Become a rock star with GarageBand

Enlarged image for GarageBand
GarageBand 0/3

If you've ever dreamt of turning your PC into a personal recording studio or wondered how your favorite artists craft their tunes, GarageBand is your answer. Make the next catchy tune and rise to the top of the charts with GarageBand, a free music creating tool available for Apple users.

Fame and fortune awaits with GarageBand

Be creative with powerful synths. You’ve got over a hundred EDM, and Hip Hop sounds at your disposal.

Launch your fully equipped, free, music studio right from your Mac. With GarageBand, you get full control to make music the way you’re comfortable with. Having a guitar lets you plug in and use any amp of your choosing, or choose an instrument from the extensive library available.

You choose your style and jam with the perfect drummer. Drummers are virtual session players that use the industry’s top session drummers and recording engineers to bring you the beat your song needs. Every drummer has their own signature kit that will let you produce music with a variety of groovy combinations.

You can switch up your sound with the intuitive controls, letting you enable or disable individual pieces to create your beat, your way. You can also customize loops and add them for some extra inspiration on your tracks.

Each synth uses the Transform Pad Smart Control, letting you tweak and morph sounds till they fit your music perfectly.

With built-in lessons for instruments such as the piano and guitar, you have all the reason to start learning a new skill and make music that can sway hearts. With instant feedback you improve fast, letting you know what you need to do better, and when to do it.

Do real musicians use GarageBand?

Absolutely! GarageBand isn't just for beginners. Big-name musicians like Haim, St. Vincent, Rihanna, Duran Duran, and Usher have used GarageBand to create their music. Even Fall Out Boy, known for their hit "Thnks fr th Mmrs" in 2007, preferred GarageBand's virtual instruments over real ones in a studio.

GarageBand is more than just software. It's an open door to making music, inviting everyone, from beginners to famous artists, to create and enjoy the world of musical expression.

Where can you run this program?

GarageBand is only available for Apple users, with applications for Mac and iOS devices. Any customer of Apple can make fantastic music for free.

Is there a way to use GarageBand on PC?

For those using a regular Windows PC, getting GarageBand isn't straightforward. You'll have to do a bit of a workaround. First, you need to install a special version of the Mac operating system, called macOS Big Sur or a newer one, on your computer. Then, you can use a program like VirtualBox to run GarageBand on your PC. It's a bit like creating a pretend Mac inside your Windows computer.

Let's break it down:

  • Setting up the Virtual Machine: To bring GarageBand to your Windows world, you've got to make a virtual machine that runs macOS Big Sur or a newer version. This virtual setup helps GarageBand feel at home on a Windows PC.
  • Making It Work: Once the virtual machine is good to go, you can download and run GarageBand on your PC just like on a Mac. All those cool features and instruments are now at your fingertips, making it a sweet deal for Windows users.
  • Other Options: VirtualBox is a popular choice, but there are other programs out there that do a similar job. So, if VirtualBox isn't your thing, you can explore different options to bring GarageBand into your Windows world.

Is there a better alternative?

There are a variety of music creators, such as Magix Music Maker, but not all creation studios allow you to plug in an instrument and play. An alternative for Windows users is Ableton.

Our take

GarageBand is a great and powerful music creator that won’t cost money to start using. It may lack a few features, but you have a powerful tool at no cost.

Should you download it?

Yes, if you have an Apple device and want to play around with music, you should definitely get this program. It’s useful as both a tutor and a music creator.

  • Pros

    • Free to use
    • Create music on your Mac or mobile device
    • Export common filetypes
  • Cons

    • Limited features
    • Only available for Apple users
    • Included soundpacks can be cheesy

Specifications

Platform
  • Mac
  • iOS
Language
  • Czech
  • Danish
  • German
  • Greek
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Finnish
  • French
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Korean
  • Dutch
  • Norwegian
  • Polish
  • Portuguese
  • Russian
  • Swedish
  • Turkish
  • Chinese
License

Free

Latest update
Downloads in last month
104
Developer
Apple Inc.

Also available in other platforms

Program available in other languages



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