GarageBand ’09 - Take Control of Recording with GarageBand ’09

Take Control of Recording with GarageBand ‘09

Learn how to record complete songs with drums, keyboards, bass, strings, even horns...even if all you have is a beat-up electric guitar!

This book explains how to use GarageBand '09 to create musical compositions with vocals, drums, guitars, MIDI keyboards, and even the kitchen sink! Seattle composer Jeff Tolbert shares his GarageBand know-how and years of recording experience to help you get the most out of your existing gear or purchase new equipment that fits your budget and style. You'll find out how to plan a recording session, and you'll learn real-world recording studio techniques, such as using a microphone effectively, getting the best sounds from your gear, applying effects like a pro, using the new Electric Guitar track and the new stompbox effects, recording multiple tracks at once, and fixing mistakes easily. Two example songs demonstrate many of the techniques discussed.

More Info
Contents & Intro
What’s New
FAQ
Blog

Read Me First
Introduction
Quick Start to Recording with GarageBand
Strategize Your Recording Session
Choose a Recording Method
Recording Software Instruments
Recording Real Instruments
Fix a Section
Understand GarageBand Effects
Learn GarageBand Tips and Tricks
Listen to the Sample Songs
Learn More
Appendix A: GarageBand MIDI Drum Sounds
Appendix B: Troubleshooting
Glossary
About This Book

Read Me First

This book teaches you how to record real and software instruments, how to work creatively, and how to turn your recordings into a great-sounding piece of music in GarageBand '09 (part of Apple's iLife '09 suite), also known as GarageBand version 5. This book was written by Jeff Tolbert, edited by Jeff Carlson (with musical backup from Geoff Duncan), and published by TidBITS Publishing Inc..

Introduction

GarageBand has changed the way Mac users create music. Many of us thought we'd need to spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to make decent recordings. Instead, GarageBand makes recording much more affordable. Sure, it doesn't include some features of higher-end programs, but what it does for the money is simply amazing.

Songwriters can make great-sounding demos to play for their bands or prospective record labels. Proud parents can record their children for friends and relatives. Those of us who never fulfilled our rock-and-roll fantasies in our youth have another chance.

GarageBand's recording process is easy and intuitive. Even if you have no experience in a recording studio, this book will get you working like a pro in no time. Whether you're recording using a MIDI keyboard, an electric guitar, or with a vocalist using a microphone, you don't need a lot of fancy equipment to get great-sounding tracks. I show you bucketloads of tricks you can use to get the best sound possible out of your equipment. Even inexpensive keyboards, microphones, preamps, and guitars will give you wonderful results.

One thing to keep in mind: GarageBand isn't meant to compete with top-of-the-line recording software such as Pro Tools or Logic Pro. The truly demanding user will discover its limitations. GarageBand can't control audio as well as its high-end brethren, it gulps down processor cycles like they were candy corn, and you can't apply effects to groups of tracks at once, among other things. But for the typical songwriter, home recording artist, or weekend rock-and-roller, GarageBand has more than enough mojo to get your ideas out of your head and into the real world.

I assume that you're somewhat familiar with GarageBand. If you've played around in GarageBand a little already, you'll probably feel right at home with this book. If not, I suggest that you read my other book, Take Control of Making Music with GarageBand '09, to learn fundamental aspects of the program, such as arranging songs and using loops.

Quick Start to Recording with GarageBand '09

GarageBand offers a variety of ways to record music. Software Instruments use sounds generated by your Mac, using prerecorded samples or models of different instrument types; Real Instruments require you to plug an external sound source (such as a microphone) into your Mac; Electric Guitars also requires an external source and gives you access to GarageBand '09's new amp models and stompboxes. To use this Quick Start section, choose the heading that describes your situation or your interests. Then, follow its suggestions.

Plan ahead:

Choose the best way to structure your recording time in Strategize Your Recording Session.
Decide whether to use a Software Instrument, a Real Instrument, or an Electric Guitar in Choose a Recording Method.

Record Software Instruments:

Do you have the equipment you need? Learn about MIDI Gear and find out what's required for using Software Instruments.
Review Set Up Your MIDI Keyboard for information and troubleshooting on getting connected.
Check out Record Your Tracks to get your ideas into the computer.
Tweak your parts so they're just right in Edit the Performance.

Record Real Instruments:

Learn about microphones and electric guitars, and find the best (and cheapest) way to get a signal from your guitar or microphone into your Mac in Consider Your Equipment.
Set Up Your Input Device to get yourself connected and ready to record.
Get a killer sound out of your guitar or bass, eliminate hum, and record a great performance; read Use a Real Instrument track and Use an Electric Guitar track.
Learn about microphone placement and how to best use a mic to record vocals, instruments, or anything else in Record with a microphone.

Rerecord a section:

Make a mistake? Have no fear. Check out Fix a Section to learn how to repair errors, including how to correct pitch and timing.

Understand effects:

Add cool effects to your song to make it shine. Read Understand GarageBand Effects to learn, for example, the difference between a compressor and a phaser.

Go backstage with GarageBand tips and tricks:

Learn GarageBand Tips and Tricks such as making a guitar sound like a bass, turning your tracks into loops, and more.

Check out the sample tunes:

I created two songs to highlight many of the techniques described in the book. Listen to the Sample Songs and read descriptions of how I made them.

Update Plans

September 2009 -- We just released version 1.1 of this ebook, bringing it inline with how Electric Guitar tracks work in GarageBand 5.1. We do not expect to update this ebook again for GarageBand 5 (GarageBand '09). We may do a new edition for the next major release of GarageBand, but it is too soon to make definite plans.

—Tonya Engst

GarageBand 5.1 Update now available—allows track effects on Electric Guitar tracks

August 11, 2009 --

The GarageBand 5.1 update, released August 3, 2009, now allows users to add up to three track or Audio Units effects to an Electric Guitar track. As this was NOT the case with GarageBand 5.0, several pages in this ebook now have outdated information. The pages affected are as follows:

p. 46: In the sidebar Different Strokes, the first bullet should now read: Recording direct into an Electric Guitar track gives you access to GarageBand’s brand new guitar amp models, which by and large sound pretty great for virtual amps. You also get to use Garageband's new virtual stompboxes for effects, along with up to three of the standard track effects.

p. 88: The third box, Stompbox Effects, should now read: Stompbox effects are available only in Electric Guitar tracks. (For more details, see Stompboxes.)

The track effects slots on an Electric Guitar track can be a little hard to find at first. To use them, double-click the amp illustration to show its backside. Now click the arrow just below the floorboards to show the track effect slots.

The 5.1 update also addresses a potential security issue: when launched, GarageBand 5.0 would set Safari to always accept cookies, which may have allowed third parties to track your Web activity. The update also improves support for Apogee audio interfaces, speeds up switching to full screen in Magic GarageBand, and improves access to audio monitoring settings.

—Jeff Tolbert

Listen to Jeff

April 24, 2009 --

Author Jeff Tolbert talks about GarageBand '09 in MacVoices podcast #967 with host Chuck Joiner. You can tune in and find out what Jeff has to say about guitar amps, Magic GarageBand, in-GarageBand artist lessons, and more.

—Tonya Engst

Savvy GarageBand ‘09 Documentation Now Available

April 23, 2009 --

Good documentation can be hard to find these days, and Apple's GarageBand has particularly suffered in this regard, since relatively few books have focused on it over the years, with even fewer titles for later versions of GarageBand. Our guess is that most publishers didn't sell enough books about earlier GarageBand versions to make it worthwhile to release new editions. It's also tricky to find someone who is good at writing about how to use the Mac, who has time to write book-length documentation, and who is well-versed in real-world GarageBand usage.

In an example of ebooks breaking the constraints of the physical world, our two GarageBand titles have been steady sellers, and interest in them has grown over time, so naturally we wanted to update them for GarageBand '09. We were relieved that author Jeff Tolbert found the necessary time while working on his ever-increasing number of music-related projects. (We're hoping that we don't regret our flip "remember us when you're famous" line by having Jeff sucked out of the Take Control orbit when he hits it big.)

So, we've just released new editions of the 117-page Take Control of Making Music with GarageBand '09 and the 134-page Take Control of Recording with GarageBand '09." They cost $10 individually or $17.50 in a bundle. To purchase both books with the bundle discount, use this direct link or look for the "Buy Both" option in the left margin of either Web page.

Take Control of Making Music with GarageBand '09: This 117-page ebook provides step-by-step instructions and linked-in audio examples for using GarageBand's built-in loops to create three songs, explaining not only how to use GarageBand's editing and mixing features but also how to be playful and creative while composing tunes that please the ear. Readers will learn how to plan a song, get the most out of Magic GarageBand, edit and arrange Real Instrument and Software Instrument loops, create exciting mixes, and export projects. The ebook also covers how to change track volume, tempo, and panning dynamically, and how to work with GarageBand's effects.
Take Control of Recording with GarageBand '09: This 134-page ebook explains how to create musical compositions with vocals, drums, guitars, MIDI keyboards, and even the kitchen sink. Readers will learn how to get the most out of their existing gear or purchase new equipment that fits their budget and style. The ebook covers how to plan a recording session, and it discusses real-world recording studio techniques for tasks such as using a microphone effectively, getting the best sounds from your gear, applying effects, fixing mistakes, using the new Electric Guitar track and new stompbox effects, and recording multiple tracks at once. Two example songs demonstrate many of the techniques discussed.

If you own an earlier version of one of the Take Control GarageBand titles, you may have received an email message about getting a free (for those who purchased after January 1st, 2009) or discounted update; otherwise, open your PDF and click Check for Updates on the cover to get update details.

—Adam C. Engst

Visit our catalog to see all the other books we publish!

Teach classes? Check out our discounted class copy pricing!

Book Info

About the Author

Book Reviews

Reviews of Previous Editions

Author Interviews

Table of Contents