Introduction to Garageband

Welcome to the Introduction to Garageband page!

I'll be creating content for this webpage each week until schools go back so keep returning for ideas and videos to keep you making great music whilst you're stuck at home.

Before I go any further, if you haven't yet looked at the Technology page DO SO NOW! especially if you don't have Garageband on an iPad or iPhone at home. There are loads of music-making apps and websites on there for Android devices and laptop or desktop computers for you to access FOR FREE so that you can keep composing and songwriting whilst you're stuck at home. We'll also be putting How To videos up to help you get creating super-fast. Check it out...

Technology page

THINGS TO DO #1

Smart Instrument Overview

For those of you with Garageband on a device at home I have made a video lesson entitled Smart Instrument Overview. It looks at all the Smart Instruments in Garageband and helps you to understand how they work, picking out what they have in common as well as their differences and hopefully giving you some creative ideas.

Some of you have had a play with Smart Instruments before but this video will take you through all the buttons and features and get you ready to start writing and recording.

THINGS TO DO #2

Garageband Sampler

The sampler in Garageband is a really fun way of adding voice or instrument recordings - made using the iPad microphone - to your song. It enables you to edit and play those recordings back at different pitches and with different rhythms using an onscreen keyboard. This THINGS TO DO looks at how Sampler works and then challenges you to create a Beatbox drum beat using your voice and the Sampler instrument.

First, watch this video about the basics of the Sampler instrument...

Now, we all know what beatboxing is but how do you go about getting the best drum sounds from your voice? Here is a master of the beatbox to give you a little lesson (and no, it's not me)...

Practice your drum sounds and get ready to record them into Sampler.

So you know how to use Sampler and you've perfected your beatbox drum sounds, now it's time for a quick video from me to show you how to construct a beatbox drum beat in three parts in Garageband using Sampler. Watch this video below...

You don't have to use your voice to make a drum beat in Sampler. You could make and record sounds from things you find around the house and make a drum beat from them. Cardboard boxes, kitchen cupboards, cutlery... a fridge door can make an amazing bass drum sound. Experiment with the sounds you can make and record them to create your own custom drum kit.

Here's some inspiration. This guy made a song called Backyard just using sounds he recorded in his garden and garage, check it out...

Remember to record and share what you make with us at music@bedford.gov.uk and we'll put in on our Shared By You page. Have fun!

SHARE WITH US

If you would like to share any music that you've created, using an app or website or any other recording device known to humanity, just send it by email to... music@bedford.gov.uk .

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