Anyone else been using the garageband app to demo? Hints and tips thread perhaps?

[gafbass02]

Lately I've been using garageband on my ipad to create some basic demo versions of the cover versions that my band do. More to see if I could than for any other reasons. It's been tricky working, quite literally around, (and over and under!) the kids but oddly rewarding.

Despite the fact that using an iPad seems quite hi-tech, the limitations have made it more like old school four track recording from back in the day. I have NO experience using any form of computer recording, having always let others take care of such things for me.
There is no eq or mastering tools like compression etc, so what goes down the mic has to be right. You have eight tracks and then it's bounce time.
There's lots of little foibles, I've lost hours of work before when a track has randomly moved/deleted/split etc.

The biggest problem has been noise, I'm mr Skint so I'm using a peavey amp-kit link into the headphone socket and an irig mic pre, both of which are very noisy. So I've spent a lot of time chopping as the noise filter is a bit rubbish. An apogee jam or the new behringer I/o device are on my one day list.
But it's been great fun, very rewarding, and I plan to do as many of our tracks as I can. The inability to change tempo mid song has ruled out a few though. :-/
(I'm using a combination of smart drums and playing in all the drums on the ipad manually as I can't drum at all. )

I've found vocals the hardest, as I'm more a performer than a studio singer, but they are getting better, I've also found that my timing on guitar sucks :-/ but I've only been playing it two years or so, so not too worried.

Mine is a funny old band, rocked up pop covers, no fancy musicianship at all, but people like it and we're busy and paid so I'm happy with it. It started as a joke so unexpected win! I've never played any of the bass to the tracks before, preferring to leave the bass to the bass player in the band ( oddly I'm the singer/guitarist, I started just for this band) but for the sake of ease and convenience I quickly banged the bass down on the recordings. Usually at like 1am once everyone is asleep via my zoom b9.

Anyway, I just wondered if anyone else had been using it this way and how their results were? Any tips or tricks, etc (NOT comments like 'buy logic, or rent a studio" !)
If you haven't its worth a shot, really takes me back to the days of the tascam porta 01 and my trusty old realistic mic. Good fun.

Edited December 23, 2013 by gafbass02

[gafbass02]

Well, it's been a while since I posted that, and it seems a few more people have cottoned on to the ipad/GarageBand combination now, so I thought I'd post some of my results and we could maybe make this into a bit of a hints and tips/ideas/experiences thread.
My stuff is all in my soundcloud. In almost chronological order. All the 'acoustic' recordings were done using the inbuilt mic.
The rest was all done using originally an amp kit but more lately an apogee jam (vast improvement) for guitar.
Older recordings the vocals were just an sm58, later ones a behringer condenser through a TC mic mechanic.
Bass always my bassmaster through my zoom B9.1.
Drums are a mixture of smart drums for the main parts embellished with manually tapped in drums from the GarageBand app.

'Chasing cars' was an odd one as its mainly done using in app instruments and a quietly sung vocal through the internal mic (i forgot noisegate!) as it was made entirely with my left hand while holding a sleeping child!

None have been carefully planned, executed and polished projects, more snatched moments around kids bedtimes, mealtimes etc all entirely done in headphones and declared finished when my patience runs out!
As mentioned above, I've only been playing guitar and singing for two years, so these aspects aren't great, but the point of this is more what we can squeeze out of GarageBand on the ipad.

https://soundcloud.com/gafbass02

( should add if it says "kitchen" on the track name it was literally done at the kitchen table with an acoustic guitar played and sung straight into the ipad mic with the kids round my feet etc)

Any other ipad GarageBand types feel free to chip in with experiences, tips etc

Edited December 23, 2013 by gafbass02

[lowdown]

[size=4]I use ipad when on the go (mainly Midi work) and GarageBand is fine[/size]
but in my Studio I use Cubase, s[size=4]o I started using Cubasis on the ipad because I could[/size]
[size=4]Import Cubasis files straight into Cubase.[/size]

[size=4]I found that Cubasis has a lot more going for it than GarageBand,[/size]
[size=4]And has a lot more sounds that sound better for my use. Midi editing is much more in depth as well.[/size]
[size=4]Down side...It cost 35 notes.[/size]

Check out the tutorial Videos on the right hand side.
[size=4]http://www.steinberg.net/en/products/ios_apps/cubasis.html[/size]

[nottswarwick]

subscribed.

I want to get myself a decent ipad interface in the New Year. Previously I have used Logic, and still have it, but I fancy using the ipad for simplicity etc.

I use icloud and files can be saved securely there a you know.

Hope to have a bit more time to look into this more.

Cheers

C

[gafbass02]

Does cubasis have all the virtual instruments, drums etc? Cause without them I'd be stuck tbh.

Also I kinda like the simplicity and challenges of working with GarageBand, it suits the 'quick, she's in the bath, I've got five minutes to do something' nature of my recording.

Edited December 23, 2013 by gafbass02

[nottswarwick]

On, ROAR, is that a live recording? If not, what did you use for the drums?

[gafbass02]

No it's just me and the iPad, same work method each time. Lay down a click track, then guide guitar and vocal so I know where I am then make a drum track.
The drums on all of them are just the iPad GarageBand drums tapped in on the screen.
First I do a smart drum track for the basic beat, then add a hi hat/snare track, any fills, extra bits, etc, and merge the result into a single drum track.

Then record a bunch of guitars using an sm58 plugged into an irig mic pre and pointed at my peavey bandit.
Merge the guitars.
Add a proper vocal, add bass from my zoom.
Add any extra guitar leads,
Add backing vocal tracks
Get levels and done

Roar was the latest one, done in a day. Funnily enough I wanted it to sound live and loose, I forgot to leave the hi hat count in on though and couldn't be arsed to fix it

Edited December 23, 2013 by gafbass02

[lowdown]

[quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1387827429' post='2316242']
Does cubasis have all the virtual instruments, drums etc? [/quote]

Yep, and they are excellent.
Learning curve is more in Cubasis, unless you are a Cubase user.
GarageBand is certainly easier to get up and running.

[gafbass02]

That's interesting to know. I've never used anything else, always been more of a let someone else do it sort of thing. But I've found this an interesting diversion. Might invest after crimbo then if my apogee and irig work. Don't want to spend loads on interfaces etc. already bought too much!

[nottswarwick]

I might get an apogee interface.

I would like the one that takes a mic too though

[the boy]

[quote name='nottswarwick' timestamp='1387829853' post='2316298']
I might get an apogee interface.

I would like the one that takes a mic too though
[/quote]
Yep me too...... I had a duet 2 and sold it as I wasn't getting the use. I now use an apogee one and I desperately regret selling the duet. The problem with these portable apogee interfaces is the breakout cables, they are a bit finicky and they often play up. I'm on the lookout for something at the moment. I might move away from apogee completely. You can pickup an original duet for small money on eBay at the mo. I saw one go for £140 last week. Well worth that.