Garageband chords for songs. Review of Garage Band on iPad by Ivan Malyushin

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Review of Garage Band on iPad by Ivan Malyushin

Perhaps the most popular of all music apps for iOS is virtual music studio GarageBand. It’s not without reason that Apple’s brainchild has become widely known. The guys from Cupertino are famous, among other things, for creating convenient and very friendly software, the use of which is a lot of fun. GarageBand is no exception.

The virtual studio provides users with a set of ten tools:

• Keyboard - keyboard instruments
• Drums - virtual drum kit
• Guitar Amp - effects processor for connecting an electric guitar to an iPad
• Audio Record - recording to a built-in or external microphone
• Sampler - the tool allows you to play recorded sound on a virtual keyboard note by note
• Smart Drums is a convenient tool for creating drum parts
• Smart Strings - virtual string orchestra
• Smart Bass - creating bass parts
• Smart Keyboard - a tool for conveniently creating keyboard parts based on chords
• Smart Guitar - virtual guitar

In addition, GarageBand has a simple mixer (track view mode) for editing and mixing already recorded audio tracks.

Let's take a closer look at the main features of GarageBand:

Keyboard

Virtual keys boast a rich set of tools. Here you can choose not only classic sounds piano, but also all kinds of synthesizers, effects and even organs. The sound is high quality and “adult”.

The settings are also good news. In addition to customizing the display (the size of the keys and their position), it is possible to adjust parameters such as pressing force, enable or disable increased sustain (decay duration sound waves), walk through the octaves and have fun in every possible way.

There are also individual settings for various types keyboards (for example, for Electric Piano you can adjust the parameters: roll-off, bell, tremolo and chorus).

Separately, I would like to note such a “tasty” feature as the ability to select a specific fret. Here, perhaps, some clarification should be given. According to one definition, a mode is a system of relationships between the steps of a scale, determined by the primacy of the main reference tone (tonic) and the dependence of the remaining steps on it. In simple human language, these are certain sequences of notes that go well with each other.

I'll try to bring specific example For better understanding frets For example, you recorded a guitar playing a C major chord as background music, and against this background you want to record some kind of blues solo on the keys so that it sounds good and does not go into disharmony with our guitar. There are two ways: either you learn (know) the theory of constructing a major blues scale, or, having previously specified the C major chord in the settings, select a major blues scale and then just walk around the keys, giving free rein to your fantasy and imagination. Because disharmony will no longer arise. This example is, of course, crude, but should provide some clarity.

Speaking of keys, one cannot fail to mention the arpeggiator (wiki: arpeggiation is a way of playing chords on the piano and string instruments, in which the sounds of a chord follow one after another), which allows you to diversify the created sound tracks.

Drums

It is a virtual drum kit that allows you to playfully drum on the screen with your fingers.

I doubt that really complex drum parts can be created using this method of sound production. Although GarageBand allows you to record tracks in layers, layering sounds on top of one another. Having recorded, for example, a bass drum with the first layer, you can “tap” the snare drum with the second, and with the next layers add cymbals, etc. And the metronome built into the program will help you keep the rhythm. Drums includes several options for drum kits, including electronic ones.

Guitar Amp

Guitar amplifier and effects processor for connecting your guitar to your iPad. To work, you need to purchase (or, at your own risk, solder) an adapter. The cheapest ones I’ve seen on Russian-language sites cost under two thousand rubles. You can order it abroad for $40 (iRig adapter).

Despite the presence of an electric guitar, and a wide variety of amplifiers and “gadgets” offered by Guitar Amp, the author of this review never acquired an adapter, therefore the quality of implementation of this function can only be judged by reviews and videos on YouTube. And, judging by these data, the sound quality is decent.

Audio Record

By and large, this is an ordinary voice recorder. You can record using either the built-in microphone of the tablet or an external one that can be connected. When recording, additional options are available: noise reduction and monitoring.

You can apply distortion effects to the recorded tracks (robot voice, phone effect, etc.). Some effects also have their own additional distortion level settings.

Sampler

Quite an interesting and unique instrument. We record any sound and then play it back using the keyboard, just as is done with the Keyboard tool. In this case, almost all the same settings are available as for the synthesizer (frets, arpeggiator, velocity, etc.)

Recorded samples can be edited (trimmed, changed the volume of sections, played in reverse order, etc.). There is also a set of standard samples as samples.

Smart Drums

Used to record drum parts. But unlike the Drums instrument discussed above, in in this case there is no need to “beat” the required rhythm with your fingers on the screen. In front of us is a field (grid) onto which we need to drag the tools we need. At the same time, the higher the instrument is located on the grid, the louder it will sound, and the further to the right, the more complex the sounding rhythm will be. Thus, having eight cells horizontally, we have eight rhythms of varying complexity for each instrument. Multiply by the number of instruments and three time signature options (4/4, 3/4, 6/8) and it becomes clear that Smart Drums cannot be blamed for monotony.

An interesting feature of Smart Drums is the ability to automatically “scatter” instruments across a grid (the button with the image dice, located in the lower left corner of the screen), which will allow you to create drum parts randomly.

Smart Strings

The innovation, which appeared in GarageBand relatively recently, adds originality and variety. So, we have at our disposal a small string-bowed orchestra with five instruments, which can be turned off and on at will. There are also several types of orchestras (so to speak) and their difference is in their sound.

There are two ways to conduct our orchestra: playing by chords or by notes. In the first case, there are eight panels, with the ability to assign the necessary chord to each of them. With this method of playing, Autoplay is very helpful, having four standard rhythms for each type of orchestra and playing these rhythms automatically.

A completely different picture arises when switching to the note-by-note mode. Now the vulture is already in front of us bowed instrument, which you will have to manage, demonstrating finger dexterity. Moreover, in this case we are no longer controlling the orchestra, but some individual instrument from it. But we can again call upon the modes already known to us to help us and ease our fate as a composer.

Smart Bass

Bass control is practically no different in principle from the Smart Strings instrument described above. We also have two playing modes (by notes and by chords), there are also four Autoplay modes when playing by chords, and it is also possible to use some kind of Dorian mode or pentatonic scale when playing by notes.

Separately, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in addition to the bass guitar, Smart Bass also boasts synthesizers, which, although controlled just as accurately, have additional adjustments.

Smart Keyboard

Playing keyboard instruments by chords. This tool does not have the same huge arsenal of tools that Keyboard has, but it certainly has benefits. In addition to four Autoplay modes, the Smart Keyboard has a sustain switch and an arpeggiator.

Smart Guitar

Almost identical to the controls of Smart Bass, only here we have at our disposal not a bass, but four different guitars with all the attendant nuances of the game, such as the ability to mute the strings.

The mode of playing by notes has also not gone away and is fully present. By the way, what I didn’t like about this mode is that we only have nine semitones on each string. Or, more simply put, only top part bar without the ability to move down. What it does have are additional effects that mimic floor-mounted effects pedals in both sound and appearance.

From any virtual instrument you can instantly go to mode for viewing and editing tracks. We can work with no more than eight tracks - this is the limit for each composition. We can move the tracks themselves, split them into parts, copy, stretch and delete.

It is also possible to mute individual tracks. Adjust volume, panning, echo level and reverb. Individual tracks can be transposed, both by semitones and immediately by whole octaves. There are also settings for tempo, key and time signature.

Undoubtedly useful function It is also possible to edit notes in already recorded parts. You can not only change existing notes, but also add new ones, if necessary.

Here are the possibilities: customizable sound attenuation and recovery are missing. There is only a “Fade out” function without any adjustable parameters. In general, almost all settings are applied entirely to the track, and they cannot be applied to a separate fragment of it. There is also no full-fledged equalizer, with which you could, for example, raise the bass or cut off the heights. And those settings that exist (the same echo or panning) are very primitive and do not have additional internal parameters.

As you can see, the track viewing mode in GarageBand is no different in terms of its variety of capabilities and professionalism. This mode can hardly be used professionally. However, no one bothers, if desired, parts created on an iPad can be mixed and further processed in more adult programs.

Loops

You can’t ignore the possibility of adding ready-made loops (Loops) – pre-recorded audio files. GarageBand comes with preset loops (Apple Loops), or you can create/import your own. Standard hinges on this moment 270 and for ease of orientation they provide various filters, such as genre or type of instrument. As for your own loops, everything is quite simple here too. You can record the required composition directly in GarageBand and in order for it to be included in the list of loops (Audio Files tab), you need to export it to iTunes (more on exporting later). After these manipulations, our composition becomes an audio recording in AIF format and is available in the loops menu. It is also possible to import loops from your computer via iTunes. To do this, simply drag the required file in AIFF, WAV, CAF, Apple Loops, AAC or MP3 format into the program window and it will automatically become available among the loops.

Jam Session

An interesting feature of GarageBand is the ability to host jam sessions, where you can play together with other GarageBand users using wi-fi networks or bluetooth. Up to four devices can participate in the jam at the same time, playback and recording on which are synchronized.

All created songs are stored in a separate “My Songs” folder. For convenience, you can create your own folders inside it.

From here you can export the created compositions to Facebook, YouTube, SOUNDCLOUD cloud storage, you can also simply send by mail or export to iTunes. And if the iMovie application is installed on your iPad, then you can export to it.

When exporting to iTunes, you are given the opportunity to select the desired format (iTunes or GarageBand). When sent by email, the composition will be automatically converted to m4a format.

A nice and useful addition is the one implemented in GarageBand reference. In addition to visual cues that can be instantly enabled in each tool, Garage also boasts a full-fledged help system in Russian.

The help is done thoroughly and seriously, it covers all the elements of GarageBand down to the smallest detail. For clarity, the help contains screenshots. So there shouldn't be any questions left.

Conclusion

Before drawing any conclusions, I scoured the app store for worthy alternatives for creating music. Well, they were found. This is the FL Studio Mobile HD application that costs $20 and has a good ten more in-app purchases. And Music Studio, costing $15, with in-app purchases worth as much as $35. These applications, of course, have a number of advantages when compared with GarageBand and claim to be more serious programs, but the high price and extremely unfriendly interface do not contribute to their wide distribution (due to which FruityLoops will remain a program for a narrow circle of users).

GarageBand, on the contrary, is an intuitive, logical and friendly program that will not intimidate a beginner. And the price of 5 dollars makes Garage also a very affordable software. Of course, it is not yet possible to compare this application with serious programs on a PC. professional musicians, most likely, will be “close” with the functionality that GarageBand offers, but even they will find something interesting and worthwhile for themselves here. Moreover, GarageBand continues to evolve and improve. So, until recently it was not possible to edit notes in already recorded tracks, but now there are no problems. This means that you can count on a further increase in functionality, while maintaining convenience and ease of use.

Price: free
For iPhone: yes
For iPad: yes
Russian language
Developer/Publisher: Apple Inc.

Design

All musical instruments still resemble their real-world counterparts: guitars in GarageBandresemble guitars, drums - drums, etc. All this, as before, significantly simplifies the development of the program.

Is the app free?

Not so long agoApplemade the application free. Many people were pleased with this news. What was it? A gesture of generosity? No matter how it is. On the one hand, now you don’t need to immediately pay 169 rubles. Got a chance to try it GarageBandwithout paying a penny.

On the other hand, only a few tools in the application are free. From keyboardsavailable- Grand Piano, Electric Piano, Classic Rock Organ, Vintage Lead; fromdrums- Classic Studio Kit, Classic Drum Machine; fromguitars– Acoustic, Hard Rock. The tool is also free AudioRecorder, allowing you to record any sound or voice.

All the rest great amount We are offered to purchase tools for the same 169 rubles. As you can see, Applejust moved on to freemiumapplication version.

How to record own songs by using GarageBand?

After playing with the application, I decided that readers would be interested in learning how to actually create their own songs? I couldn't find detailed instructions on the Internet. At first glance, the skephopormism of the tools really makes it easier to get acquainted with the program, but then everything is not so obvious.

So, first we choose any instrument we like. For example, SmartGuitar.

An image of a guitar will appear by default Acoustic. By clicking in the small window on the left side of the screen with the image of a guitar and the inscription Acoustic, you can choose another guitar. As I wrote above, the free ones are also available HardRock- guitar.

Once you've chosen your guitar, you can begin the song recording process. We press the red record button, then we start playing the guitar. I'm not good at music, so I turned on the switch on the guitar Autoplay, the guitar began to play itself, and I only periodically moved my fingers along the strings. Next, stop recording and press the button on the top panel ( blue button menu as in the screenshot below). A screen appears showing one recorded track in green. To avoid confusion, a guitar is depicted on the left side of the track.

If desired, double-clicking on a track will bring up the editing menu: cut, copy, delete, and other actions with the track. Well, the track itself can be stretched in length or reduced.

Next, click the “plus” button at the bottom of the window to add new tracks from other instruments to our song. Select the tool again, this time, for example, GrandPiano.

By analogy with the guitar, press record and record the melody. But it's much better to press the button first Playon the top panel (triangle icon), after which the guitar track will start playing. This will allow you to select a melody by ear on the piano that matches the previously recorded guitar track. And after that we press record and play the piano.

Stop recording and return to the screen with tracks. Now we have 2 recorded tracks: guitar and keyboard. Next we follow the same principle.

Conclusion:

DesignGarageBandpractically unchanged, which in itself is already very good. It's still one of the easiest apps to learn for creating your own music.

Download the application GarageBand for iPad

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Are you a musician or dream of becoming one? GarageBand for iPad gives seasonal musicians and rockers alike the power to make music.

Apple updated GarageBand after the release of iOS 5.1 - in preparation for the new iPad. Graphics have increased in quality, and music creation options have been expanded with iCloud integration, the ability to play together via Bluetooth, and new tools.

The purpose of the program is revealed in the name - amateur and interested musicians can play and record music using instruments on the iPad.

To get started, click the "+" icon in the upper left corner. You are presented with the options of starting a new song or downloading something from iTunes. We will choose a new song for our purposes.

After selecting " new song" we are taken to the instrument selection screen. Scroll through the list to select the one that suits you. The instruments come in two formats - Smart and Normal. Smart instruments allow you to play an entire chord by pressing a single button (instead of holding down all the notes individually). Smart instruments useful for people who are far from music, but they can also help seasonal musicians.

Instruments included in the Smart Section of GarageBand: Guitar, Keyboards, Bass, Strings (new to GarageBand), and Drums. Common instruments are keyboards and drums.

GarageBand also includes Guitar Amp, so you can connect your guitar to your tablet and use it as an amplifier.

Instruments in GarageBand sound very close to the real thing. For example. The synthesizer has knobs that allow you to turn on Decay, Bell, Tremolo and Chorus. With each setting you can change the tone and character of a single note.

When I selected Smart Guitar, I could further select acoustic, classic clean, hard rock or roots rock. As with keyboards, each guitar comes with its own settings. I can play a chord just by touching its name. For example, by clicking on Em, I will play minor chord E. Or I can pluck the strings like on a real guitar.

There are so many possibilities that you can spend hours just sorting through them before you're ready to record a song.

GarageBand allows you not only to play with instruments, but also to record an actual song using multiple instruments. Once you have chosen the right tool, click the record button on the top icon bar.

Once you clicked the button, a recording panel appeared at the top. Just play your song and when you're ready, press stop. Now you can listen to what you recorded. You can save your recording and record other instruments over it.

The icon next to the tools is editing. When you enter edit mode, you see the time stamp of your song. To edit your song, double-click on it in the timeline, then choose what you want to do - cut, copy, delete, splice, etc. You can also click on a blank part of the song to add a note.

The editing process seemed a little difficult to me due to the touch controls, since you need to be able to select the right note, and they are depicted small here.

To add pre-recorded accompaniment to your song, simply tap the Apple Loop icon at the top and select the instrument you want to add to your timeline. You can choose the genre. I chose a synth from the seventies and put it where I wanted it. Now when I pressed the play button, both instruments started playing at the same time.

To add new tool into your project, click on the "+" icon to go to the main tool selection screen. Choose the one you want and then start training. Train again, and again, and again! When you are ready, click on the record button and start recording new part of your song.

What's really cool is that you play your music with a metronome that helps you keep the beat. When you add another instrument to your song, it will “overlay” the others and they will all sound at the same time.

Go to the edit section again and you will see a new tool here. You can change parts of the song and edit anything like last time.

There are several additional icons in the upper right part of the program's taskbar. There is an icon, clicking on which will allow you to individually configure each instrument (you can configure reverb or echo, for example). The next icon is the main settings menu, which allows you to configure: metronome, instrument count-in, metronome sound, tempo, time signature, song fade-out, and AirPlay.

One of the most cool chips programs - guitar amplifier. There are special accessories for playing guitar via iPad - Griffin Guitar Connect Cable and the Apogee JAM Guitar. You can also use the built-in microphone to play an acoustic guitar through an amp.

I used the latter option to record a couple of songs. The first thing you need to do here is choose an amplifier. The default is pure sound, but you can simply click on the amp icon to see the options.

Each amplifier has a control panel that simulates the real thing, so if real life If you're using an American Tremolo, this amp will look exactly the same in the program. I advise you to play with all the available settings so that you can control your sound, and start recording the song only after a few rehearsals.

You can add extra beats to your recording process and also add sections to the song. If you want a certain section to be repeated many times, simply select the duplication function.

To tune your guitar, click on the corresponding icon. Pull one string at a time and the tuner will show you how far you are from perfect sound. Adjust the pegs, and when the red letter indicating the note turns green, then move on to another string.

When you're ready to record, click on the red record button and start playing. When you're done, press stop. You can mark an entry if you made a mistake or change it by entering edit mode. There you can add whatever you want to make your song sound complete. Click on the My Songs icon to save the track and go to the main menu.

You can play a session with multiple people by connecting with them: click on the "jam session" icon in the top bar. Turn on Bluetooth if it's not on and you can now create a session or join someone near you. When the tablets are connected, the host controls the tempo and the entire recording process. After you finish playing, the recording will be saved on the host tablet.

After you start using the program, you will probably accumulate unnecessary materials that you want to delete. Deleting songs here is very simple: click on the edit button, then select the desired song and drag it to the trash.

Have you dreamed of becoming a musician all your life? For your attention, Apple has released a new powerful tool, allowing you to make your dream come true. GarageBand includes "primary education" and helps you learn to play guitar or piano right on your computer. Interactive lessons allow you to learn “music reading” using video lessons synchronized with “animated” virtual instruments.

After completing the training in just nine lessons, you will be able to play on your own musical composition. With a very busy life schedule, you can allocate as much time for training as circumstances allow. GarageBand will automatically calculate your learning time and keep track of your learning pace. The virtual “music teacher” is always ready to give you time and never gets tired! Gradually, you will be able not only to play a familiar tune, but also to perform compositions together with virtual group"musicians".

Are you a future rockstar? GarageBand is the entire range of tools in this direction. Various amplifiers and floor effects bring a live sound experience right into your home. There is an electric guitar with MIDI output! Plug and play quickly with the latest amps (there are five of them!) that emulate the most popular models. More than thirty various types sounds such as Honky Tonk, Brit Pop, Seattle Sound, Stadium Solo, Lowdown Blues and Woodstock Fuzz. Various virtual guitar pedals - Fuzz Machine, Auto-Funk or Blue Echo - will transform the sound into a unique sound. And to fully feel like a “star”, create your own three-dimensional imitation of the stage and place all the equipment on it. Choose an instrument for each virtual “member” of your rock band: bass guitar, drums, keys. A huge mixing console will allow you to create a unique masterpiece by experimenting with the volume of the sound of each “performer,” turning off several or including a solo performance. Ready composition can be converted to a music file using Magic GarageBand.

Do you prefer keyboard instruments? You are offered two training options. If you have a MIDI keyboard or any other one with this port, then you simply connect them and learn to play right away like a professional piano. When there is nothing like this available, but you really want to learn how to play, then you are offered a virtual piano keyboard, interconnected with a computer keyboard. GarageBand is a program for those who want to turn their home into a real music studio!