GarageBand

GarageBand, free to download from the App Store on every Mac, iPad and iPhone, is Apple’s entry-level digital audio workstation (DAW). It goes far beyond simply being Logic Pro’s simpler sibling. It has long been the benchmark of what a touch-first DAW on iPad can be, set the standard of what free audio creation tools on Mac should offer and has been used by major artists in some of their biggest hits:

• The famous drum loop throughout Rihanna’s smash hit Umbrella is an unmodified Apple Loop included with GarageBand - Vintage Funk Kit 03
• Similarly, Usher’s Love In This Club is built entirely around two unmodified Apple Loops: Euro Hero Synth and Euro Mega Synth
• Gorillaz’ 2011 album The Fall was famously made entirely on iPad, using GarageBand plus apps such as iElectribe by KORG, alongside GarageBand’s included virtual instruments and ability to record real instruments
• Nine Inch Nails’ track The Hand That Feeds was made entirely in GarageBand, and the band made the project file available for anyone to freely remix at home

This is possible because all of the Apple Loops library is provided on a royalty-free basis, so they can be used even in commercial releases without the worry of copyright infringement or having to pay royalties.

Beyond these, artists including Billie Eilish, Meghan Trainor and Grimes have all publicly stated that they use GargeBand as a tool for initial laying down of ideas for tracks, before then opening those same project files in Logic Pro for further development.

GarageBand is renowned for being accessible to anyone with an interest in making music, from primary school pupils all the way to professional artists looking for a musical notepad that focuses on the essentials of songwriting and production for demos. GarageBand projects can also be saved to iCloud Drive and are compatible across platforms (e.g. GarageBand projects started on iPhone/iPad can be opened on Mac and vice-versa), making them incredibly flexible for making adjustments wherever inspiration strikes.

It’s also a perfect stepping stone into Logic Pro on either Mac or iPad, particularly as the UI has evolved in both apps over the years to share a lot of the user experience. Anyone who has used the excellent (and free!) Logic Remote app to control Logic Pro on Mac from their iPad will feel right at home in GarageBand on iPad.

GarageBand comes with a comprehensive set of features that are both powerful and intuitive - some of which have been inherited from Logic Pro:

• Support for up to 32 tracks within a project, mixing recorded audio from microphones, instruments and Apple Loops, external MIDI data and the include d virtual instruments.
• Multi-Take Recording lets you easily record multiple performances in a looped region, then select the best one to keep - perfect for vocal captures or tricky instrumental sections.
• Beat-makers are well served with Drummer, a series of virtual session drummers that respond dynamically to your project audio with genre-specific kits and customisable parameters (fills, swing, intensity) and Beat Sequencer, which offers classic drum machine‑style step sequencing via the mouse or touchscreen.
• Support for Audio Unit Extensions available on the App Store, to allow for extra functionality within GarageBand, as well as Inter-App Audio so you can record third-party virtual instruments and effects directly into GarageBand. These can also all be used in Logic Pro, maximising their usability.
• Built-in virtual amps and effects for live guitar playing, perfect for practicing anywhere with headphones and saving custom tone presets to recall later.
• Smart Control allows you to play virtual instruments, such as keys, guitars and drums, straight on the touchscreen in a workflow very similar to the Logic Remote app.
• Thousands of royalty-free Apple Loops and Producer Packs that cover a variety of popular instruments and genres, to kickstart a project or embellish an existing one.
• Natively upload your audio directly to Apple Music or SoundCloud, export to standard audio file formats for sharing to other platforms and for opening in third-party DAWs such as Ableton Live or Pro Tools.
• Support for standard USB-C audio interfaces, such as the Focusrite Scarlett series, and external MIDI equipment like sequencers and synths.

If you want to learn more about Apple and the world of music creation or education then check out the Apple site for GarageBand for Mac and GarageBand for iOS. Also, don’t hesitate to get in touch. KRCS can help you with anything from DAW software, MIDI keyboard controllers, studio monitors, headphones, cabling, set-up and more.