This basic GarageBand tutorial looks at how to use the app’s built-in effects to create a T-Pain AutoTune effect.

via PirateSk00l:

This quick tutorial will show you how to take your crap voice and put it in tune.

Garageband: This basic GarageBand tutorial looks at how to reduce latency when you are recording.

via expertvillage

Look familiar?

PowerFX Soundation Studio is like Garageband 1.0 – except that it isn’t a Mac app.

Instead, it’s the latest example of browser based music software. In this case, Soundation is a virtual studio that runs your web browser.

Click here to try it out now.

Here’s what PowerFX has to say about Soundation:

Soundation Studio is the web based sequencer that enables you to make music, ringtones and audio clips directly from the internet without downloading any software. This beta version includes over 400 royalty free audio loops, 9 different effects, track automation, basic loop editing, loop audition, master channel control and mix down to desktop.

Soundation won’t be stealing Logic or Sonar’s thunder anytime soon.

But Soundation may be good enough to let people discover the benefits of working with a browser-based virtual studio.

The Meatscience Bitsmacker is described as a “digital distortion swiss army knife” for adding that certain digital crustiness to your pristine audio signal. It can simulate vintage samplers, and classic video game systems.

Features:

• Zero-latency
• Sample rate reduction from 50 to 44100 hz
• Bit depth range from 0.01 to 32 bit
• Parametric EQ on Input
• Parametric EQ on Output
• Drive adjustment for boost
• All values continuously variable, no large steps between values
• Works in any Audio Unit host (Garage Band, Logic, Ableton, etc etc)
• A swift kick in the trousers

The plugin lets you drive a MIDI-based synthesizer from any DAW that supports software instrument Audio Units.

Version 1.3, posted on 9/20/06: Passes AU validation under 10.6. Can generate program and bank change messages.

Online creative tools site Aviary has introduced Myna – a free Web site that’s like Garageband 1.0 for your Web browser.

Myna lets you record music to your computer and save it to the site, and gives you the basic tools to make loop-based music.

Myna’s too slow and cumbersome to be of much interest to most musicians. However, just as cheap video cameras and Youtube have revolutionized the world of video, cheap computer mics and browser based music software like Myna are likely to soon radically change music.

Details on Myna below.

Highlights of Myna Features:

Powerful Clip Editing
Trim, Loop, Stretch and Reverse your audio clips, width editable loop points, and interactive time stretch capabilities.

Automation
Easily add fade-ins, fade-outs, pan from left to right, and modify gain over time, with editable control points.

Effects
Add non-destructive effects to your audio clips including Pitch Change, Reverb, Delay, Parametric EQ, and more.

Import / Export
Import your own audio files, or search one of our provided libraries. Mix it down and export directly to your desktop or publish back to your account.

Share and learn
Collaborate with other users. Follow step-by-step tutorials to learn new skills.

This tutorial looks at how to make music with Apple’s Garageband.

via PrimeLoops:

Garageband is a very powerful music-making package from Apple, and can be used to make, edit and remix many styles. Here we show you the Garageband interface, and how to get to grips with the basics.

Digital Music Doctor has published an updated version of their Music Software Internet Popularity chart.

The chart ranks the top 10 music programs, using search engine requests as a gauge of interest.

The Top 10 Music Applications
Q2, 2009, based on search requests

1. Pro Tools
2. Cubase
3. FL Studio
4. Cakewalk Sonar
5. Apple Logic
6. Adobe Audition
7. Ableton Live
8. Apple Garageband
9. Sound Forge
10. Sony Acid

Obviously, there are a lot of other ways you could rank music applications – by sales dollar, by sales units or by registered users, for example. Garageband would probably top the list by those measures.

Leave a comment with your thoughts on this ranking!

Apple

That’s right – the update stops GarageBand – a entry level digital audio workstation – from messing with your Safari Internet cookie settings.

Here’s what Apple has to say about the GarageBand 5.1 Update:

CVE-ID: CVE-2009-2198

Available for: Mac OS X v10.5.7

Impact: A user’s web activity may be tracked by third parties and advertisers

Description: When GarageBand is opened, Safari’s preferences are changed to always accept cookies. The default preference is to accept cookies only for the sites being visited. The altered setting may allow third parties and advertisers to track a user’s web activity. This update addresses the issue by not changing the preference setting. Users who have run previous versions of GarageBand should confirm that their Safari preferences are set as desired.

It’s insane that Apple has to release a security patch to keep GarageBand from making your Web browsing more dangerous and less private.

But it does. GarageBand has been putting Safari into promiscuous mode – telling it to accept cookies from anybody and everybody.

No user would expect using GarageBand to compromise their Internet security.

If you’re a Mac user, who knows how long GarageBand has been reducing your privacy? Apple doesn’t say.

What’s next? You open up iPhoto and it resets all your passwords to “password”?

What an insanely bad idea this was.

Apple has been getting more attention from security analysts and hackers alike. It’s time Apple treated your security and privacy as seriously as they treat design and usability.

Oh yeah – take a visit to Software Update to get GarageBand 5.1. Then go to Safari, select Safari-Preferences- Security, and set Accept cookies to Only from sites I visit.

Next, delete your cookies or scan them and eliminate cookies for sites you don’t recognize.

Are you all ready for this?

Indaba has introduced a new JavaFX-powered digital audio workstation, Music Console, that’s like GarageBand for the Web.

Music Console lets you record and mix high-quality uncompressed audio directly with your browser and work both on and offline. The console features advanced web-based mixing and editing tools, real-time effects, and loops.

Features include:

• Recording: High-quality audio recording directly to Indaba
• Clips Library: Choose from hundreds of Creative Commons-licensed loops
• Real-Time Effects: Chorus, reverb, EQ, flanger, and more!
• Online/Offline Use: Use the console anytime, anywhere!

This is brand-spanking new, and Indaba is pushing the envelope of what you can do via the Web. So, they’re asking people to give the new Music Console a try and to give them feedback.

The site and service is free, with two paid versions available also: Pro ($5/month), and Platinum ($25/month).

If you give Music Console a try, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Apple has added 3 new songs to the Artists section of the GarageBand Lesson Store, Sting’s Message in a Bottle and Fragile and Sarah McLachlan’s Angel, bringing the total number of artist lessons available to 13.

13 songs that they pick?

If this isn’t an underwhelming feature, what is?

Apple should open this up, like the iTunes App store, so that anyone can make content for the platform. People are already making video podcasts by the zillions – turn Garageband into a video podcast store that lets you watch free and commercial educational music podcasts.

Add the ability to download content, too, and artists could show you how to play their music, and then give you a link to download a loops for their song, or a Garageband file with the backing tracks.

If they opened this up, it would blow up like every other open platform is doing these days, don’t you think?

Who would you pay money to have teach you a song, instead of Sting?

A selection of 100 original Electro Loops, Electro Samples, Minimal Loops, Minimal Samples and Tech House Loops none of these loops appear on any of our products.

via rekkerd

LMMS is a free cross-platform multimedia studio which lets you product music with your computer – sort of like Garageband for people that didn’t buy a Mac.

Features:

• Song-Editor for composing songs
• A Beat+Bassline-Editor for creating beats and basslines
• An easy-to-use Piano-Roll for editing patterns and melodies
• An FX mixer with 64 FX channels and arbitrary number of effects allow unlimited mixing possibilities
• Many powerful instrument and effect-plugins out of the box
• Full user-defined track-based automation and computer-controlled automation sources
• Compatible with many standards such as SoundFont2, VST(i), LADSPA, GUS Patches, and full MIDI support
• Import of MIDI and FLP (Fruityloops® Project) files

You can’t beat the price, so give it a try and let me know what you think of it!

via Lifehacker

There are demos at the Musicofx site – and it doesn’t sound convincingly like a trumpet – but it does sound like a useful virtual instrument.

Trumpet also offers additive synthesis and can be used as a wireless MIDI controller.

If you’ve used Trumpet, leave a comment with your thoughts!

Description:

TRUMPET is a performance musical instrument for your iPhone. It plays, sounds, and operates like a real trumpet.

TRUMPET’s controls are based upon the principles of a real trumpet. You can adjust this control to include breath, touch, and even tilt control! It’s a great way to learn how a trumpet works, and it’s expressive enough to be a real instrument for proficient musicians.

TRUMPET includes a unique sound engine that uses sound samples of real instruments — including a trumpet, a muted trumpet, and a flugelhorn. TRUMPET also features the Visual Synth. Create your own sounds with our additive synthesizer, adding reverb, filters, and sculpting the overtones to explore the soundscape.

Control your music studio with TRUMPET — full MIDI control is included via the musicofx midi tool [PC *and* Mac], free with TRUMPET! Control GarageBand, Reason, or Logic wirelessly — a new performance MIDI controller!

Finally, you can record and share your TRUMPET performances. Upload, download, vote — you can even listen to them in your browser, embed them in your blog, or send them to Mom in an email.

Synesthesia has announced that it’s updated the Virtual Brain for the Mandala drum synthesizer to support multiple pads.

The new Virtual Brain v1.50 was developed from requests made by Mandala players and has been tested extensively in multipad experiments with Danny Carey of the rock band TOOL.

The new “Virtual Brain” v1.50 software is available now to anyone via free download from the company’s website at http://www.mandaladrum.com. Even without buying the Mandala, anyone can download the software and tinker with it – on its own, or with other PC or Mac-compatible musical devices.

The Mandala is an advanced drum synth device that works as a USB MIDI controller with most major music software such as Battery 3, Reaktor, FXpansion BFD, Ableton Live, Propellerhead Reason and Apple GarageBand. Synesthesia also offers a special set of presets and HD snare players for Battery 3.

Details on the update below.

New features include:

• Master Window and Pad Windows combined into one Main Window
• More user friendly for multiple pad connection and multiple pad control of program
• Onscreen pad zones light up upon strikes
• Double the amount of preset hotkeys
• Added preset changing via external MIDI program change
• Greatly reduced load time for full kit (multiple Mandala) presets
• Added ability (PC Users) for Mandalas to control the Virtual Brain and 3rd party programs simultaneously with MIDI Yoke (free download from http://midiox.com)
• Automatic audio level safety when changing presets
• Virtual Brain starts on last used preset
• Added visual of exact strike ring position over swirl logo
• Added screen jump edit button for laptops when more than 4 zones active
• Number of voices now saves with every preset

The Mandala 2.0 retails for $349, and is available online at http://mandaladrum.com. Each Mandala is hand-crafted and thoroughly tested before it is shipped. Synesthesia also offers a discount to Dual Pack buyers from mandaladrumstore.com and will issue a $50 rebate with proof of a multiple pad purchase from MusiciansFriend.com.

Keytar: Impossible – may make you want to poke someone’s eyes out.

via bobjenz:

A bunch of cuts. 10 minutes of choosing crappy Garageband loops. 4 minutes of shooting. A couple hours editing.

I know. This is the best thing you’ve ever seen…

This video tutorial explains making your own Apple Loops using Garageband.

Green Apple Loops are the kind that include audio and midi data. Starting with Logic 7.1 (Express or Pro), you can make them in addition to the regular, audio-only blue kind. This video shows you how to do it.

via Home Audio Journal

Winter NAMM Show: Submersible Music introduced DrumCore V3. Version 3 sports a new interface, over twice as much content and is now a plug-in.

DrumCore gives songwriters and composers access to grooves and instrument sounds of over a dozen famous drummers and percussionists. It includes a library of both audio loops and MIDI grooves plus a software drum instrument for Mac and PC. DrumCore covers a multitude of styles — including rock, blues, metal, prog, alt-rock, pop, jazz, urban, funk, Latin, reggae and others.

DrumCore v3 will be available for $199 in Q2 of 2009. A v3 upgrade will be available to all DrumCore customers for $50 USD, available via the Submersible Music website and music software resellers worldwide.

New Drumcore 3 Features:

New User Interface

DrumCore v3 features a new interface with enhancements asked for by DrumCore users. Now it’s easier to search and audition the vast number of grooves in DrumCore via List View in the updated Groove Browser plus Audio Mode and MIDI Mode are more clearly indicated. Beats, variations and fills are arranged into song-like GrooveSets for fast access. Search content based on drummers, musical styles and “Feel” criteria (like shuffle, swing, 1/8th, 1/16th etc.) and then simply drag and drop grooves into any popular music application (Acid, Cubase, DP, GarageBand, Live, Logic, Pro Tools, Sonar, etc.).

Vastly Expanded “Basic Beats”, Urban and Jazz Sections

A huge selection of bread-and-butter songwriting beats have been added plus expanded jazz content featuring Seattle jazz drummer Gregg Keplinger (http://www.greggkeplinger.com). Submersible’s popular “Urban GT” expansion pack ($49 value) is now included, which features classic hip-hop and modern R&B MIDI grooves plus 24 subwoofer-slammin’ drumkits.

Matt Cameron (Soundgarden), John Tempesta (Testament) and Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction) Content
Included with v3 are drumkits and grooves from Seattle rock/alternative legend Matt Cameron (Soundgarden, Pearl Jam), all of the TempestaPack II expansion pack ($79 value) featuring smoldering metal drummer John Tempesta (Rob Zombie, Testament, Helmet) and new grooves by Jane’s Addiction drummer Stephen Perkins.

RTAS/AU/VSTi Compatible

DrumCore v3 is now a plug-in for easier integration with all the popular recording applications.

“LiveDrummer” Technology

DrumCore MIDI engine enhancements provide greater realism for drum rolls and cymbal performances. Tired of “machine gun” playback? Grab the LiveDrummer slider and get more dynamics into your groove!

DrumCore Toolkit

DrumCore Toolkit can be used for importing REX2, WAV, ACID and AIFF loop libraries as well as for building drumkits using any WAV or AIFF files. It is a standalone application and ReWire client that works similar to DrumCore 2.5.

Drummers

DrumCore includes content by these great drummers: Ben Smith (Heart), John Bishop (Ernie Watts), Terry Bozzio (Jeff Beck, Frank Zappa). Matt Sorum (Velvet Revolver), Tony Braunagel (Bonnie Raitt), Ned Douglas (Dave Stewart,), Sly Dunbar (Bob Marley), Michael Shrieve (Santana), Alan White (John Lennon, Yes), Matt Cameron (Soundgarden, Pearl Jam), John Tempesta (Testament, Helmet), Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction), Lonnie Wilson (Brooks & Dunn, Rascal Flatts), Luis Conte (Clapton, Sergio Mendes) Zoro (Lenny Kravitz) and others. Even more drummer content is available via “DrummerPack” expansion libraries.

It adds a fully programmable virtual analog synthesizer filter with resonance, envelope follower and an integrated post-filter digital delay to your audio production environment.

This product at a glimpse:

• Platforms: MacOS X
• Formats: AudioUnit Latest version: 1.0.1
• Free

You can send any of your audio tracks through this ‘virtual analog’ effects device to either create spezial effects or to simulate the behaviour of an analog 4-pole synthesizer filter.

New in 1.01:

Clicking on the “Dly Time” text area directly above the delay time slider will set the delay time to the click interval. This is a handy way to adjust the tempo of the delay without figuring out the millisecond value

Specifications:

• 24dB/Octave (4 pole)
• variable Cutoff + Resonance
• Lowpass/Bandpass switchable
• Envelope Follower with adjustable sensitivity
• Envelope attack/release times
• Adjustable analog distortion
• Adjustable digital delay after filter with time, mix and feedback

Minimum system requirements:

MacOS X 10.4.11 or newer. AU compatible host software. Tested with:

• Apple Logic 8.02
• MotU Digital Performer 6.02
• Ableton Live 7.07
• RogueAmoeba AudioHijack Pro 2.9.0
• Apple AU Lab 2.0.1
• TwistedWave 1.0.0
• Apple GarageBand 4.1.2