When I began using Apple's music recording program GarageBand six months ago, I started playing around without any instructions. But after some of my first compositions cracked windowpanes and exploded dog heads, I deemed it prudent to learn more. Another couple of months of experimenting passed, but I still felt like there were so many elements to GB that I could'nt use the program to its full potential.
So enter GarageBand 2: The Missing Manual by David Pogue, which I began reading in hopes of salvaging my fractured skills. Suddenly, fifteen pages in, I heard my own voice from five months ago yelling at me, "You fool! Why didn't you get this earlier?" In other words, I found that David Pogue had written a clear and concise guide that makes GarageBand accessible to both gurus and nimrods alike. For me, there were enough "Aha! So THAT's how you do that!" moments in reading this, that if knowledge was a debt, I'd owe Pogue my first-born son.
Clocking in at 272 pages, with hundreds of full color screenshots, Pogue writes from the perspective that you are opening GarageBand as a blank slate: if you don't even know how to drag and drop a file to a window, he explains that. But don't believe for a second that GB2:TMM is a dull instruction manual--- it's filled with quips relating to music, the computer industry and even GB itself. Pogue does not shy away from pointing out anything that might confuse the mere novice, or conflict with a trained musician's knowledge. While Pogue keeps an optimistic outlook on your GB potential, he remains honest. "GarageBand 2 may be simple," he says, "but it isn't simplistic."
Aside from explaining the true nature of Apple Loops, recording both live and MIDI instruments, and then editing and enhancing the collective lot, Pogue seasons each section with quick tips, FAQ's, troubleshooting, and of course, every possible keyboard shortcut. After you have followed every lesson on composing your own soundtrack, there's a chapter on how and where to publish your finished work.
Article comments
1 - Justene
You don't play an instrument? So GB works for those of us who are clueless? You can tune your instrument with it? Does it teach basics?
2 - Mark Sahm
Justene: I believe that GarageBand really caters to the clueless and non-musicians. But it is a great tool for anyone--- except maybe the high level producer. But at that point, an industry professional would be using Pro Tools or Logic Pro anyway.
GarageBand itself does not touch on music basics, but the Missing Manual does.
3 - Christopher Rose
I almost believed I could make music after reading this; thanks a lot, Mark.
4 - Mark Sahm
Chris: Thanks for reading. You'd really be surprised all the things you can do in GB. The cliché goes that we all got a book in us, but I think that could apply to making an album of music as well. All it takes is the desire to create and some hard work.