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Getting Started With GarageBand ’09

Getting Started With GarageBand ‘09 GarageBand is a unique piece of software that allows the user to create their own music that can be added to slideshows, movies, DVD’s, WebPages, or burned to an audio CD. GarageBand ’09 has built in tutorials for learning to play an instrument. It is also the software used to create podcasts. Anything created in GarageBand can be sent to iTunes or iWeb. This handout will overview the basic GarageBand interface. For specific information on how to create a podcast or create music with GarageBand see the handouts Creating A Podcast with GarageBand and Magic GarageBand.

Once you start a project, be it podcasting or making music, the interface is the same.

New Project - Allows you to create a new project of any item in the black box to the right of the menu column.

Learn to Play - There are lessons for learning how to play the guitar and the piano

Magic GarageBand - You can have GarageBand automatically create a song with this feature

iPhone Ringtone - Creates ringtones you can put on your iPhone

Recent Projects - Access files you created in GarageBand

If you want to create a simple song, where you can also add a voice track, yet use some of GarageBand’s built in loops, Songwriting might be the best choice

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A Timeline: Contains the tracks where you record instruments, add loops, and arrange regions. Also includes the beat ruler, which you use to move the playhead and align items in the timeline.

B Track headers: The instrument icon and name are shown at the left of each track’s header. Click the track name to type a new name. Click the Record Enable button (the red circle) to turn on the track for recording. Click the Mute button (the speaker icon) to silence the track. Click the Solo button (the headphone icon) to hear the track by itself. Click the Lock Track button (the padlock icon) to lock the track. Click the triangle to show the track’s automation curves. Drag the pan dial to adjust the pan position of the track (the left-to-right placement in the stereo field). Drag the volume slider to adjust the track’s volume. Watch the level meter to see the track’s volume level as you record and play.

C Zoom slider: Drag the zoom slider to zoom in for a closer view of part of the timeline, or to zoom out to see more of the timeline.

D Add Track and Editor buttons: Click the Add Track button to add a track below the existing tracks in the timeline. Click the Editor button to show or hide the editor.

E Transport controls: Click the Record button to start recording. Click the Play button to start or stop playback of the project. Click the Go To Beginning, Rewind, or Fast Forward buttons to move the playhead to different parts of the project. Click the Cycle button to turn the cycle region on or off.

F LCD: The LCD has five modes: Time, Measures, Chord, Tuner, and Project. Click the icon at the left side of the LCD and choose a different mode.

In Time mode, the LCD shows the playhead’s position in absolute time (hours, minutes, seconds, fractions). Drag or double-click the numerals to move the playhead. In Measures mode, the LCD shows the playhead’s position in musical time (measures, beats, ticks). Drag or double-click the numerals to move the playhead. In Chord mode, you can see chord symbols when you play any Software Instrument. In Tuner mode, you can tune a guitar in either an Electric Guitar or Real Instrument track. In Project mode, you can choose a different key and time signature for the project, and change the project tempo.

G Master volume slider and level meter: Drag the volume slider to adjust the project’s master volume level. Watch the level meter to see if clipping is occurring before you export a project.

H Loop Browser, Track Info, and Media Browser buttons: Click the Loop Browser button to open the loop browser.

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Starting a GarageBand Podcast Project 1. Open GarageBand and select Podcast, then Choose. You will be prompted to enter a name for the file, then click Create.

2. The project is opened with a Podcast track, a male and female vocal track, and a jingles track. It looks like this:

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3. If you’d like to simplify the screen to get started, click the Media Browser button to close the media window.

4. Media Browser button 4. Let’s take a closer look at the Tracks and Mixer columns in the upper left corner. The Podcast Track is where images will be added for an Enhanced Podcast.

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5. The tracks in the Tracks column contain the same buttons. Hold the cursor over any of the tools in these two columns to find out about them.

. • When a track is selected the track menu will be highlighted. • The Speaker is actually a Mute button. Click that and the track won’t be played.• The headphones button is used to Solo a track. Click it if you only want to hear that one

track. • The lock button will prevent a track from being changed. • The down arrow opens up the View / Hide Automation for the track. This is where you

can add individual adjustments to the sound level as well as the track pan. Click the blue line to add dots. Drag the dots up and down to effect the volume.

6. The tools in the Mixer column are as follows:

• The yellow arrow indicates that Ducking is in effect. This means that when there is audio on this track any others will quiet down. Ducking can be adjusted very easily in this version. Use the GarageBand help to find out how. • The Set Track Pan control (circle) allows you to determine which speaker this track is broadcast through. (L or R) • The track volume level meter indicates when the sound is in a safe (green) zone. • The volume slider allows you to adjust the volume for the entire track.

Now that you know the GarageBand interface, you are ready to create! For specific information on how to create a podcast or create music with GarageBand see the handouts Creating A Podcast with GarageBand and Magic GarageBand.

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