Well, I'm glad I didn't fork out hundreds of dollars for Cubase, or Emagic, or ProTools, or Deck. I was in the market for sound recording software. This $49 price is wonderful.

Wonder if the software makers get annoyed with Apple. After all, who's going to spend $500 on audio software, when they can get it dirt cheap from Apple? I know Adobe already pulled the plub on Premiere. Hope others don't follow.

I just don't get Apple.

How does GarageBand fit in with iLife? It does not manage or store media as the other iLife apps do. Worse, it doesn't follow the iLife app GUI/metaphor (it doesn't even follow the Finder's GUI/metaphor). Heck, it does not even have an "iLife" name.

More importantly, isn't GarageBand basically Soundtrack? I don't know enough details about both to speak with 100%, but from what I do know, they seem very similar. Using the old SAT verbal style question format, GarageBand is to SoundTrack as Final Cut Express is to Final Cut Pro.

Personally, I see GarageBand as a stand-alone app that shouldn't be included with iLife.

Seems to me this is Soundtrack with MIDI keyboard support added in. It seems like an upgrade with a slight interface interface change. Weird.

Makes perfect sense..
It's an App for muscians who don't have Hundreds of dollars to spend on Digital Performer, Cubase or Logic (to the first post, I have soundtrack AND digital Performer..There is no way that Garage Band will be any where near as powerful as a professional level App like that.) Or to Mr family guy who wants instant music to go with his family home movie.
This doesn't target professional level audio apps at all (IMHO)

Someone at Mac Expo show please ask Apple whether Firewire audio interfaces such as MOTU 828 and M-Audio Firewire 410 are compatible with GarageBand. Thanks!

Yes, someone PLEASE find out... Can you record from a multichannel input device? Just one channel of input at a time, or can you record multiple channels simultaneously?

Too late for me, I already put my order in, but I just *ASSUMED* that the 64 supported tracks would translate into multiple inputs at once, especially since they sell these multiinput devices on their GarageBand accessories page.

I've been using pro MIDI/audio software on the Mac since 1988. I've been through expensive upgrade after upgrade. I've waited on hold for hours for tech support (during business hours that ignore musician's needs). I've had my investment get purchased by an instrument company that immediately drove it into the ground. I've learned new software just to have it be even less stable, more convoluted and needlessly complicated (progress?), and even worse support. I waited like a Quark user for OS X support for years after OS X was released just to be snapped at via email for inquiring about their progress. I've been asked for my g--damn key disk (to once again prove that I own the program that I paid for) when the creative juices were flowing once too many times my friends.

Hail Apple for GarageBand! s**** the overpriced, overcomplicated, undersupported, anti-piracy paranoia induced "pro" MIDI/Audio applications. I've been part of this scene for many years and making music on the Mac hasn't gotten easier, it's harder. It hasn't gotten faster, it's slower. A $50 price point is a slap in the face they richly deserve. How many starving musicians have struggled to a buy a $500 MIDI/Audio package just be bogged down in technical h*** with little or no support of their investment?

Where was this app 15 years ago? Those of you who need to call it a toy to feel better about your inflated investments in "pro" software, just remember this is GarageBand 1.0. What version is your software? It looked plenty fast and intuative to me (closely matching the way the musicians I know prefer to work). And it sounded great even hearing it over a QT stream. I'm sure those heavily invested in Avid went "humph" when Final Cut Pro and even iMovie came out also.

Your COMPLAINING that garage band is included in iLife? WHY?! last year iLife was 50 bucks, this year its 50 bucks, but has another app, a very cool app. Why complain?

How does GarageBand fit in with iLife? It does not manage or store media as the other iLife apps do. Worse, it doesn't follow the iLife app GUI/metaphor (it doesn't even follow the Finder's GUI/metaphor). Heck, it does not even have an "iLife" name.


Umm, iMovie doesn't manage media, it brings in media, allows you to edit it, and then spit it out again. You don't use it to 'manage' your movies (they're too big). GarageBand fits with iMovie.

And its not what's costing $49. iLife was $49, now $49, but you get more. Yeah, talk about a piece of c***!

I believe GarageBand is worth $49 alone. I use Logic Audio for most of my recordings. Yet, I think GB will be very helpful to play along. Amp simulation sounds pretty cool too. I guess GB does not offer MIDI editing features which can be very useful when you mess up recording MIDI but again, for such low price, I have no complaint.