How To Insert Regions In Garageband? Options

[Hugo Cole]

Hi,

Can anyone tell me how to insert track regions in Garageband without them copying over what's already at the insert point? Like when you want to record an extra section of a song and you don't want to split every track at the insert point to make the space for it first? Can't seem to find it in Help, and there seems not to be a section on Garageband in the Music Software section of these forums, which seems kind of strange.

Thanks

[jimdubpram]

Hi Hugo
I've come up against the same problem. Apart from shift clicking everything to the right of your timeline and then moving half of the music to the new point there doesn't seem to be any other options?
Garage band info is lacking in the software forums. It doesn't even appear in the Sequencer section.
Maybe because it comes built in with every Mac it's not considered significant enough?

[brendan]

I think the problem you're describing is a "feature" of Garageband--and if you want to be able to insert regions and move sections around easily, you gotta upgrade to Logic Express or Pro.

Seems silly, really--it's simple functionality, but they leave it out just to frustrate you and make you want to spend more money on the next product up.

[Hugo Cole]

Thanks for the replies. I wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. I really appreciate the help.

I know Garageband has problems with CPU usage and I wish often for many more software instruments and effects. Now I wish there was an insert function.

That being said, I love Garageband. I know there was a thread just a couple months ago about how awesome Garageband is so I won't go on about this, but as a "newbie" I've had to get over a Garageband inferiority complex. Not that it came from anyone on this forum - just people in my life who are not so musical who talk about software as though that's the secret to success. Them: "what kind of software are you using? Logic? Reason?" Me: "um, I'm just using Garageband, I'm not very experienced...." Them: "man, you should check out... everyone's using... have you tried.... let me give you a copy of..."

I decided a while back that I would wait until I'm really hurting from the lack of functions to upgrade. I just think that in the meantime the time I would spend figuring out and tinkering with something more complex would be better spent working on the music. In the meantime I'll proudly manually insert space for new sections. Maybe I'm just rigid and resistant to change. Maybe I'm just lazy and I like the fact that I have something that I didn't need to read a manual BEFORE I started using. That's all.

[CaptainAmerica]

Hi Hugho - I can appreciate this. I am SUPER new to Macs and have found Garageband to be pretty amazing actually. I leave my Mac in my music room and everytime I come in here I find new music that my daughter has created. It's actually very good for a "Musical Lego" type of application. I was thinking about using Apple's Logic Pro but then I wondered, being a newbie, is that over kill? Shouldn't I just try and max out my functionality in GB? Well, this insert issue may be the very thing that will cause me to upgrade to something. I needed an Audio Interface to get my electric guitar and electric drum set (my daughters) into the Mac so I bought a ProSonus Firebox. It's pretty dang cool. It came with Cubase LE but since I'm using a MBP w/Intel, I'm kinda stuck with nothing but GB at this point. If anyone reading this can think of a new way to insert into the timeline, I'd be very grateful.

[yellowbeak]

I think the thing to keep in mind, here, is that a tool is only as good as the person using it. If you're a Garageband guru, then chances are you can make stuff sound much better there than just dabbling around in high end suites...

Personally, it all comes down to ideas. The question is, which tool can assist your creativity and ideas the fastest? For example, I'm learning a lot about various packages out there - and it seems to me that it works best to use Garageband/Reason as a sketch pad of sorts, then using MOTU Digital Performer/Logic/Pro Tools for more involved work, and maybe even Bias Peak for cleaning up the finished product.

As artists, I think it helps if we consider what we're trying to achieve. Take me, for example. I've spent a lot of time dabbling, but not enough focusing on really creating (which I am working on doing, believe me!!!) with the tools at hand. And really, if you are looking for a home, having tools and lumber doesn't work too well if you haven't used it to build walls and a roof.

[CaptainAmerica]

Taco - I totally agree with you. I was watching a video from another vendor and the guy said something really funny and profound. He said, "Our software is really great and if you suck as a musician, you'll still suck but you'll have fun". My friend is an artist with a piece of wood, a hammer, and a few nails. But when I hold those extact same items, I only hurt myself.

[jimdubpram]

Just been reading in 'Garage Band the missing manual'. by David Pogue page 48:
'By dragging enormous chunks of your song, you can rearrange sections and experiment with musical arrangements. The trick is selecting so many regions all at once. To do so, start by zooming out. Then, drag a box around the entire area you want to select. Now you can drag any of the selected regions to move them all at once, exactly as with icons in the Finder.'

[Hugo Cole]

Hi guys

Yes, I have since realized that it's not really that difficult to manually insert regions into GB using just the technique you describe. Initially I was trying to do it one track at a time - pure lameness. I feel much better now. GB continues to rock.

That having been said, I feel a bit silly for going on about how amazing GB is and insinuating that all that matters is musicianship. Listening to these first recordings I've made, I'm really beginning to appreciate "minor" issues like mixing...