch drums.

• A "Smart Guitar" is included in GarageBand, which includes 4 guitars: an acoustic guitar, two electric guitars, and a distortion guitar. Each guitar (except for the acoustic one) has 2 optional soundboxes. The instrument is set up like the smart keyboard, where multiple chords can be played. Also, each note in a chord can be played separately, or muted by holding the left side of the string.

• The "Smart Bass" instrument is set up like the guitar, where four strings can play various notes. However, the bass cannot play chords. Included are three electric basses, an acoustic orchestral bass, and four customizable synth basses. Like the smart keyboard and smart guitars, there is an "autoplay" feature.

• Added in update 1.2 are "Smart Strings", a string section made of 1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos, and bass, capable of playing notes legato, staccato, and pizzicato. The orchestra is customizable, including four different string styles (all with a different "autoplay" feature). The instruments can also be dropped in or out. For example, one can play a chord made up of all the available instruments, or simply play a violin note.

• In the sampler instrument, the user can record a sound and play it on the keyboard (it has the same interface as the keyboard instrument). After the sound is recorded, it can be modified with a various amount of tools within the sampler. It can also play notes in a loop or reversed. In Version 2.0, the user can import audio files to create samples.

• The audio recorder is a standard recorder that works through the internal microphone or a headphone mic. After the sound is recorded, there are several audio effects that can be applied.

• The guitar amp is meant to be played by plugging a guitar into the device and recording, but can also work with sounds from the audio recorder, included apple loops, and imported music files. Within it are several customizable amplifiers and stompboxes, allowing for a wide range of different sounds.

Updates

On November 1, 2011 Apple introduced GarageBand for iOS 1.1, adding support for the iPhone and iPod touch, among other features. These included the ability to create custom chords for Smart Instruments, support for 3/4 and 6/8 time signatures, and exporting in AAC or AIFF format.

On March 7, 2012, Apple updated GarageBand to 1.2, adding support for the third-generation iPad. It introduced the new Smart Strings instrument, a string orchestra of 1st and 2nd violins, violas, celli, and bass, capable of playing notes legato, staccato, and pizzicato. Additionally, it added synthesizers to the Smart Keyboard and Smart Bass instruments. It also added a note editor which allows users to fine-tune note placement and length and the ability to upload songs to Facebook, YouTube and SoundCloud, as well as the ability to upload projects to iCloud. It also included Jam Session, a feature that enables up to 4 iPhones, iPod touches, and/or iPads with GarageBand installed to play simultaneously.

On May 1, 2012, GarageBand was updated to 1.2.1, providing minor bug fixes and stability improvements.

Alongside the new iOS 6, Apple updated GarageBand to 1.3 on September 19, 2012. The update added the ability to import music from one's music library, ringtone creation, the ability to use the app in the background, and minor bug fixes.

GarageBand was updated to 1.4 on March 20, 2013. The update added support for Audiobus, the ability to remove grid snapping, and minor bug fixes.

GarageBand received a design overhaul coinciding with the reveal of the iPad Air on October 22, 2013. GarageBand 2.0 features a new design to match iOS 7, an extended amount of tracks per song, and new functions in the Sampler instrument.

Availability

Prior to the launch of Apple's Mac App Store, GarageBand was only available as a part of iLife, a suite of applications (also including iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, and iWeb) intended to simplify the creation and organization of digital content, or available on a new Mac. On January 6, 2011, GarageBand was made available independently on the Mac App Store in addition to most of the other applications in the suite.

See also

• List of MIDI editors and sequencers

References

• Apple Inc. http://www.apple.com

External links

• Official home page
• GarageBand 11 - How it Works (Graphically Enhanced Manual)