This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Each instrument gets its own track in Garage Band. If you’ve looked at an orchestral score of music, it is not unlike each instrument having its own staff on the music. Some tracks allow you to choose a “software” or synthesized instrument. Other tracks hold the effects for a particular type of “real” or recorded instrument. Double-clicking any track name, or selecting a track and clicking on the “i” information button will reveal settings for that track, including the type of instrument, and the effects assigned for that instrument (under Details…).
Mixer controls are located to the right of the track name. These include a pan knob knob and an individual levels, or volume control, for each track. Panning refers to where the instrument sounds in stereo—is it on the left, right, or somewhere in between? Professionals will pan some instruments to one side or another to make the “space” musicians perform in sound large, and wide. You can hide the mixer by clicking on the small triangle near the word “Tracks” to get more space in your Garage Band window.
There are a number of additional buttons and controls in Garage Band. These include:
Watch the following movie to see some of these interface controls in action. (17 MB Quicktime)
If you want to change the synthesized instrument, or change the effects settings of a track, use the information button.
If you want to sample the different loops installed on your computer, use the loops browser button (eyeball).
If you want to transpose or change the sound of a recording, or of a MIDI recording, use the detail editor.
If you want to change the tempo of your song, use the time display.
© 2005 by John G. Hendron.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.