Why do iPhones have Garage Band?

[crankmeister]

I’ve fiddled with it when bored.

But what do you actually do with Garage Band on an iPhone? Would it make more sense if I also had a Mac computer? I just don’t see what I would do with a drum beat or chord progression from an iPhone other than what I’ve already done — put a beat together, then swipe up to close the app.

 

[Tsjackson]

It’s pretty crap really, quite nice to be included for free but not very helpful I don’t think. I got cubase for iPhone (cubasis) which is infinitely better, although still not fantastic. With an audio interface plugged into the phone or iPad you can use it for recording quite effectively, although cubasis is lacking in a few areas… I’m hoping they update it in time

 

[crankmeister]

It’s pretty crap really, quite nice to be included for free but not very helpful I don’t think. I got cubase for iPhone (cubasis) which is infinitely better, although still not fantastic. With an audio interface plugged into the phone or iPad you can use it for recording quite effectively, although cubasis is lacking in a few areas… I’m hoping they update it in time

I can connect my phone to an audio interface?

 

[Stratoskater]

I can connect my phone to an audio interface?

Yes just like an iPad. We use both to record in GB. Most use it for that and not pre done beats.

 

[nifnof70]

I have the app on my phone but have never messed with it.

What is it and what are the benefits (if any)?

 

[Tsjackson]

I can connect my phone to an audio interface?

Yeah! Well worth getting a little portable set up, it’s all I’ve got as I don’t have a computer. It’s fine on it’s own but I feel would be brilliant to have as a portable set up to then send stuff back to the computer

 

[Scott Baxendale]

I’ve fiddled with it when bored.

But what do you actually do with Garage Band on an iPhone? Would it make more sense if I also had a Mac computer? I just don’t see what I would do with a drum beat or chord progression from an iPhone other than what I’ve already done — put a beat together, then swipe up to close the app.

I find it pretty useless but some people get a lot out of it. I don’t like Apple Logic compared to other DAWs, because to me it is not logical at all. GB is the baby version of this and is equally illogical to me. I’ve used Digital Performer, Protools, Vegas and Mixbus, but Logic makes me pull my hair out.

 

[fretter]

If you were on the road, you could probably use it to capture multitrack ideas, with the correct adapter. I've only used it like the OP. Noodled with the keyboard over a beat, then closed the app.

 

[WelhavenT]

I have an iRig mic at my rehearsal room. So whenever we want to capture a new idea, I use Garageband to record it. At home I use garageband on my iPad to add stuff and then send the files to the other members.

I use garageband (with Bias FX 2) on my iPad to record guitar tracks for pre-prods/new songs. Then the drummer/bassist/vocalist/whatever record their stuff, and in the end we got a full song. Later when we’re rehearsing new stuff, we listen to the pre-prod.

 

[Cerb]

I have an iRig interface that I hook up to my iPhone, where I also have AmpliTube. Plugging in a set of headphones and putting the phone in my pocket I can walk around the house while playing guitar. With really good tone too. If I want I can pipe the sound from amplitube through garageband.

 

[stratology]

I've used GarageBand on iPad for backing tracks/loops, and sending MIDI Clock, to keep GarageBand drum loops, delay times on the Kemper, and audio loops on the TC Ditto X4 looper synced. Super useful for that.

When you want to record, it's easy to move projects from GarageBand on iPhone/iPad directly into Logic, and continue to work on them.

GarageBand is extremely powerful, especially for a free app. I know this has been brought up countless times - St. Vincent wrote her entire 2nd album on GarageBand...

 

[Scott Baxendale]

I’ve fiddled with it when bored.

But what do you actually do with Garage Band on an iPhone? Would it make more sense if I also had a Mac computer? I just don’t see what I would do with a drum beat or chord progression from an iPhone other than what I’ve already done — put a beat together, then swipe up to close the app.

Garage Band on any device sucks IMO. I’ve used it with my iPad on plane rides when I was bored, but I have a real hard time navigating it, same with Logic Pro.

 

[crankmeister]

Garage Band on any device sucks IMO. I’ve used it with my iPad on plane rides when I was bored, but I have a real hard time navigating it, same with Logic Pro.

But regardless of how anyone feels about it, I just don’t get how it’s useful on a phone.

 

[Chont]

Well its not ProTools but years ago I used it to record a couple of ST Challenges. Put the backing track on one track and hooked up my iRig and recorded the jam over it. It worked ... better than my playing i suppose LOL

 

[ETucc]

But regardless of how anyone feels about it, I just don’t get how it’s useful on a phone.

You can lay down guitar tracks with the phones mic if you wish. Combine it with a drum beat and keyboard bass and you can make fast demos on the fly.

 

[Scott Baxendale]

But regardless of how anyone feels about it, I just don’t get how it’s useful on a phone.

Phones should just be phones IMO.

 

[Cerb]

But regardless of how anyone feels about it, I just don’t get how it’s useful on a phone.

Hook an interface ip to your phone and you’ll find Garageband almost as useful as a lot of other “entry level” DAWs