Garage Band'09 firsthand

The success of Apple computers has played a significant role reputation, deserved them in the professional fields, particularly in graphic and web design, printing, working with sound and video. Clever managers of the company, of course, do not miss this trump card out of sight and with a certain time Apple has to supply its advanced computer software package, includes part of the necessary funds by default.

Most recently, in the spring, saw the light of a new version of iLife, which received the serial number 09, in accordance with the model year. New features have video editor iMovie, Web Designer iWeb, iPhoto photo editor and music "harvester» Garage Band. About him, and will be discussed.

For the first time on Garage Band heard visitors to the exhibition MacWorld in January 2004 from the lips of Steve Jobs himself. But it would be a great omission not to mention its principal developer, Dr. Gerhade Lenglinge (Gerhard Lengeling), employee infamous company Emagic. The latter deserves a separate reference. Emagic made a professional audio editing creator Logic. With the development, he established a considerable proportion of studios around the world. Therefore, the acquisition of Emagic Apple in 2002 for many professionals did not come as a bombshell, and stockbroker, on the contrary, had a very hands on. You bet! Now, in every studio, "run down" on Logic, would have to buy at least one computer to Apple. Obviously, the acquisition was regarded as one of the most successful in the history of the company. But the thing: Logic is very complicated for a beginner, and almost impossible to simplify and adapt. Here's the useful talents longtime employees Emagic! Barely two years old, was born Garage Band.

In principle, it is clear already from the title, the editor is primarily aimed at guitarists. Who else, but fans of the guitar is inclined, from fifteen years, cobble together the gang with the same interests and torment their parents bought the instruments for any available "rehearsal databases. If we do it's usually all the famous "little room for an assembly hall, then across the ocean refuge for young rock stars, often becomes a garage, built directly into the home. As can be seen, the name of the program hits directly to the target audience.

However, only focus on money-grubber laurel Brian May, or at least, Yngwie Malmsteen, Apple wisely did not. Especially on the background of an unprecedented rise of electronic music and countless programs to create it. At the turn of the century in the eyes of the world's youth chief DJ Paul Oakenfold has become on a par with famous guitarists past and did not respond to this challenge would simply be short-sighted. Name of the program remained the same, but the function is seriously increased.

For the new Garage Band sample of 2009 in Apple chose the tactics of new methods of music production, figuratively - new production techniques. Leaving all the previous functions, the editor introduced several delicious new products. On them, in fact, I would like to tell you.

But back to Garage Band. When you run the program the user gets a choice of eight points. Use the approach "from the simple - to complex, so that the program did not immediately hits the minds of music fans flooded the menu, checkboxes, buttons and knobs. The transition occurs gradually, and at each stage can penetrate and explore all the features you like, until tender. Each of the items is a separate section that focuses on a particular function. Here they are: Piano, Electric Guitar, Voice, Loops, Keyboard Collection, Acoustic Instrument, Songwriting, and Podcast. Tell you about them in order.

Piano. As you might guess, is a virtual piano. It is necessary to stipulate that the Garage Band interface supports all features of MIDI, so that the program is easy to "steer" with a compatible keyboard. Having an Apple computer, and spend on low-cost model, you can easily practice the piano, and the basics of the case is not limited to, if you want you can play even the most complex fugues. When you select a user can immediately specify a name for the song, choose a place of storage, rate and other parameters. By default, the desktop is already added piano track. Writing the melody, you can tear it in every way, modify and transform. Flexibility Garage Band is that being in a particular section, nothing prevents to add other tracks, voice, guitar and electronic instruments. If a MIDI-keyboard hand there, you can use the computer keys, or select notes with mouse. There is a special editor of Music, where anyone who is familiar with musical notation, can easily jot down the melody. If no special knowledge, too, does not matter. There predproslushivanie, so that you can just play music "by ear". The presence of the mass of other instruments, except for classical piano, you can not even mention it. Here are just some of them: electric piano, piano "on stage" with the effect of a large hall and piano. At each of the tools we can impose additional effects. With a special talent can achieve that familiar with the sounds of childhood does not recognize by ear even honored pianist. However, the Garage Band is not just entertainment. If you work hard, you can record a full-fledged are causing, immediately "burn" it to disk and are proud to be attributed to a professional studio for mastering, but there, you never can tell, to release the product on a CD and wait for offers from leading sites.

Guitar. With the guitar is still interesting. Still, it is initially the most important tool for the program. For an amateur this is truly open endless possibilities. For example, Garage Band is optimized to work with the guitar directly. In this case, the guitar plugs directly into the line input of your computer (it is best for this purpose suitable iMac), and the recording, monitoring and imposition of the effects produced in real time. In this case, the tool can be run under the substrate. The choice of substrates - the widest. By default, the program comes weight "loops" - fragments of playing drums, from which we can make a full rhythm section. Moreover, on the Apple website are available for download additional "packs" loop weight to several gigabytes. Pay that is important, for it is not necessary.

One of the "chips" of the new Garage Band - variety of guitar monitors, "combos". That is, play games in real time or recorded track can be, for example, the classic combo Marshall, «Brit-pop"-combo, "Dublin DeLay or combo for rockabilly. And this is only a few items from a list of three dozen. Moreover, for each monitor effects settings available sustain and delay, and typical for the selected monitor settings on equalizer and vauvau "to echo and tremolo.

Crowns all this musical luxury possibility of "hang" on track pedals. Those who have ever played on electric guitar, with the word "pedal" or "gadgets" eyes light up. Briefly, the pedal - this effects processor, with one to many, on and off by pressing the legs. Produced them in the world are countless, and at a concert of rock bands before them guitarists often lies a dozen. In the Garage Band pedal more than the average store of musical instruments.So when you create a composition can be at least every batch record with new effects.

And now - a dessert. All loops mentioned just above are automatically synchronized in tempo with the main (guitar) track, no need to adjust them manually. Furthermore, all loops Apple Loops format previously marked to without a hitch to fit into an existing account.

Finally, as a control shot, Apple produced video lessons guitar playing. They, as well as the loop is already pre-recorded on the hard drive along with iLife'09. Lessons only nine, and together they cover the basic course game. For those who want more, are a few issues of master classes by renowned guitarists. They already have to buy, but judging by the names of authors, regret it does not have to. But this, of course, really refers to a real fan of guitar playing. As a personal experience: lessons begin at the initial moments, like how to keep your guitar and where to put your fingers in order to take the easiest chord. And most importantly: all of the lessons can be watched until blue in the face, and paused every moment, at least in order to properly adjust to the instrument.

Voice. Tool for voice recording. One would be easy! But here, as elsewhere, has its own nuances. By default, given two paths, male and female vocals. Processing at each, of course, "enchanted" to his style. However, beyond this no one is going. A choice of presets, such as operatic vocals, diva », R & B, a megaphone, and a bunch of others, such as" inhaling helium, or gospel.

Loops, Keyboard Collection, Acoustic Instrument, Songwriting.

On these sections brief rundown, because each of them essentially a supporting role.

Loops responsible for overseeing the loops loaded by default and skachannumi extra. Keyboard Collection - a collection of presets keyboards and the legendary synthesizers from Moog and KORG Triton to the Roland TB 303.

Acoustic Instrument. By and large, everything is the same as in the section on electric guitar, but with an eye to the classical guitar.

Songwriting. All-in-one. Once downloaded tracks for voice, piano, acoustic guitar, rhythm section and electric guitar. A full kit to create your own songs, just to have enough perseverance so desire.

Podcast. But about "podcast" just in two words will not tell. If only because here, instead of the usual voice recording with the substrate to be hiding much more. For example - working with high definition video. From here - almost a full video editor, with the ability to replace the audio track from video to any other arbitrary. A striking example - to remove noise from the video bustling city streets, and instead impose a melody by Charles Aznavour, richly flavored with sirens and the sounds of the city, only now are very different. On unprepared spectators process makes an indelible impression. A further effect can be achieved by demonstrating the ability to insert a video or audio podcast links to Web sites.

At the same time, in principle, to stay. Do not tell, in fact, how to make your own call for the iPhone, or on how to run "samoigrayku» Magic Garage Band. With this any more or less savvy users sort out their own polscheta.

Finally a few words about the special features. For example, on whether it is possible to Garage Band download some samples of their own. Directly to such a possibility is not supported, but Apple's site can be downloaded Specials utility for converting samples of third-party format Apple Loops. It is called Apple Loops Utility.

As the curtain fell, we asked a couple of issues behind the scenes. For example, whether produced by Garage Band special peripherals? Still, given the popularity of the program in the world, one would expect to favor with the producers.

The situation is two-fold. Yet, Garage Band - not some sverhspetsialnaya program to let her under some sort of special peripherals. And on the other - all sound card, controllers, and MIDI-keyboard, compatible with the Macintosh, it automatically "podtseplyayutsya» Garage Band without unnecessary delay.

Well, the final question - about the quality of issued production. Despite the rather frivolous impression proivzodimoe program, richly decorated with all sorts of graphic elements, the results it gives a completely professional. In the sense that, the records of the Garage Band can be safely sent to final processing and preparation for release. A soundtrack for the audio-video products for television and radio can be easily done directly in the program, the benefit that there are many examples.

In this story about Garage Band, we're done. The next step - other program package iLife'09.