Whether you're a professional musician or a mere novice, Apple's GarageBand software has everything you need to produce commercial-quality recordings entirely on your own. Just imagine how many thousands of singers and instrumentalists remain undiscovered because they lack the capability to produce viable demos. Well, no more.

Now there's no need to assemble a backup band or book time at a professional studio--GarageBand has it covered. And GarageBand 2: The Missing Manual gives you the know-how you need to make it all happen. It's an authoritative, witty guide to constructing digital recordings with GarageBand.

Written by the master of the Missing Manual series, and a musician himself, David Pogue, this top-selling book shows you how to maximize the program's entire set of tools. Pre-recorded loops, sampled sounds, live recordings--they're all explained in easy-to-understand language. It also shows you how to apply professional-sounding effects like reverb or chorusing, and then export the finished product to iTunes, where you can download your work to an iPod, export it as an MP3, or burn it onto CDs.

Now revised to reflect GarageBand's latest features, this book's second edition also addresses how to:

• use GarageBand's eight-track capabilities

• display music notation in real time

• enhance timing and pitch for better quality recordings

• change the tempo and key of recorded instruments

• tune guitars with GarageBand before recording

So if you're chasing a dream or just having fun, GarageBand 2: The Missing Manual is the only resource you need to make the finest musical recordings possible.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 10 Ratings

BAND ON THE RUN! BAND ON THE RUN! - 2006-05-05
Reviewer Rating:
Would you like to be able to create professional sounding musical recordings? If you would, you're in luck! Author David Pogue, has done an outstanding job of writing a book that will guide you through a long list of enhancements, large and small, that make GarageBand a better musical tool than ever before.

Pogue, begins by introducing you to GarageBand. Then, he discusses Loops. The author continues by showing you how to manipulate regions in general--but these techniques are especially useful for manipulating loops. Next, he explores software instruments (MIDI). Then, the author shows you how to edit the software instrument parts. He continues by showing you how to record and edit live audio. Next, he deals with effects, guitar amps, and instrument modules. The author continues by describing how to wrap up your workflow in GarageBand and present it to a wider audience. Then, he introduces a few of the coolest ways to enhance GarageBand's repertoire, suggests where you might go when you decide it's time to graduate to more powerful (and expensive) music software, and points out some Web sites where you can learn more about GarageBand. Next, he presents the accumulated wisdom of thousands of online GarageBand fans sharing their workarounds, plus Apple's own suggestions. Finally, he shows you how to troubleshoot GarageBand.

Don't let the rumors fool you. This most excellent book may be simple, but it isn't simplistic.

Useful For iLife 08 Version - 2008-05-12
Reviewer Rating:
As w/ all Pouge books, this one has lots of good info that's easy to access, presented in an easy to understand form, & while it's written for an earlier version, most of it applies to the latest version of GarageBand (v4.2) as well.

clear, fun, thorough - 2008-07-07
Reviewer Rating:
I'm surprised that full color pictures can do so much for a computer manual. But maybe it's because it's put together the playful, hand-holding prose that makes this such a joy to read.
This book has absolutely everything from the most relevent keyboard tip to describing workflow to diving down into every tool, pallet and menu.
I can read it at my bedside and the stuff still sticks. Wonderful book for a wonderful program.

A usefull book with one minor caveat. - 2009-04-02
Reviewer Rating:
After playing guitar for the last 4 years I decided to try to record some of the songs I'd written. I used this book to go from someone who had never recorded any music before, to someone who could lay down simple tracks with vocals in a few weeks just using my computer, garage band and the required hardware.

The book is well written, relatively up to date, and organized in a utilitarian fashion for quick reference. It has numerous pictures of menu and covers a wide range of basic to moderately complex topics. There is also a bit of humor injected into the writing which never hurts.

The only caveat is that book is kind of lacking in any type of hardware info that is useful. The book tells you what you need (interface, mics etc) but doesn't really help the novice out in any way. I recommend going online and finding one of the few music hardware website that specialize in customer service. They will be able to talk you through exactly what you need to buy to do what you want to do, something I wouldn't really expect a garage band book to do but something that is necessary should you want to record music at home.

Bottom Line: A very useful book for someone with no experience looking to get into Garage Band.

Opening the Garage doors. - 2009-05-15
Reviewer Rating:
"GarageBand 2: The Missing Manual" has all the elements you expect from an informative book. Written in a casual but crystal clear style, it caters both for the complete idiot (like me) and the semi-experienced who wishes to go on to greater heights. The illustrations are profuse and easy to follow, and the quality of print and paper is certainly a cut above many other manuals of this type. Full marks to David Pogue for opening the Garage doors to an Aladdin's cave of new discoveries.

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