I was listening to some of the songs on macjams.com , and the drums.. AAARGH!! The drums sound like they're copied directly from 80's computer game midi-music. So, please, give me some links to some GarageBand only songs with good sound-quality!!? 
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Is GarageBand as crappy as it seems?
- Thread starter Poff
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Head over to http://www.icompositions.com/auditorium. It's the largest collection of GarageBand songs out there and there are some really great tunes to listen to (sure, finding them could be a problem).
Specifically, my two favorite on the site are 3am Jam and Live at Hammersmith but you also might think of looking in the "Best Vocals" category from our last contest ("Damn!" was the winner).
GarageBand has really been responsible for some great music, you just need to know where to look
Specifically, my two favorite on the site are 3am Jam and Live at Hammersmith but you also might think of looking in the "Best Vocals" category from our last contest ("Damn!" was the winner).
GarageBand has really been responsible for some great music, you just need to know where to look
For the most part the supplied instruments aren't that great, though a step up from any other app I've ever used. Especially when people start using the software instruments as opposed to the recorded tracks that come with it or recording their own, you start getting that raunchy computery sound.
Don't blame the tool, blame the musicians.
Besides, it's only a basic program. And a version 1 at that. That being said, there is always room for improvement.
Besides, it's only a basic program. And a version 1 at that. That being said, there is always room for improvement.
I think Garageband totally rocks, but with any tool, you have to know how to use it. Perhaps you have only heard work that has been created by tools, because in my opinion Garageband is a very easy tool to use. Here is one of the first compositions I created on Garageband, which I used as a backing track for a revue type show that I do music for.
http://aaronapter.com/MEDIA/techlab.mp3
http://aaronapter.com/MEDIA/techlab.mp3
Your comment is akin to seeing someone use a paint brush to draw an orange mustache across a persons face in a photo, and then saying "does Photoshop really suck that bad??? That mustache doesn't look realistic at all".
As someone mentioned, never blame the tool, blame the user.
GB rocks for a free program, and I say this being quite familiar with Pro tools for audio recording. Pre-programmed loops will NEVER sound as good as live instruments, and in most hip-hop, rap type tunes that use them you can spot them as mile away.
GB's beauty is it gives a songwrite the ability to lay out some basic tracks, overdub some instruments, overdub some vocals, do a basic mix, export it and burn it onto a CD. It is a simple to use, powerful tool. Would you record a full pro album on it.. of course not. Is it an amazing peice of software for a free, version 1 app... you bet!
As someone mentioned, never blame the tool, blame the user.
GB rocks for a free program, and I say this being quite familiar with Pro tools for audio recording. Pre-programmed loops will NEVER sound as good as live instruments, and in most hip-hop, rap type tunes that use them you can spot them as mile away.
GB's beauty is it gives a songwrite the ability to lay out some basic tracks, overdub some instruments, overdub some vocals, do a basic mix, export it and burn it onto a CD. It is a simple to use, powerful tool. Would you record a full pro album on it.. of course not. Is it an amazing peice of software for a free, version 1 app... you bet!
Poff said:I was listening to some of the songs on macjams.com , and the drums.. AAARGH!! The drums sound like they're copied directly from 80's computer game midi-music. So, please, give me some links to some GarageBand only songs with good sound-quality!!?
Hey, I love 80s computer game midi-music
James L said:
Pre-programmed loops sure can sound as good.. Because you record a drum-session and then use clips of it. But I guess the songs I've heard just use the "drum" soft-synth if there is one, because it sounds like a terrible terrible soft-synth..
The real reason I asked is it seems like an ok tool for making a couple of background-tracks with bass, drums and maybe some piano, on which I can play acoustic guitar and sing - just wanted to find out if the sound-quality is realistic. I guess I've ruled out the drum-synth, limiting me to just using the loops. It still might just work, depending on the material in there..
Agreed
I agree with the above comments, the right tool in the wrong hands don't make good results. While GB doesn't have the crazy features of many pro suites, it does have the basics. With a good mic or direct box, some of the built in loops, you can make some pretty darn pro-sounding songs. A good audio interface makes all the difference when it comes to outside gear (guitars, vocals, etc).
I agree with the above comments, the right tool in the wrong hands don't make good results. While GB doesn't have the crazy features of many pro suites, it does have the basics. With a good mic or direct box, some of the built in loops, you can make some pretty darn pro-sounding songs. A good audio interface makes all the difference when it comes to outside gear (guitars, vocals, etc).