This book explains how to use GarageBand ’08 to create musical compositions with vocals, drums, guitars, MIDI keyboards, and even the kitchen sink! Seattle musician 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 real-world recording studio techniques, learn how to use a microphone effectively, and discover how to apply effects like a pro. Clear steps and practical advice help you plan a recording session, record multiple tracks at once, and fix mistakes easily. Two example songs demonstrate many of the techniques discussed.
Bonus! Linked-in audio lets you listen to examples while you read about them and an eight-page glossary covers many recording-related terms. Remember us when you’re famous!
Questions you’ll find answers to include:
- How do I best record a vocalist?
- How do I use the new multi-take recording option?
- How do I use the new Visual EQ effect?
- How can I change an effect over time in a track?
- What should I know about punching in on a Real Instrument track?
p>I updated this book to cover new features in Apple’s latest upgrade to the program, GarageBand 4, as follows:
- I added a tip on monitoring with feedback protection in Set up your track.
- Multi-take recording is new to GarageBand 4. I show you several ways to use it in Record multiple takes. I also added a tip, Punching in on a Real Instrument Track.
- GarageBand 4 has a few revamped effects. I describe how they work in Compressors and Equalizers.
- I added a tip, Keep Mud Out of Your Mix, on using Bass Reduction.
- GarageBand 4 has a new effects automation feature, and in Automate Effects I show you how to use it.
- Combine Two GarageBand Projects in One Song has a new note, Turn On Audio Preview, about a preference that needs to be on for the technique to work.
- I made small edits here and there to reflect new names or functions for certain GarageBand features and deleted some items that are no longer relevant.
Finally, I updated many of the screenshots to reflect GarageBand’s new interface.
Note: You’ll see under GarageBand > About GarageBand that this program is called GarageBand ’08 in general, and that the latest version number (as of this writing) is 4.1.2. For the sake of brevity, I refer to it as GarageBand 4 when I’m talking about this version and call it simply GarageBand the rest of the time.
Is there a newer edition that covers GarageBand '09?
Thanks to a burst of hard work from author Jeff Tolbert in early 2009, yes, there is a new edition—Take Control of Recording with GarageBand '09.
Do you have any ebooks that cover older versions of GarageBand?
If you're still using GarageBand 3 (part of iLife '06), see Take Control of Making Music with GarageBand 3 and Take Control of Recording with GarageBand 3.
If you're still using GarageBand 1 or 2, buy one of the above-mentioned ebooks about GarageBand 3, and then look on page 2 of the ebook for download instructions for a free copy of the earlier edition that you need.
We do not plan to update this edition to expand its coverage of GarageBand '08. However, a current edition is available.
