PE6_Garage Band

A tool that I’ve heard about for years, but never had the privilege of actually using or learning is Garage Band.  Thank goodness for Lynda.com which provides so much extensive training (4.5hrs!) on this new tool that I’ve slightly fallen in love with.  Garage Band is great for anyone who wants to create, record, or even learn how to play music.  With its free and pay for use lessons, anyone could potentially be the next Sting, or at least learn how to sound like him J.

In the first set of lessons, much attention is paid to Magic Garage Band (not sure if this is a newer feature or not), which allows users to play along with and even record with a preset style of music.  The interface seems user-friendly, allowing you to skip to certain parts of the song or loop a particular section that you may want to focus on.  And the instruments available in Garage Band are expansive, but I’ll get to that later. 

 Recording inside the actual GB interface should be familiar to anyone who’s used digital recordings in a previous life.  The multiple tracks are layed out in such a way that you’re able to mute, solo or adjust the instruments during play.  And, if you fall into the novice category, Apple is kind enough to offer free guitar and piano lessons with multiple viewing options to optimize your experience.  Or, if you feel like jamming with the greats, trying out their Artist Lessons for a fee through the music store is an option worth looking into.