GarageBand for Mac

apple.com/mac/garageband
Design & Prototyping
Weekend Project

Incredible music. In the key of easy.

How to Replace GarageBand for Mac

Overview

GarageBand is a fully equipped music creation studio for Mac with a complete sound library including instruments, presets, session drummers, and percussionists. It features an intuitive, modern design that makes it easy to learn, play, record, create, and share music. Users can create professional-sounding music with or without an instrument by plugging in guitars, microphones, or USB keyboards.

Features

30 features across 8 categories

Audio Content(8)

Drum Tracks

Create astonishingly human-sounding drum tracks

Drummer GenresAI

28 beat-making drummers and three percussionists across EDM, Dubstep, Hip Hop, Latin, Metal, and Blues genres

Drummer Loops

Diverse collection of prerecorded acoustic and electronic loops that can be easily customized and added to songs

Drummer Virtual Session PlayerAI

Virtual session drummer that takes direction and plays along with songs, featuring 28 drummers and three percussionists in six genres

EDM and Hip Hop Synths

100 EDM- and Hip Hop–inspired synth sounds with Transform Pad Smart Control for morphing and tweaking

Electronic Music Sounds

Electronic-based music styles like EDM and Hip Hop with built-in instruments and loops

Loops Library

Thousands of loops from popular genres like EDM, Hip Hop, Indie, and more

Sound Library

Complete collection of instruments, presets for guitar and voice, and an incredible selection of session drummers and percussionists

Audio Editing(5)

Drummer Customization

Enable and disable individual sounds to create beats with kick, snare, cymbals, and customizable groove and fill combinations

Flex Time

Drag notes into place to fix timing issues in performances

Groove Track

Select one track as your Groove Track and make others fall in line for super-tight rhythm

Piano Roll Editor

Fine-tune music later in the Piano Roll Editor with detailed note editing

Song Structure Organization

Easily name and reorder song sections to find the best structure

Audio Effects(4)

Amp and Effects

Jaw-dropping array of realistic amps and effects for guitar and other instruments

Audio Effects and EQ

Polish tracks with effects such as compression, visual EQ, reverb, volume levels, and stereo panning

Bass Rig Customization

Customize bass tone with vintage or modern amps and speaker cabinets with different microphone positioning

Guitar Amps and Cabinets

Van-load of amps, cabinets, and stompboxes for guitar customization

Audio Recording(3)

Multi-take Recording

Record multiple takes and save them all in a multi-take region for easy selection of best performances

Multi-track Recording

Create and mix up to 255 audio tracks

Real-time Performance Capture

Capture changes in real time by adjusting software instruments' Smart Controls while recording

Integration(2)

iCloud Sync

Work on GarageBand songs from anywhere using iCloud to add tracks from iPhone or iPad and import to Mac

iPad Remote Control

Wirelessly control GarageBand from iPad using Logic Remote app to play instruments, shape sound, and control recording

Also in: monday.com, Notion, Airtable

Learning(4)

Artist Song Lessons

Learn favorite songs on guitar or piano from the original recording artists who recorded them

Built-in Lessons

Great collection of built-in lessons for piano and guitar with video demos and animated instruments

Genre-based Lessons

40 different genre-based lessons including classical, blues, rock, and pop

Instant FeedbackAI

Real-time listening feedback on playing performance, note by note, with progress tracking and scoring

Sharing(3)

Custom Ringtone Creation

Save tracks as custom ringtones for incoming calls

Music App Export

Export finished tracks to the Music app library where they can live alongside other favorite music

Social Media Sharing

Share finished songs easily with friends, family, or the whole internet community via social networks

Also in: Loom, Smartsheet, Calendly

User Interface(1)

Smart Controls

Intuitive controls with perfect set of knobs, buttons, and sliders to shape sound quickly with onscreen controls

Cost Calculator

Pricing data not available for GarageBand for Mac. Check their website for current pricing.

Build vs Buy

Should you build a GarageBand for Mac alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 30 features.

Buy GarageBand for Mac

Better Value
Monthly costContact Sales
3-year totalVaries
Time to deployDays

Build Your Own

Development cost$12,000
Maintenance$180/mo
3-year total$18,480
Dev time~1 months

Buying GarageBand for Mac saves ~$18,480 over 3 years vs building.

Estimates based on 30 features and a BuildScore of 5/5. Actual costs vary.

Integrations

5 known integrations

GarageBand for iOSiCloudLogic Pro for MacLogic RemoteMusic App