When you opt for the Pro plan, you get the option to even do video editing too. Mixcraft 8 comes with all the loaded features you need for music mixing and editing. This GarageBand alternative is a wonderful option for the Windows platform and its professional features are surely worth trying.
.I’m going to start this review with a little confession: I’ve never used Logic until very recently. GarageBand was working OK for me for what I was doing musically at the time. I had looked at Logic at a friend’s studio, but decided the learning curve was too great for me. But about a month ago I was starting to hit a ceiling in GarageBand. It wasn’t any specific thing that was causing me problems; it was just a growing realization that I had enough recording experience and was time to graduate to Logic. A few weeks ago, Apple released Logic Pro X.
So with a review copy of ($199), I decided to give it a try. Transitioning from GarageBandEven after getting some coaching from Apple on how to use Logic Pro X, I was still a little scared about the learning curve.
Fortunately, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. If you’re a GarageBand veteran, you’re still going to have a “OK, how do I do this?” moment or ten. For example, it took me a while to figure out how to use Amplitube as my amp for a guitar track (you add it via the Mixer, not the track itself). Such a learning curve is to be expected and after a few days of working with Logic, I was starting to feel more comfortable.The biggest transition issue I ran into is getting acclimated with the mixer. In GarageBand, you make most of your edits and mixes in the track view. In Logic, you’ll be assigning effects and doing your mixing in the Mixer view.
I actually prefer it this way, since you can easily adjust your levels while the song is playing.Different drummersFor me, the best new feature in Logic Pro X is the new drummer module. As a guitarist I’ve struggled with drum tracks when recording. I usually use the drum loops. When I just need a simple beat I can make adjustments to, it’s a lengthier process that takes me out of the songwriting moment.In Logic Pro X, there is a section where you can choose between a handful of drummers, and edit the drum tracks in real time. Jim Dalrymple has a great, but here’s how I used it: I chose the drummer I wanted (these are top session drummers recorded in a studio, too). By default, it lays down a fairly simple backbeat. For the intro to the song, I wanted an even simpler beat, just a bass drum kicking.
I was able to go into the editor for the drum set and simply uncheck all the drum components except for the kick drum.For the verse I wanted a beat more complex than the basic one. There’s a quadrant in the drum track where you can choose between soft and loud, and simple and complex. There’s a little knob where you can position it any where on this quadrant to fine-tune the beat. Each drummer also has multiple drum kits and you can swap out individual pieces via the drum kit designer.The drummer module is so slick and useful; I think it’s worth almost all the upgrade price alone.Smart ControlsApple introduced Smart Controls with Logic Pro X, a way to group multiple effects, plug-ins and the like into a single control. So, if there’s a guitar sound you like that uses, say, an AmpliTube amp and a Logic effect, you can create a Smart Control that uses all of these inputs. This saves you from having to go to multiple interfaces to adjust your sound. You can also right-click on a Smart Control to bring up the interface, so if you want that advanced view, it’s easy to get to.Smart Controls are something I’m still getting the hang of, but I expect over the next few months I’ll be creating quite a few of them. Logic’s Amp Plug-insFinally, bass players can have their amps and play them too. Apple has introduced Bass Amp Designer in addition to Guitar Amp Designer.I’ve never been a fan of Apple’s guitar modeling and that continues to be the case with Logic.
I found Logic’s amps to be sonically anemic. Maybe it’s my affinity for the licensed amps in AmpliTube or the amps in GuitarRig, but I struggled to get a good sound out of the Logic amps. I was able to get a great sound out of the amp software that I do prefer using.What I’d love to see is for Apple to partner with a company like AmpliTube or Line 6 to really beef up its amp sounds. Take ManagementWhile takes were introduced in Logic 9, Apple has improved the grouping for takes.
How takes work is pretty neat: after I’ve laid down a lead track, if I’m not 100 percent happy with it (and really, what guitarist is ever 100 percent happy with a solo, but I digress), I just record over that track and Logic is smart enough to keep both takes. So, I can keep recording solos until I find one I’m happy with and then choose which one to keep.This is really handy. I could keep ripping off solos without breaking out of the zone and getting distracted. IPad Logic RemoteApple has a free iPad app called that lets you control a lot of the features of Logic Pro X directly from your iPad. It’s important to note that this is not Logic Pro X for the iPad; it’s simply a controller for Logic Pro X running on your Mac. While you can control the software instruments and tap out drum beats using the Remote, the most value I found with the app was in mixing. You can control most of the mixing components with the app, so it was nice to step away from the monitor and tweak a lot of the settings.
Final thoughtsAt first, I thought the jump from GarageBand to Logic would be too daunting. While there is still a significant learning curve, it seems to have gotten a lot better. After about a week I was very comfortable using the app, even though I can tell I’m still scratching the surface. What I really like is that between the new drummer module and the improved take management, I can work on the important parts of writing and recording a song — the actual creation of the work — and feel like the app is working with me, and not against me.If, like me, you’ve been wondering if the learning curve from GarageBand to Logic is too daunting, it’s not. Logic Pro X is an easy-to-use app that still keeps the pro-level features you will be growing into. You also get a lot of pro-level features for relatively short money. Carl Edlund AndersonHow well does Logic Pro X handle importing GarageBand 6.0.5 projects?
I ask because I find that GarageBand 10 does it very badly — at least if those projects contain 3rd-party AUs like Amplitube, etc. Since I am also in the user category of “gotten far enough with GarageBand that I’m thinking of making the jump to Logic” anyway, I figure this might be what pushes me over the edge — but I would want to be fairly sure that Logic will import my old GB projects gracefully before going down that road! (There’s no demo or anything for Logic to try this sort of thing out, is there? I’ve seen no sign of one.).
With the increasing and fast changing technological world we live in, it is indeed true that almost everything can be done with a computer. You can talk to your loved ones face to face with by using virtual chat tools abroad, get instant messages, watch movies, research subject topics and even edit musical instruments effects to music by using professional tool easily. Take for example one of the most popular music applications Apple has ever created called Garageband. With this software, you can do tons of things like recording audio, editing songs, mixing rhythms, adding sound effects and almost everything you could ever imagine with regards to music.Beyond its jaw dropping features and really powerful capabilities when it comes to creating/editing music, Garageband has one major drawback.
And that is its exclusivity to none other than the creator, Apple, meaning there is no Garageband for Windows, and only those with Mac and iOS devices can get to enjoy the remarkable features of Garageband. Though, if you don’t have an iOS device or Apple computer, this doesn’t mean that your passion for music won’t reach technical advancements. Keep in mind that there are Garageband similar programs for Windows out there. Tricks to Get Garageband for PCYou don’t have to buy your own Mac computer just to install Garageband, one great PC Company offers a quick fix that will never burn holes in your pockets.
It is called Garageband 6.0.5 for Windows. Sure that it is not made by Apple but the developer raresoftware.org ensures a smooth operation just like that on Mac, except of course some details such as the minimize and close buttons. But other than that, this desktop application is great enough to rival the original.Installing Garageband on your PC is actually very simple since it is just like other PC programs. Simply:. Go to the website and click the green button to download Garageband for Windows.
Choose your file destination and wait until it finishes downloading. Once completed, locate the downloaded pack and double click to install it. It may take around 10-20 minutes to configure so be patient. When done, you can start exploring Garageband right on your windows PC.With this software you can mix your own songs, edit tempo, play different instruments, cut songs, merge audios, and all others. If this still doesn’t fulfill your needs, you can try out some audacity similar software.
Not only you can edit songs with it and play with different mixes but you could also use it to record HQ audios from various sources. Top Garageband Alternative for Windows Software Streaming Audio RecorderAlthough is not 100% identical with Garageband, its flexible as well as feature-filled aspects would cover the needs of all music lovers. With this desktop application you can use its built-in audio editing tool to cut, merge, copy, split, mix, and create your own sound file.
Additionally, you can edit ID3 tags, making audios more organized as well as information complete. The integrated converter of Streaming Audio Recorder nonetheless comes as a bonus, it allows easy file conversion to various formats such as MP3, WAV, WMA, OGG, AAC and all others.What’s great and really amazing with this software is that it can record any sound played from your computer with 1:1 quality. May it be streaming sounds from YouTube, Spotify, Jango, online radios, or audios playing from your CDs, it can grab that music with one click. You can even use in-line devices such as microphone to make it more personalized as well as unique. True that unlike other alternatives to Garageband filled with tons of music effects, Streaming Audio Recorder might house few of them, but you can record any audio from all sources and later mix it using the built-in editor. To edit audio files, you just need to:. Download and install the latest version of Streaming Audio Recorder on your PC.
Open “Tools” menu and hit “Audio Editor”. Load the sound file you want to edit, wait until file analyzation is complete. Click the “Edit” tab to cut, copy or, while hitting the “Tools” tab will give you more options such as mix, insert or append audio. Preview the edited audio, and press “Export” to export the file.Mixcraft 6Another Garageband for PC that you might want to look at is the.
With this tool you can record audio, add different effects, edit videos and mix different kinds of rhythm. It offers 11 virtual instruments and about 22 high quality effects. There are also 6000 professionally produced music loops and effects that you could play upon. Guitar amp simulators, vocal reduction, band compression, pitch shifting, time stretching and all other features are likewise included.It is a great and really powerful music recording/editing software but there are drawbacks you need to consider such as high price tag, large installation size, complex usage and somewhat serious PC requirements. You need at least 1GB of RAM, but 2GB is recommended to be able to use Mixcraft 6.Indeed, whatever desktop application you choose, take into consideration what you really need. You can download unofficial version of Garageband or choose a more premium one with added features that you could really use. Other alternatives are also present but you need to think twice if it demands a high price.
If you don’t want to cost much and prefer an easy but powerful music editor, Streaming Audio Recorder still will be the top choice.