GarageBand for iPad - How it Works
A New Type of Manual - the Visual Approach
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4.3 • 6 Ratings
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- £4.49
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- £4.49
Publisher Description
This is the only comprehensive manual for "GarageBand for iOS" (not just a quick start guide)
"GarageBand for iPad - How it Works" from the GEM series (Graphically Enhanced Manuals) explains Apple's popular music production application "GarageBand for iPad" with rich illustrations and diagrams that are not found in any other manual. The 288 page interactive Multi-Touch eBook (with a 200+ term interactive glossary) presents this software application in great details with that easy to understand, visual approach. It covers all the features of the app plus getting into great details about iCloud and iTunes File Sharing.
All of that with the easy to understand, visual approach known from other books from the best-selling GEM series.
"I wish all the manuals on software were like yours!" - Giovanni C.
"You have the gift of making difficult concepts understandable" - William B.
"Your style is the most informative and clear I have ever seen" - Mark D.
"Great stuff Edgar! I bought your other Logic GEM books and love em..." - fform
"Thank you so much for your fantastic guides; I've learned so much!" - Brandon B.
"I love your manuals." - Eli.
UNDERSTAND, not just LEARN
That is the motto of the book series "Graphically Enhanced Manuals" (GEM). They're a new type of manual with a visual approach that helps you UNDERSTAND a program, not just LEARN it. No need to read through 500 of pages of dry text explanations. Rich graphics and diagrams help you to get that "aha" effect and make it easy to comprehend difficult concepts. The Graphically Enhanced Manuals help you master a program much faster with a much deeper understanding of concepts, features and workflows in a very intuitive way that is easy to understand
Customer Reviews
Very good, worthy, despite inevitably needing updated...!
Overall, my view of this top-quality guide, just kept improving the more I used it. A Beginner in particular, couldn’t do much better than get a decent iPad (memory space is critical) with GarageBand, and this very good illustrated book, and spend lots of time getting into it all.
As someone who has been through the days of a cassette-tape hissily recording in mono as the band jams, through 4-track use of a tape, then into digital of various formats (16-bit used to be the peak), I wish I’d had the exact setup described above. Honestly, you should love it, it’s a dream way to put your effort and enjoyment into composing and creating music, not curing hisses and pops, alternating with wondering why no sound emerges on the ‘big’ systems...!
Incidentally, not having seen this in the book yet, I’d mention that out of the box, GB uses 44.1kHz sampling frequency, 16-bit depth, and I think 256kbps bit rate (CD/MP3 depending). Many will immediately on starting a new song, hit the ‘spanner’ icon on the right top of the track screen, and then ‘advanced’ and set the bit depth to 24 bits. It is just better quality, but don’t fret over it. The new standards are 96kHz and 24 or 32-bit depth.
HOWEVER, if the best aspect of GB iPad is you can get your head around it easier, don’t bother with any of this just make music. I came to GB iPad, because the big boys on PCs stumped me, it being so hard just to figure out virtual ‘bus’ and other technical arrangements that frankly, are not necessary for making music - they are just commonly encountered in more open environments than the closed - and therefore better in my view - iPad and GB music realm.
[EDIT June 2019 - upped to 4 stars, because it is on further reading and use, a REALLY good explanation and assist, into GarageBand, despite an update being needed.]
So the bad news after a couple of hours reading, don’t treat this as detracting too much, just get this out the way:
- No ‘automation’, now possible in GB iPad since written 2014
- No panning as in movement L to R (uses Automation!)
- No AUv3 mentioned - well, literally mentioned, 2015 was early days
- IAA discussed, because it hadn’t yet been knocked by AUv3
I know that Apple have not ACTUALLY killed IAA yet on the iOS, but the fact is I downloaded a major compressor plug-in and it only comes in AUv3 form.
Therefore, IAA may be hanging on, but even before Apple let it go, some developers have.
Automation is an enormous professional component to a mix and for finalising. I did not check yet, but I don’t think MASTERING is covered either? Online it is covered.
So, look, this is a decent book and a lot of work, but it feels in 2019 like it only covers the main structure, and I am not sure even plug-ins get a mention. Needs a big fat update to keep up with GB iOS moving on rapidly.
The final word however, is that for the price, it does give me the reassurance the basics are solid, and don’t let anything said here knock how useful it is as a platform to kick you off - top quality is my take-away. For really up-to-the-minute, this would need to be a subscription basis, which I wouldn’t buy, so hit the web for any fresher changes and details.
GarageBand for iPad
I’d be lost without Edgar’s manuals, every step is clearly laid out with accompanying illustrations. Edgar is also very helpful with excellent email assistance given when needed. I’d definitely recommend this manual. I also have the GarageBand X manual for Mac, and same applies with it.
Michelle Haughian
GarageBand for iPad .. How it works
I cannot speak too highly of this book, or, indeed, of it’s Author, Edgar Rothermich. Edgar has put together the most comprehensive GarageBand manual anyone could wish for, covering all the detail you could possibly require, with a clear, diagramatic approach, so that you can understand not just what to do, but why you need to do it. No matter what your level of experience in music making or recording music, you will learn everything you need to know, and a good deal more. Highly understandable, very informative, and an absolute must buy, if you wish to get the best out of GarageBand for iPad. Buy it, is my advice! I did, and I’m delighted!