Last updated 9/15/2004

GarageBand: The Missing Manual

GarageBand: The Missing Manual
Author: David Pogue
Publisher: Pogue Press, O'Reilly
260 pages ... $19.95
ISBN 0-596-00695-0
The book that should have been in the box
Covers Version 1.1

If I ever get GarageBand, I would want this book. It is easy to understand, readable, and makes GarageBand sound like it could be fun. There is also a companion CD online with, among other things, GarageBand Examples CD which contains all the sample music you will work with in this book.

The book begins with the basic stuff like the two kinds of music you use with GarageBand, digital music and MIDI music, and loops, tracks and regions. Chapter 3 contains a Tutorial: Funk for Nonmusicians. David Pogue is a musician, as well as a darn good writer and Macintosh expert, so I am sure that if I followed the tutorial, even I could produce some decent music. (I am not at all sure that I could produce a second one that would sound good without the specific tutorial to follow, but it might be fun to try.

Chapter 4 begins work with software instruments (MIDI) including two ways to feed GarageBand without a buying separate controller, and using your Mac as a recorder.

Then this interesting book gets into editing and laying down tracks, and that is just the beginning. The Appendix includes a GarageBand Music Crash Course although to quote Pogue, As you know from Chapters 2 and 3 it is perfectly possible to glide right through a career in GarageBand without knowing anything at all about music.

The greatest complement I ever had on my music was while singing with some kids on the way to a basketball game one of them turned to me and said, I don't suppose you know it, but you are singing perfect harmony. Of course I thought I was singing the melody like everyone else. But with GarageBand and this book, that might be enough. Some day, when I have something more powerful than my three year old 500MHz G3 iBook, I would like to give GarageBand a try and when I do I will buy this book.

For more information or to buy GarageBand: The Missing Manual go to
http://www.oreilly.com
or
http://www.missingmanuals.com