GarageBand and an iPad
Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2023 10:44 am
Music-wise I've been distracted away from a significant portion of my guitar playing this last 7 weeks.
Over the years my wife has used Mac's for a computer while I have stuck with Windows. I tried a couple of times to get to grips with the versions of GarageBand ("GB") she had on her Mac at those times, but didn't get on with it or get inspired by it. Not to mention being confused by the way a Mac works.
A few months back I saw a demo of the new iOS version of GB on an iPad, which is way more advanced than those earlier GB versions I'd seen, and has the benefit in a number of ways of being operated on a touch screen. I was very intrigued.
Yes, it lacks the huge number of presets and lacks some of the advanced bells and whistles and editing and mixing of the Mac version but it is better suited for those (like me) lacking in the advanced knowledge of DAWs, MIDI (yuck!) or even the abilities to use big name high powered DAWs. What it does have is Smart Guitar, Smart Strings, Smart Piano and Smart Bass. Plus a much more user friendly system of using drums and the Smart Drummer. Also as the Apps are generally simpler they are also a lot cheaper. I can get quickly to the attempts at the creative side of things instead of being bogged down in detailed tweaking and tinkering.
So December came along and ho-ho-ho, Merry Christmas - I got an 2021 iPad in late December - my first Apple machine of any sort - I got quickly absorbed in GB and also in Generative Music apps and the like. Once I'd got the hang of the iOS version of touchscreen operation.
I'm not keen on how Apple make it trickier to share things with non Apple products. A £35 adapter is needed to turn a Lightning port into USB and also as the Lightning port is low powered it means I also need a powered USB hub to use the Focusrite or condenser microphones. BUT it instantly recognises what's plugged in, different Apps work fine together, and there's no glitches to sound because of system resources not being available.
The main thing is it's been fun.
If anyone cares to take a listen I've linked 3 of the dozen or so pieces that sounded OK to keep so far.
https://app.box.com/s/v3t0smyiy97zooatg6839bbcww0zxpy2
[b]Swirling[/b] - a piece based around an external acoustic guitar with an included GB fx plug in called Endless Ambient. I opted to do the percussion parts myself so excuse the lack of good rhythm / timing and lack of any following of rules of drum parts. But I didn't want a conventional drum track here - it got in the way when I tried it.
https://app.box.com/s/147lvzy3mtdxo7drexqix8c4nxr8cabt
Air Today - Using a Generative Music App called Air (£1.79) by musician / software designer Peter Chilvers and Irish vocalist Sandra O’Neill, based on concepts developed by Brian Eno who often collaborates with Peter Chilvers. A Moonlight Glimmer synth setting and Taiko drums complete the line up.
https://app.box.com/s/cpc34kc5i0n7d3k51w3udzl5ejpgpk9r
A Cape for Twilight Moods - Using a Rob Jackson App called Moodscaper (£0.89) in "sad" mode. With an added Alchemy synth (included in GB) added on in the last half of the piece.
Over the years my wife has used Mac's for a computer while I have stuck with Windows. I tried a couple of times to get to grips with the versions of GarageBand ("GB") she had on her Mac at those times, but didn't get on with it or get inspired by it. Not to mention being confused by the way a Mac works.
A few months back I saw a demo of the new iOS version of GB on an iPad, which is way more advanced than those earlier GB versions I'd seen, and has the benefit in a number of ways of being operated on a touch screen. I was very intrigued.
Yes, it lacks the huge number of presets and lacks some of the advanced bells and whistles and editing and mixing of the Mac version but it is better suited for those (like me) lacking in the advanced knowledge of DAWs, MIDI (yuck!) or even the abilities to use big name high powered DAWs. What it does have is Smart Guitar, Smart Strings, Smart Piano and Smart Bass. Plus a much more user friendly system of using drums and the Smart Drummer. Also as the Apps are generally simpler they are also a lot cheaper. I can get quickly to the attempts at the creative side of things instead of being bogged down in detailed tweaking and tinkering.
So December came along and ho-ho-ho, Merry Christmas - I got an 2021 iPad in late December - my first Apple machine of any sort - I got quickly absorbed in GB and also in Generative Music apps and the like. Once I'd got the hang of the iOS version of touchscreen operation.
I'm not keen on how Apple make it trickier to share things with non Apple products. A £35 adapter is needed to turn a Lightning port into USB and also as the Lightning port is low powered it means I also need a powered USB hub to use the Focusrite or condenser microphones. BUT it instantly recognises what's plugged in, different Apps work fine together, and there's no glitches to sound because of system resources not being available.
The main thing is it's been fun.
If anyone cares to take a listen I've linked 3 of the dozen or so pieces that sounded OK to keep so far.
https://app.box.com/s/v3t0smyiy97zooatg6839bbcww0zxpy2
[b]Swirling[/b] - a piece based around an external acoustic guitar with an included GB fx plug in called Endless Ambient. I opted to do the percussion parts myself so excuse the lack of good rhythm / timing and lack of any following of rules of drum parts. But I didn't want a conventional drum track here - it got in the way when I tried it.
https://app.box.com/s/147lvzy3mtdxo7drexqix8c4nxr8cabt
Air Today - Using a Generative Music App called Air (£1.79) by musician / software designer Peter Chilvers and Irish vocalist Sandra O’Neill, based on concepts developed by Brian Eno who often collaborates with Peter Chilvers. A Moonlight Glimmer synth setting and Taiko drums complete the line up.
https://app.box.com/s/cpc34kc5i0n7d3k51w3udzl5ejpgpk9r
A Cape for Twilight Moods - Using a Rob Jackson App called Moodscaper (£0.89) in "sad" mode. With an added Alchemy synth (included in GB) added on in the last half of the piece.