GarageBand Audio Unit Effects Tutorial

LG writes "The wild popularity of Apple's new music program, GarageBand, has surprisingly not yielded much in the way of instructions or guides (the program does not come with a manual, printed or electronic -- just some simple tutorial PDFs). Thus, there are many cool but totally undocumented features in GarageBand. MacJams.com has recently posted a fairly lengthy tutorial on the built-in Audio Unit effects in GarageBand, including things like delay, filters, compressor, reverb, etc. Hopefully similar documentation will start to pop up."

Comments

Apple's Documentation

[Anonymous Coward]

I realize Apple feels their programs should be simple enough to not require documentation, but they definitely should rethink that stance. The more complicated the programs get the more they require decent documentation.

where's the manual?

[sleepypants]

I have a bit of a problem with software these days not coming with manuals. Take most video games -- they come with a tiny eight page booklet, and the 'manual' is now sold separately as part of a 'strategy guide', usually written by (or in collaboration with) the developers! The fact that a 'missing manual' series for Mac related stuff exists is a shame...it would be great to see more documentation released directly from Apple. Even as PDFs or something. Come on, Apple...documentation is supposed to be one of those steps in the complete development cycle I learned about in my 1st year CS class!!

Re:where's the manual?

[MoneyT]

The problem is the image. There's nothing that kills a user's enthusiasm for their new machine faster than opening the box to a manual 200 pages thick. And yes, if Apple provided documentation for all of their softwre that they ship with the computer, it would be that long (IIRC, the NetInfo documentation alone is ~300 pages)

It costs less

[gnugrep]

There's also the fact that not providing any documentation costs less. In fact you can produce the documentation now as a book and people will pay $30 extra for what should come free with the software.

Re:this is great for music.

[MoneyT]

I had no problems (nor do I currently) with IR and WMP being installed by default. What I do have a problem with is not being able to uninstall said apps. If I want to be able to remove an application from my system, I damn well better be able to do it. I can remove quicktime, safari, iTunes, iChat, iPhoto and any other Apple default app (including the finder itself) if I so choose and replace it with another app.

Bundling is not the issue, it's when you bundle it, and then force me to have it that I have an issue.

Manuals only for those who want them

[tverbeek]

Perhaps, but it is nonetheless a pain in the ass for those who would become "power users" of the tool in question.

Apple has simply come to a conclusion obvious to anyone who does much software support: if you include a printed manual, most users won't read it (even when they have a question), making it a waste of trees (and money). As for the would-be power users, that's what the after-market book industry is for. (Garage Band for Dummies is no doubt on the way.) So the people who don't/won't read the manual don't have to pay for one to be printed and shipped, and the people who want/need one, will buy one.