When I first became interested in making my own music, I had just purchased a Mac computer after being frustrated by PCs for over a decade since home computers were first introduced around 1990. Although I now use both formats with ease, when I first got my Mac I was amazed at how user friendly it was and how many multimedia applications made it possible for anyone to simply sit down and make music.
I had heard about Garageband, but had no idea what a 'loop' was and how to use this free software to piece them together and manipulate them to make it sound like a real song. Once I sat down, opened the program and began tinkering around, I had an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. Like Tom Hanks in 'Castaway', I was like, "I made music!"
For those who don't know what Garageband is, it's an entry level music production program that comes standard with Mac computers. It allows you to take standard, Royalty Free, loops of a particular music track like a 4 beat drum loop in standard 4/4 time, 1, 2, 3, 4... and add, for example, a tambourine to it, then an acoustic guitar etc. For a basic program, Garageband is surprisingly versatile. You can even plug in a mic and record your voice using various presets such as a pop music sound or rock sound. Even though I've used professional audio recording, mixing and mastering software such as Pro Tools, Audition, Soundbooth and more, I still like to use Garageband on occasion. It's fun and it's easy, but beware, it's definitely a gateway to much more!
Once I had a few musical creations under my belt I stumbled across iCOMPOSITIONS. It's a site where independent musicians like you can post your creations from your own page and have your music critiqued, downloaded, collaborate with other musicians etc. Not only can you post your music, but advertise CDs you have for sale linked to sites like CDBaby. I've found iCompositions a helpful place to post music, get feedback and promote my efforts as an independent music artist.
PS
Many traditional professional musicians are displeased with the advent of this technology. Unfortunately this and other automatic music creation software is here to stay. I feel it's similar to when Rap music began making a dent in the traditional forms of musical expression. It was looked at by many as not being a true form of creating music. I'd say just ask multi-billion (with a 'B') dollar recording artist Jay-Z if he thinks rap music has legs. Listen, regardless of what someone wishes to call music, it's what you make of it. Just like an artist splashing a bunch of paint on a canvas and selling it for thousands, who's to say you can't slap a bunch of pre-recorded sounds together and call it music. I could smack one rock against another and call it music for goodness sake. If you want to make music, make music and don't let anyone tell you it's not music. And if someone decides to pay you for what you've created, then call yourself a professional musician.
A word of caution. If you plan to eventually sell your original creations for hard cash on sites like 'iStock', don't use Garageband. Stock sites do not accept submissions created by generic loops like those found on Garageband and purchased in bundles...unless those loops are made by you. Pick yourself up a 25 key Keyboard and presto! One finger on one key for four seconds and boom, a drum loop is born. It's all about having fun and experimenting to create a sound you can be proud of, then piecing it all together.
Once you've gone beyond making songs with generic loops to creating your own, it's not far from learning to master those creations to make them sound like gold. I'll talk more later about expanding into the world of stock sounds and getting that crystal clear sound from recording in places like the kitchen or the hallway closet; which is where my first produced CD was recorded and is available for purchase on iCompositions...
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