GarageBand is a DAW (digital audio workstation) that most people use to record everything from demos to finished music.
It makes sense for many new people to music creation because it is free to download from the App Store. The software is also popular among MAC and iOS. However, there are numerous myths regarding Garageband, and many people unjustifiably dismiss it as a mediocre DAW.
We believe this is because it is affordable, accessible, and popular. So, people end up hating it.
Garageband is an excellent DAW for recording and editing audio because it contains most of the same tools as more complex DAWs but in a more simplified and streamlined manner.
The user interface is highly user-friendly, and it also includes features such as Apple Loops and drummer automation. So, let’s explore the facts why Garageband is best for music production in 2022.
Reasons why Garageband is suitable for music production
It’s Free!
The notion that Garageband is free is undoubtedly significant to keep in mind when picking which DAW to utilize. Assuming the customer has access to an Apple product, whether it’s an iPhone 11 Pro Max from Amazon or a 15-inch MacBook Pro from the same retailer, Garageband is available for free download.
It’s free to try. Even if you don’t like it, there’s no harm done as it won’t cost you anything. Most other DAWs, particularly the premium versions, are not free, including the most popular alternatives, Logic Pro X, Cubase, Adobe Audition, and WavePad. Garageband is a terrific place to start if you’re new to music production because it offers many of the same capabilities as the other most popular DAWs while costing you nothing.
Garageband welcomes third-party plugins.
One of the most ignored aspects that people mention while criticizing GarageBand is the option to install third-party plugins. They appear to be clueless that this is even possible.
In reality, they have never tried it before. It’s easy to become lost in the world of extensions, plugins, and hardware, but if you need an extra feature, you can nearly always get it through a third-party plugin.
For instance, you can add Celemony’s Melodyne 5 – Editor as a plugin. It has incredible features to help you edit your music to a high level.
If you don’t feel like spending money for the first time, you can always head towards Plugins4Free and AudioPlugins4Free. These have the best third-party extensions to help you throughout the process.
It thrives with Artificial Intelligence!
When it comes to drums, GarageBand takes such a realistic approach. You may customize things like swing, fills, and kit sounds.
Some consider it a complex function, but it is pretty simple to use. To the best of our knowledge, no one has created a default drummer feature as part of a DAW. To be honest, GarageBand’s Drummer Track isn’t as good as Steven Slate’s Drummer 5 from Plugin Fox, but it’s still a terrific tool.
Furthermore, it’s an excellent introduction to the realm of AI drummers, and it’s quite beneficial not just as a productivity tool but also as a creative tool.
Add Samples
Garageband includes the AUSampler, which allows you to upload any type of sound you desire and then utilize it in your song, regardless of genre. It can be challenging to step up. It’s better to take the initial knowledge of how to set up.
Sampling is an essential component of hip-hop production. As a result, it would be ridiculous for Garageband not to have the function. Furthermore, AUSampler features a variety of options that allow you to customize how it sounds.
Sampling can be employed in various contexts, such as introductions, outros, complete melodic sections, talks in the middle of a song, or even the main chorus. Samplers are used by some of the most famous hip-hop producers, like Kanye West.
Apple Loops
Garageband features Apple Loops. These are not something you use regularly. However, a few producers claim to use Apple Loops all the time. Honestly, you will find a lot of the music integrated with Apple Loops excellent and worth listening to.
The loops interface is pretty minimal and straightforward. It comes in different parameters, genre, mood, instrument type, and more! Every loop has its separate identity and is unique. Garageband can correctly add loops to your music.
Time Quantizer
It is a timing tool that allows the user to take notes of the grid and observe if everything is in harmony. However, the parameters of the time quantizer are not much complex, so it is pretty simple for beginners to complete the task.
There is an additional benefit of the time quantizer, as it streamlines the overall process of the music production and fixes the errors. For instance, if you wing it on your MIDI keyboard, you can simply snap some of those notes right back to the grid, and it won’t take you that much time.
Pitch Correction
It is used by many producers employ across many genres of music, particularly in the newer hip-hop and pop genres, but it is also used in rock, metal, and many other genres. It is critical to be able to fix the pitch after it has been captured for a variety of reasons. The primary reason it is popular is that it saves the artist and the studio time and finances. With this tool, you do not have to re-record every single time whenever minor errors pop. The Pitch Corrector tool helps you from re-doing the whole audio.
Producers and artists such as Travis Scott employ pitch correction (see more about pitch correction) to add vocal enhancements that stand out and are unlike anything else.
It’s grabbed on with several producers over the years, and it’s now spreading to many other genres, including pop and country.
Record External Instruments
This is another function that must be considered since, let’s face it, you must be able to record external instruments in your DAW, or else you’re working with a toy.
You can not only connect a guitar (my tutorial) to Garageband using an audio interface such as the Scarlett 2i2 (from Amazon), but you can also mic your amplifier or another instrument if necessary.
Export directly to the Streaming Platform
You can submit your song to iTunes/Music, SoundCloud, or even share it with your iOS device using the share button shown in the image above. Garageband is a beautiful, straightforward, and simplified procedure for fast getting your music on other platforms.
I don’t think this is the ideal way to upload music to YouTube, iTunes, or Soundcloud, but there’s nothing wrong with it, and I’ve done it many times.
Final Thoughts
Garageband is not a huge thing compared to the expensive DAW available in the market. However, it is the best free DAW for beginners in the music production industry. There is nothing wrong with using free and fantastic software to edit and record your music.
So, it is worth trying the software for professionals and beginners!
Happy Editing!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is GarageBand used by professional producers?
This is a popular question because Garageband and its users are vilified by other music producers. There’s little doubt that Garageband can be utilized professionally, given that some of the industry’s biggest stars have used the software to track entire albums and hit songs.
Which musicians use GarageBand?
Musicians may also create songs with seven new Producer Packs, which contain beats, loops, and instruments explicitly made for GarageBand by some of the world’s greatest producers, such as Boys Noize and Mark Lettieri, Oak Felder, Soulection, Take. A Daytrip, Tom Misch, and TRAKGIRL.