Garageband is useless...

[Torajima]

Originally posted by Tulse
I think the problem arises precisely because GarageBand isn't a general-purpose MIDI sequencer -- it is a music-production application for novices. Yes, it has some MIDI capability, as it has some loop capability and some software amp capability, but the object of the app is not to be a MIDI sequencer, or loop manipulator, or general software amp. Instead, the object is to allow novices to produce sophisticated-sounding music pieces within the application.

What happens when they outgrow the application? Wouldn't it be nice if they could upgrade to a pro app and import their songs into it? If not the whole song, than at least individual midi sequences and aif loops?

Or do you think it's okay that users that quickly outgrow Garageband basically have to throw away any work they've done in Garageband and start over!?

Let me tell you... I've been writting midi based music for over ten years, and I have found that re-creating a complex midi sequence from memory is a near impossible task.

At any rate, I'm done here. It's obvious that most of you are guitarists who don't understand (or care about) the importance of midi.

 

[martin]

Originally posted by Torajima
What happens when they outgrow the application? Wouldn't it be nice if they could upgrade to a pro app and import their songs into it? If not the whole song, than at least individual midi sequences and aif loops?

Or do you think it's okay that users that quickly outgrow Garageband basically have to throw away any work they've done in Garageband and start over!?

Let me tell you... I've been writting midi based music for over ten years, and I have found that re-creating a complex midi sequence from memory is a near impossible task.

At any rate, I'm done here. It's obvious that most of you are guitarists who don't understand (or care about) the importance of midi.

What about the poor Claris Works users who outgrow it and move to In Design?? iMovie users who move to FCP?

What users have quickly outgrown Garage Band? You're making a strawman argument. My guess would be that if someone moves from GB to a pro app, they would leave the past behind because (a) they have outgrown the music they made and (b) the new app has that much more to play with, they would quickly forget about li'l ol' GB and be creative with the new app. If they "quickly outgrew GB" then they wouldn't have that many tunes anyway...

Are ya really done??

 

[crazytom]

Originally posted by Torajima
Let me tell you... I've been writting midi based music for over ten years, and I have found that re-creating a complex midi sequence from memory is a near impossible task.

At any rate, I'm done here. It's obvious that most of you are guitarists who don't understand (or care about) the importance of midi.

Well, since you're done here:

Easy on the guitarists! I think they understand the 'importance' of MIDI: they don't have it and have to create complex chords and solos each and every time they play...they just can't press a button.

As many people have said, this is the first version. Apple ~may~ add MIDI import/export. What comes after that? People screaming to have mp4 import, wma import, sdII, etc.? For now, GB is take it or leave it. If it doesn't suit your purposes, then move on and get a program that does.

Did you hear what happened when the guitarist locked his keys in the car?


---It took him 3 hours to get the keyboardist out!

 

[martin]

Originally posted by crazytom
For now, GB is take it or leave it. If it doesn't suit your purposes, then move on and get a program that does.

do u think he noticed?

 

[tjwett]

Originally posted by Torajima
Let me tell you... I've been writting midi based music for over ten years, and I have found that re-creating a complex midi sequence from memory is a near impossible task.

At any rate, I'm done here. It's obvious that most of you are guitarists who don't understand (or care about) the importance of midi.

Umm, you've been writing MIDI based music for over ten years and you're using GarageBand? What's the story here? You'd think in 10 years you'd have absorbed at least a working knowledge of some more powerful app. Why would you even bother with GarageBand in the first place? There isn't a single thing it does that a real sequencer can't do. What would you expect from an app that comes bundled free with a new puter and is aimed and mom, dad, and the kids for jamming in the living room? What have you been using for the last ten years, and what is so great about GB that makes you want to use it for serious work? This all seems rather silly.

 

[norville]

You people need to get out and read

Sheesh, when I saw the title of this thread I figured it would be one big trollfest, and I was not disappointed. But there are a couple falsehoods mentioned here that ought to be cleared up.

First, crazytom (and probably others) said:

It would be more useful if you could: 4. Would allow you to create your own aif loops and store them for easy access in the library.

This is just Silly. You've been freely able to make fully-functional AIF loops since before GB's release. Apple just hasn't publicized it very well, because in their eyes it's a "developer" tool for people who want to make and resell loop add-on packs:

Apple Loops SDK

Included is the Soundtrack Loop Utility which lets you mark up AIFF loops with tempo, pitch, categorization, and even temporal hints, and there's good documentation on how to do it all (it's very easy). Once you've marked up an AIF with this utility, just drag & drop it into GB's loop window, and GB will fully index it. Simple.
Obviously this isn't bundled with GB, but that's because the target market for GB is those beginners who are looking to use somebody else's loops, not create their own.

Then, Torajima said:

What happens when they outgrow the application? Wouldn't it be nice if they could upgrade to a pro app and import their songs into it? If not the whole song, than at least individual midi sequences and aif loops?

The next version of Logic Pro will be able to import projects from GarageBand:

Apple previews Sculpture, UltraBeat, Guitar Amp

Happy GarageBanding.

 

[whickus]

What we need to remember here is the league of programs that Garage Band is bundled with - hobbyist, or amatuer at best.

iPhoto and iMovie allow the typical consumer to create great photos and movies for their own enjoyment or the enjoyment of the people close to them. You will never see a movie created in iMovie at your local 24 theatre cinema, but it's a great place to start.

This is exactly what Garage Band allows Mac users to do with music. I've been a Digital Performer and Logic user for years and out of the box, Garage Band lets a musician do what he/she does best - CREATE MUSIC! One simple window to work with, TONS of software instruments to experiment with (which sound great) and integrated almost perfectly with iTunes to burn your own music in no time.

I swear I've spent more time switching between windows on higher end products than laying down tracks, which is why I bought the software in the first place. With Garage Band, the creativity simply flows and if you spend more time focusing on what it doesn't let you do, you'll eventually disrupt the balance between good and evil and end up in a space/ time warp where everyone has a goat-tee and uses PCs. Then where would you be? No good music software at all!!

My first point is that Apple has done a great thing by making this kind of product available to even the lowest income bracket (provided they already own a Mac). I'm sure if you plead and beg with Apple, they will discontinue Garage Band, which once again, will force you to pay $299 at the least for a similar product.

My second point is HAVE FUN!! With that I'll end my post.