Time-Saving Tips: Get creative with iLife

Working with photos and editing video can be fun, but that doesn’t mean you want to spend all your free time in front of the computer. Here are 18 simple iLife tricks that'll speed you through the boring parts.

Adjust song speed in GarageBand

When you add a song into GarageBand from iTunes, you can cut it up and play with it a bit, but what about changing the tempo of the song? You'll notice that adjusting the tempo does not change the tempo of your iTunes added song. So how can you get around this? Here's how you do it. Drag in the song from iTunes, or record yourself. Select the song and press Control-Option-G and deselect the song. The song now turns purple, and you can open up the track editor and check the check box that says Follow Tempo & Pitch. Now when you change your project tempo, the song will go with it. Hooray!

TUAW Tip: Make iPhone ringtones with GarageBand

An earlier post about PocketMac Ringtone Studio for iPhone reminded me of how I put together ringtones for my iPhone. I just fire up GarageBand and iTunes, do a little quick magic, and out come the ringtones I want.This doesn't work with protected files such as those you've purchased from the iTunes Store -- hell, Apple wants you to spend $0.99 for the tune and another $0.99 to turn it into a ringtone. The method described here works very well turning those CD snippets that you've ripped into iTunes into ringtones. Follow along after the break for the step-by-step.Continue reading TUAW Tip: Make iPhone ringtones with GarageBandPermalink | Email this | Comments

Excerpt: Learn GarageBand tips and tricks

It’s no secret that GarageBand is entry-level music editing software. But at the same time, GarageBand can perform feats that aren’t immediately obvious. In this excerpt from Take Control of Recording with GarageBand, Jeff Tolbert shares some tips and tricks for the music-creation software.

Oasis: a GarageBand now?

Section: Software + Apps, Audio, iLife, Mac + Computers, SoftwareI’ll admit it, I got into Oasis late. After they fell out of favor with the British press and lost the American spotlight (undeservedly, I might add), I heard “Go Let it Out” and thought, “Hey, these guys just may catch on.” It’s not entirely my fault, though. I was living in New York City at the time, meaning the only thing I could hear on the radio was sports talk. Regardless, I’m still a fan of the band, and I’m greatly looking forward to Dig Out Your Soul, their new album due out October 7th in the U.S. It’s good to know there are still rock bands out there who always look like they really want to beat you up...and could. And it’s even better to know an A-list band such as Oasis is making use of Apple’s GarageBand. In a recent interview with MusicRadar.com, chief songwriter, guitarist and sometimes vocalist Noel Gallagher explained that after taking four-and-a-half years to record Don’t Believe the Truth, Oasis ditched their elaborate home studio and started recording demos on guitarist Gem Archer’s “...little GarageBand computer.” The reasons for this aren’t entirely flattering, but would you expect one of the Gallagher brothers to flatter someone? No, and I wouldn’t want them to. Head on over to MusicRadar.com for the full interview, featuring more on GarageBand, as well as Noel’s hilarious (but rather insightful) take on Guitar Hero. Via [MusicRadar.com] Preorder [Dig Out Your Soul] Full Story » | Written by Kirk Hiner for Appletell. | Comment on this Article »

Use Rock Band drum controller with GarageBand

Here's a fun tip from Mac | Life that describes how to use the Rock Band drum controller with GarageBand.In fact, they describe two set-ups; one cheap and one less so. The cheap setup requires GarageBand, the Rock Band USB drum kit and either the GamePad Companion, JunXion (trial) or the Xbox 360 Controller Driver if you've got the Xbox kit.The pricier rig requires a paid version of JunXion ($95). After some simple configuration, you'll have a fully functional electronic drum kit with virtually no lag. Very cool indeed.If you set this up, let us know how it goes.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments