GarageBand users here? HELP!

[Steven West]

Instructing a friend how to use his GarageBand on his Apple lappy to make songs and record vocals and such on. I understand using the 'loops' much like SampleTank and all that, and I did manage to produce a quick ditty easily for my friend with relative ease. But a couple of questions still remained unanswered for me... If making a personal sequence of drums, it's recommended to make a BD track, then a new track for SD, and a new track fo HH etc. But how can these tracks be 'grouped' into easier single blocks for song arrangement? And the BIGGER question - how to 'clean and cut' live tracks? For the life of me, I could not see how to 'lasso' say a portion of dead air and DEL or Silence it?

For my friend, GarageBand is perfect. It's a easy way to make a song framework and record vocal and instrument ideas into. But I was surprised certain sequencing and editing features seemed so hidden? Mind you, I was on a G4 lappy without a mouse - and I come from a PC background. So I'm hoping it was just my oversight?

Oh yes - and how do you disengage the 'onboard mic' on a G4 lappy? That's a pain in the butt!

[Joxer the Mighty]

Garageband is really limited as far as editing, but you should be able to silence parts of a loops with the volume envelope. Just click on the little icon underneath the track name (an arrow pointing down) to open up the volume envelope.

I don't believe there is a way to group individual audio tracks. Why doesn't your friend just use one of the included drum kits? They actually sound pretty good. Insert a new track, choose 'Software Instrument' and pick a drum kit. You won't be able to add effects to the individual drum elements, but it sounds like your friend doesn't want to get that detailed yet.

[jones-y]

Even better. get him to pony up $50 for Glaresoft iDrum. Excellent drum sampler w/an even better step sequencer. I demoed it, but chose RM IV instead because it has better editing capabilities, and I didn't need the step sequencer.

[Steven West]

Thanks Joxer and mjones. So each track has a volume envelope as well, tailorable with points like the Master Track? I'll have to have another look at that again. As for the beats, yes - he'll just be sticking to the loops I'm sure. Just force of habit for me to make a beat to start a song off.
But the loops are pretty good. My friends just a lyricist needing just basic rythem arrangements to structure his ideas primarily. But does GB accept plug ins such as this iDrum and other AU devices like Pluggo et al? I don't want to bog my buddy down with that right now - but maybe in future?

And my other question, a bit twofold... Are the drum sounds GS mapped or XG? I know General MIDI is fairly common for both types for the basic kits, but I was kinda surprised where the kit parts were on the keys. Some seem to where I would imagine, and others weren't? Maybe just GB's own style? And does GB accept .MID files to be imported as a loop/track for a instrument? If I can supply my mate with beats and/or my own riffs this way so he can block them around and what not - that would be HELLA cool!

Thanks again guys!

[VicDiesel]

Oh yes - and how do you disengage the 'onboard mic' on a G4 lappy? That's a pain in the butt!

In /Application/Utilities there is a "Audio MIDI Setup". That allows you to select your in and out devices. Set the in to Line In or mute it.

V.

[Joxer the Mighty]

I don't really know what drum mapping GB uses, or whether you can import .mid files. I do know that you can use Audio Units effects and synths. You'll definitely have to get your buddy set up with some of the free goodies that are out there.

FYI, rumour has it that Garageband 2 will be announced at Mac Expo. Hopefully it'll have some new features that'll help your friend out.

[Steven West]

Thanks guys! He's going on about 'teleconfrenncing from his lappy' and needs the mic - but it sounds like it's easy to turn OFF/ON then. Thanks Vic.

And it DOES accept the AU units - COOL! But I don't think I'll mention GB2 to my buddy yet. He just got the lappy with GB on it. (He says it was $300 for GB - is that right?) But hopefully GB2 is an inexpensive upgrade when the time comes around.