Apple released GarageBand for iPad, Thursday. Unlike the iMovie update that was released earlier on Thursday, this app works for both the original iPad and the iPad 2 that ships Friday, March 11th. Announced on March 2nd when the iPad 2 was unveiled, GarageBand for iPad brings multitrack recording, virtual instruments, and various “Smart Instruments” to Apple’s iPad.
Apple’s patch notes:
Play your iPad like a musical instrument.
- Perform on dozens of musical instruments on the innovative Multi-Touch keyboard.
- Tap out beats from the seat of acoustic and electronic drum kits.
- Recreate legendary guitar rigs on your iPad with 9 amps and 10 stompbox effects.
- Record your voice using the built-in microphone, and apply fun sound effects.
- Use the Sampler to create an instrument from sounds you record, then play them on a keyboard.
Sound like a virtuoso with Smart Instruments.
- Tap chords to instantly create keyboard grooves with the Smart Keyboard.
- Strum chords on acoustic and electric Smart Guitars, or trigger fingerpicking patterns for popular chords.
- Groove with an onscreen electric or upright Smart Bass by tapping on chords.
- Drag drum instruments onto a grid to create your own beats with the Smart Drums.
Create a song anywhere you go.
- Arrange and mix your song with up to eight tracks using Touch Instruments, audio recordings, and loops.
- Trim and place musical regions exactly where you want them to play.
- Use the Mixer to fine-tune each track’s volume – solo or mute any track, or adjust pan, reverb, and echo.
- Use over 250 professionally prerecorded loops as a backing band to your song.
Share your songs.
- Email songs right from your iPad (AAC).
- Export your song and add it to the iTunes library on your Mac or PC.
- Send a project to your Mac and open it in GarageBand to continue refining your song.
All that for US$4.99, and it’s available now.
GarageBand for iPad Screenshot
We should note that Apple is comparatively late to multitrack recording on the iPad. Amplitube for iPad, Portastudio from Tascam, Music Studio, MultiTrack DAW, and other apps have been around for some time, and Damon Albarn of Gorillaz recorded an album released in December entirely on the iPad with tools that existed throughout the Fall of 2010.
That’s just an aside, however, and we expect GarageBand to quickly outpace other digital audio workstations (DAW) on the iPad.