Macworld: Apple Introduces Garage Band, Apple Options

[bboyj]

I'm looking forward to getting it. I used to record on Cubasis 2, which did pretty much everything I needed it to do, but since it doesn't work on OS X, I've been waiting for a good (cheap!) app to come along.

I couldn't find any mention of MIDI output which is a shame 'cos I've got some nice bits of kit sat next to me. If we keep our fingers crossed they might upgrade it in the future. Looks good too.

One complaint though - GARAGEBAND? What kind of name is that? That has to be the worse names ever for a piece of software. What about iStudio, or iTrax or something even remotely credible. I know Jobs is a bit of an old hippy, and the US doesn't have the same sort of dance music culture as Europe, but dear oh dear...

[jess_sp]

Yay, no one is sure of the feautures of the GarageBand and as Bass2001 said we should wait to got some information from :love:Expo, but it sounds like a great software and every musician should try it out, as it's not so expensive.

And it's obvius that Apple didn't released many information so that people like us keep on talking about... It's all marketing...

[Gnuus]

Why is Garageband not a free download?

[jess_sp]

Why is Garageband not a free download?

I guess that Apple wants to sell it in iLife to make more popular the other softwares in the bundle. GarabeBand will surely be more popularthan the other softwares, and will make people that would never buy, e.g, an iPhoto, try it and use it.

Steve Jobs, am I right?!

[stellarSYNTH]

How does anyone know what the editing capabilities of GarageBand are?  The web site doesn't mention anything about editing MIDI, accessing CC data, etc.  It only talks about building pieces by playing in MIDI data (no step entry method mentioned) or recording in audio, or using the included loops.  There are no screen shots of any editing windows or tools.  Is there support for building songs from sequences?

If a user is not able to edit MIDI data, then I don't believe it will be of any interest to anyone who uses any of the pro or hobbyist apps that currenty exist in terms of MIDI sequencing.

It seems unlikely that it is that limited, but how can anyone know in the absence of any other information?

Tim

Hi Tim,
I understand your reluctance, and my comments are not focused directly on your comments but also to spark another question.
I saw the demo of GarageBand live via a streaming web feed. Steve Jobs who is admittedly not a musician began dragging and dropping loops into the arrange window and within a minute or two had a little song going on. He did this the same way anyone would do it by moving around the segments and making them longer or shoter. If you mean having the abiliity to go in and do a note by note edit...I am not sure. It is a new app. but I feel it is based on eMagic technology since Apple acquired them about two years ago. When I saw the debut of SoundTrack, I thought this is what they wanted with eMagic, but they've done more.
It was wonderful to see this simplicity, and I will probalby rely on the loops some too. New tracks can be recorded just like any sequencer software you might have used.
What is not clear to me is if there will be a way for GarageBand to interface with my existing studio rack instruments or trigger other keyboards, if it will...then I am in heaven. Otherwise the external instrument can be used to record digital audiop and loops can be built in that way.
Right now there ARE a lot of unanswered questions, but like lots of other people who saw the Expo demo..I am very excited. As soon as the feed ended, I went to the Apple site and made my purchase and also ordered the JamPack add ons.
I've been using various sequencing packages and some of my MIDI instruments are approaching 20 years old. So, I also ordered the 49e controller. One of my previous keyboard controllers did not offer velocity sensitivity on send, and the one that did was so big and bulky in my working environment. The next day...I cancvelled the order for the 49e and went seomwehre else and ordered the Oxygen8.
I just hope this forum stays alive. I am very excited.

[braj]

I would imagine this forum (and this site) will get a lot busier because of GarageBand. That's how I got here. I had visited a few times, but finally registered when I got excited about GB.

[wlevin]

Well, the way iDVD finally transformed DVD Studio Pro, I would bet that Logic7 will be transformed by Garageband

I wouldn't be surprised if the whole reason Apple acquired Emagic was just so they could port their Logic code into a cool creative music application for the masses, a.k.a. GarageBand.

After all, that's the reason they acquired NeXT ... so they could port their code into Mac OS X. They also ported Steve Jobs back, too

[stellarSYNTH]

Well, the way iDVD finally transformed DVD Studio Pro, I would bet that Logic7 will be transformed by Garageband

I wouldn't be surprised if the whole reason Apple acquired Emagic was just so they could port their Logic code into a cool creative music application for the masses, a.k.a. GarageBand.

When I heard about the eMagic acquisition, the idea of Apple making some kind of consumer MIDI app was what I thought they were after. Then SoundTrack came out and I thought that was going to be it.
I was hoping something like this would happen, but I had forgotten about it.
I have a friend in Germany who was very chagrined when eMagic was sold to Apple. He had been using their notation software for almost 15 years and one of the first things Apple did was drop support for the PC. Or maybe they didn't. He felt it was a small tradgedy...I'm not sure if eMagic still develops for PC, I see PC stuff on their site...I just don't know if it's up to date.
I just hope Apple pursues GarageBand and develops it as nicely as they have iPhoto or iTunes. I hope it will have external MIDI support...but I don't expect it right away.
heh...but iTunes used to be SoundJam too.

[_guest_Drumpoet_]

Why is Garageband not a free download?

Thousands of samples take up a few Gigabytes. Do you have unlimited freetime and bandwith to download all that?

And who doesn't like to make a bit of money on the side?

I say kudos! And I look forward to having it in my grubby little hands! Though I'll probably get my first glimpse of it at the NAMM Show as I'll be away from home by the time its delivered.

[_Guest_]

Here's what really strikes me about the whole GB idea:

Creating an environment where music making is more accessible.

To me, that's a great concept. Sure, there's a lot of folks who are "Pros" and "Amatuers", but it seems a bigger deal to me when you can involve a lot more people who have never really experienced the satisfaction of playing or making music.

Here's an epiphany:

Think of all the great music you make with your gear now. Now think about what it would be like if all you ever did was just listen.

Digital photography, video productions... sure I don't know as much as the Pros, but I can at least have just as much fun in the creation process. But coming from the standpoint of a professional musician, think of how amazing this can be if Apple is able to turn some of those "just listeners" into music makers.

That's it for me.