Comments on: Apple Unveils GarageBand 08: New Features at a Glance

By: Doris M. Neary

Doris M. Neary — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 15:07:42 +0000

Doris M. Neary…

Very weird … Every time I click on the RSS icon, my browsers bookmark file opens instead of opening the RSS feed in my browser. Can any one explain me why this happens ? .. It\’s Weeiirrrdd…

By: Mibrilane

Mibrilane — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 07:16:03 +0000

I think it’s fairly obvious by now that Logic Pro 8 (or Logic Studio or whatever they’re going to call it) will rely on several technologies in Mac OS 10.5, and thus we are unlikely to see it introduced before Leopard ships.

Things I’d like to see in the next Logic:

a) Multi-take features from SoundTrack Pro and GarageBand ‘08.

b) Integration of SoundDiver synth editors.

c) XML patchlist support.

d) A less dark color scheme.

By: JVH

JVH — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 02:21:10 +0000

why doesn’t it have more extensive midi clock features?

By: john

john — Wed, 15 Aug 2007 23:04:08 +0000

GarageBand is fun. Logic is fun. Both are useful. But when they upgraded GB, the minimal support to my Mackie Control Universal went out of date. SO now I have to hope for an update from Logic I guess, to be able to use the big buttons on my Mackie Control. I just want my big buttons to work in both. Is the patch already out there somewhere?

By: Seba

Seba — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 20:12:29 +0000

I haven’t read through all the responses here, but on the Logic issue, am I the only one who doesn’t expect to see anything until well after Leopard is released? Seems logical to me…sorry… ;)

By: paulo

paulo — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 12:24:25 +0000

@ Paul and Peter’s responses

I see the point and I’m all for making computer aided music accessible. I guess I just fail to see from my experience how the absence of a more simplified tool, such as GB, would stop a serious musician from getting to his creative goals.

Though if one makes something really good of it, then it’s something good and that’s a strong case enough for it.

Pardon my silly venting.

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:49:39 +0000

I think the “Magic” Interface has been used in other music applications before.

However, I wouldn’t count this feature out entirely. If they are just “testing the waters” of auto accompaniment programs like Band-in-a-Box, Jammer, etc. then this could simply be the tip of the iceberg, and perhaps if they could make this feature into a full-blown audio (not MIDI) based auto-tune generator they would have a pretty kewl feature — if for nothing else than warm-up/jamming/practicing or just taking a plain old “noodling break” during a composition session.

By: Bogo

Bogo — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:13:48 +0000

Yeah, MagicGB looks rediculous and is just a visual companion to the loops that were already there, they just put it all together for you, so less creativity is required. (Maybe once in a blue moon it would be nice to jam without needing other people or music written)
But no one here has mentioned probably THE best upgrade to GB (it’s a shame you can’t just get GB by itself)
You can record 24-bit audio with up to 192khz now!
I’ve used pro apps, Pro Tools etc, on PCs, but as a musician I admit, even if I get good at using those apps to their full potential, I’m spending time getting to be a better producer and none as a better musician or songwriter. That’s why I love GB, but I was pissed that 3.0 didn’t support higher audio quality, BUT NOW IT DOES! And you can print out Midi now, a big plus for composers who don’t have much $$ to waste (alot of them out there, I’m sure) and Visual EQ is nice as is more automation and Piano automation means you can record Midi piano that sounds more natural, less stiff. Anyway, Seems worth the 80 bucks to me.

By: Doktor Future

Doktor Future — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 03:53:15 +0000

Wouldn’t it be great if Apple buys ‘Band in a Box’ and also Stephen Kay from Karma Labs and makes a ‘happy magic style scratchpad’.

It’s a good idea to make complex programs have a solid ‘beginner/intro’ feel so that anyone can use them, from early days to pro-level. As a design philosophy, I applaud that.

As for Logic 8, I hope they rename it to a new V1.0 of something, and take all that’s good with Logic, gene splice it with lessons learned from Garage Band and SoundTrack Pro.

By moving to a more unified code-base, and by releasing applications with feature-sets constrained to certain use-cases, Apple is apparently trying to ‘do a good job’ for specific use-cases. That is, get the ‘beginner’ use case down, then the ‘garage band’ use-case, then the ’sound track’ use case. As you can see, the code is shared between them (i.e. visual eq). It’s a good idea for Apple to code based on use cases.

Eventually, when they figure they’ve got the various use-cases right, and a solid understanding of personas, they can stich it together to build a ‘logic 8′ (or whatever) that’s a genuine improvement.

My 83 pence.

By: Damon

Damon — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 03:35:11 +0000

I always found garage band a bit peculiar in practice. The transport controls were too clever to be intuitive. If I remember right, you had to use the computer keyboard “hot-keys” if you wanted to pencil in notes. Now, if they want the user to eventually move up to some version of logic, you would think the design could be a bit more consistent with logic.

Maybe apple should move the garage band employee cubicles a bit closer to the logic employee cubicles. That way folks actually have to communicate with each other.

I think apple is so intent on being revolutionary, that they forget to be practical. Apple recently redesigned their software download page, and trying to figure out how to access the programs you wanted demanded a bit of gratuitous poking around.

“If you can answer these 3 questions, the gate keeper will reveal the secret door to the audio downloads.”

Yes, form is lovely, but if you forget function, you have missed the point. I am reminded of BMW motorcycles. I don’t ride one, but many of the controls on a BMW are said to be completely irrational. And quite different than any other brand. Fine for long time riders, distracting for new riders.

I am not sure being different is worth the price of being inadequate. Apple designers should focus on what the customer needs, not what the designers find whiz bang groovy. Leave the creative artsy thing to the appearance, but keep the design process firmly planted in the left brain. It is apple, not orange.

The user experience should be efficient and fun, not peculiar and hallucinogenic.