Microsoft is currently featuring an article adapted from an original piece written by Marc Saltzman from Microsoft Home Magazine on their “Microsoft At Home” website. The article discusses software for making music on your PC and, for advanced users, recommends Apple’s Mac-only GarageBand software:
Advanced: GarageBand (U.S.$79)
Part of iLife ’05, a suite of integrated applications (including iMovie and iDVD), GarageBand is a popular program that turns a Mac computer into a professional-quality recording studio for musicians.
The intuitive interface lets music lovers create and record music by selecting from the more than 50 virtual instruments (including a convincing grand piano) and more than 1,000 professional-quality audio loops that can be used in a new composition. Players can also attach instruments to their computer, such as music keyboard or electric guitar (via analog input or microphone), which can be recorded, edited, and mixed together with other tracks.
GarageBand users can also add more instruments and loops with any of four Jam Packs (U.S.$99). These expansion discs each add more than 2,000 additional loops and dozens of new software instruments, among other features.
Full article here.
Microsoft. Misfiring on all cylinders.
Related articles:
San Francisco Chronicle: GarageBand 3 has by far the most extensive package of podcasting features – January 30, 2006
Mac-only GarageBand’s ‘revolutionary potential a great reason to finally get a computer you will love – September 17, 2004
Wall Street Journal’s Mossberg: Apple GarageBand a ‘terrific tool, another feather in Apple’s cap’ – February 04, 2004
Time Magazine: ‘Apple’s GarageBand puts a full-scale recording studio at your fingertips’ – January 19, 2004
That’s good. Like the Pope recommending Wicca.
Not only did they fsck it all up by listing GarageBand, but there are a couple other issues: They list Steinberg Cubase SX as having a price of $199 CAD. I wish! That should read somewhere closer to $700. Not only that, but both Cubase and GarageBand are ‘advanced’…? I use both Cubase and GarageBand, and GarageBand is a toy compared to Cubase. It’s perfectly fine for doing quick, simple demos and such, but if things are serious, I go to Cubase.
Awesome – though it is a good recommendation!
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Also – advanced? – i’d say intermediate at most – the beginner program is for 4 year olds
I saw this on digg earlier and sent a message to MDN. The funny part is after 14 hours it is STILL on Microsoft’s web site.
Paul has a point, it IS a good recommendation.
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Microsoft really Zuned-up with this article.
Now now, it’s good to see Microsoft finally demonstrating their ability to give good advice.
-jcr
It’s great press. Also, Garageband is not *advanced* in the slightest. It’s very easy to use indeed.
Demonstrating, once and for all, that their head is not connected in any way to their ass.
They are referring to a “PC”, as in personal computer, not necessarily a Windows PC. In this case, a Mac-only program takes the gold, as usual. I think they should be credited for being honest.
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Coolfactor, I agree. This wasn’t a mistake. Where does it say the article is targeted at only Windows users? It’s from Microsoft Home magazine. Surely some of Microsoft’s ‘home’ customers user Macs? Microsoft does make Office 2004 for Mac you know.
Rather than trying to paint this as a negative Microsoft article, why not give them a little credit for actually acknowledging the Mac exists?
They can’t count anyway (regardless of the PC = personal computer not necessarily windows debate):
Quote:
“Let’s take a look at three popular PC music programs…
Morton Subotnick’s Making Music
Music Maker 10 Deluxe
Cubase SX 3.0
Music Creator Pro
GarageBand”
so that’s 1,2,3,3 & 3
For all of you saying that garage band is mainly for beginners please remember that this article is aimed at windows users ;o)
Rory:
Of course GB is a toy compared to the Cubase SX, but what do you expect? It’s Microsoft.
Cubase should be labeled as professional.
And oddly, no mention of Pro Tools, which is what the majority of musicians and media-types use these days (Mac or PC).
Well apples DOES sell M$ Office online and at retail…
To M$, Garageband is indeed advanced. It’s all relative.
In the future what do I see: iLife for PCs… just a thought.
I give up trying to figure this shit out …
Gotta love it.
Did you fill in the feedback form? Go ahead – you can have a lot of fun with that!!
Was This Information Useful? – Click Yes and tell them how much you have come to realise that you really need a Mac so that you can run an advanced solution!
Sabotage or Incompetence?
Perhaps it was Bill Allchin’s departing shot!
off subject but i found the perfect case for my Zune it’s made by Zurn.
http://www.zurn.com/pages/catalog.asp?OperationID=19
Let me just mention something about Garage Band: It’s very advanced indeed, and in fact it’s the very same signal processing engine that Apple sells for rather more money and a different user interface as “Logic Pro”. That’s why the loops and the instruments are interchangeable, and why Logic has no trouble at all importing a Garage Band project.
You might remember that some time ago, musical notation was added to garage band. That’s a feature that Logic has had for years, and getting it into Garage band was just a matter of figuring out how to simplify it for a consumer product.
-jcr
Or maybe he was just being honest; something the writers at MDN are wholly incapable of when it comes to Microsoft.
BAC:
Good one!!!!
Perfect!!
MDN’s take is a good way of summarizing the situation.
Peace.